Fat so? Do you know hazards of obesity?
September 19, 2004
Hazards of obesity
The health consequences of obesity include an increased risk of heart disease, strokes, high blood pressure, diabetes, gallstones, and some forms of cancer.
Obesity is now considered a disease. According to a 1995 report from the Institute of Medicine, USA, "Obesity is a heterogeneous disease that occurs when energy intake (i.e. calories consumed) exceeds the amount of energy expended (i.e. calories burned) over time. Only in some cases is obesity caused by illnesses like hypothyroidism or is the result of medicines like steroids that can cause weight gain."
Overweight individuals who lose even relatively small amounts of weight are likely to:
Lower their blood pressure, thereby reducing the risk of heart attack
Control depression
Reduce high levels of blood glucose (associated with diabetes)
Bring blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides (associated with cardiovascular disease) down to more desirable levels
Reduce sleep apnea, or irregular breathing during sleep
Decrease the risk of osteoarthritis of the weight-bearing joints
Programme for healthy weight loss
Take a multivitamin/multimineral daily. Weight loss causes oxidative stress to occur in your tissues, thus a good multivitamin is important.
Reduce your intake of refined, simple carbohydrates like sweets, cola, white breads and alcohol. Hide snack food. Studies show that if you see a snack, you'll eat three times more of it than normal!
Eat five servings per day of three different-coloured fruits and vegetables.
Concentrate on foods naturally high in fibre: fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains.
Exercise six days a week for 20 minutes each. Experts recommend a goal of losing about one kilo a week. A modest reduction of 1,000 calories per day will achieve this goal, as a total reduction of 7,000 calories is equivalent to one kilo of fat.
Eat smaller portions, slowly and only half of what is on your plate and then wait for 10 minutes. You'll feel full as your mind catches up with your stomach.
Drink a minimum of eight cups of ice-cold water. It will satiate your hunger and as your body has to burn calories to heat the ice-cold liquid up to body temperature, it will aid in additional weight loss.
Beware of...
Products that contain 'Ephedra', 'Ephedrine', 'Mahuang', or other natural forms of ephedrine. The Food & Drug Administration, USA, states, "Taking these drugs may result in heart attack, stroke, seizure or death."
Very low-calorie diets and fad diets. 'Crash' diets often send dieters into a cycle of quick weight loss, followed by a 'rebound' weight gain once normal eating resumes.
'Fat Blockers' that purport to physically absorb fat and mechanically interfere with the fat a person consumes. Anything that blocks fat absorption also blocks absorption of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.
'Carbohydrate blockers', 'sugar blockers', 'starch blockers' as they promise to block or impede starch digestion. Users have complained of nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach pains as a result.
Over-the-counter diet
pills. The FDA, USA has issued a warning against
PPA (phenylpropanolamine), a common ingredient in most
OTC weight
loss pills like Dexatrim and Acutrim. A recent study
reported that PPA increases the risk of hemorrhagic
stroke in women. Men are also at risk.
Electrical muscle stimulators. When used incorrectly, they can cause electrical shocks and burns. It has no effect on your inches though!
Are you obese?
I follow the standard chart on ideal weight. If you are five feet tall and below 45, you should weigh less than 46 kilos. If you're more than 45 years old, your weight should be within 51 kilos.
This would be your ideal weight. For every inch more in height, the increase in weight should be two kilos.
Similarly for every consequent inch less in height, a reduction of two kilos would give you your ideal weight. If you are 15 kilos more than your ideal weight, you are obese.
Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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