Obesity

What is obesity? Many physicians consider a person to be obese only if he or she weighs more than 20% above expected weight for age, height and body build.

What are the causes of obesity?

consumption of more calories than are burned through work, exercise and other activities

Inexpensive, tasty, plentiful food and a combination of leisure time, sedentary lifestyle, TV and other activities that require no physical activity

Using food as a substitute for something, to escape emotional pain. Some people eat when their bodies do not need food.

Diets and prolonged caloric restriction. When people try to make the body thinner than it its genetically programmed to be it retaliates by becoming ravenous. This is the so-called Yo-yo effect

Some people are obese because of biological problems such al malfunctioning glands. Others have physical disabilities that limit or prohibit exercise.

In most of the cases obesity occurs as a result of a combination of many genetic, psychological and cultural factors.

Health risks associated with obesity:

Hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, elevated risk of cancer, irregular menstrual cycles, pregnancy complications, gall bladder disease, lung and breathing problems, arthritis.

Sleep disturbances including sleep apnea, inability to participate in certain activities, inability to compete on an equal basis in sports, being picked last for team sports, inability to perform some jobs, prejudice and discrimination at the workplace, restricted social opportunities, restricted opportunities for romantic relationships, low self-esteem and body image problems.

What can be done about obesity?

Work with a physician to identify and correct your problem. It may be biological, medical or physiological in nature.

Check with a counsellor to see if you are using food for a purpose food cannot fulfil: love, comfort, escape, an antidote to boredom.

Don't diet when you are legitimately hungry. You will set yourself up to binge later.

Eat normal, reasonable, moderate amounts of healthy food. Emphasise fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Don't cut out sweets completely. If you do you will crave and sneak them.

The most important thing: exercise consistently. Start with a few minutes of walking and slowly extend the time until you can do 30-60 minutes a day, 3-5 days a week.

Find a support system: Friends are great; so are support groups.

Be gentle and realistic with yourself. If everyone in your family is round and sturdy, chances are you will never be a super model, but you can be happy and healthy.

America`s kids are getting fatter

Hamburgers, cheeseburgers, thick slices of pizza with extra cheese, chips, all washed down with a large Coke or some other sugary soft drink. Most American kids are now eating fast food and the portions are getting bigger and bigger. They also have less chance to burn up all those extra calories with exercise. Exercise is crucial. Surveys have shown that simply limiting TV time reduces weight.

Sport is on the timetable in fewer than half of American schools today. After school, young people often just sit in front of a TV or computer screen. Childhood obesity in the US can be found in all races and social classes and is clearly on the increase. Nearly 13 per cent of America`s children are overweight. But its not just American kids who are overweight. Obesity among children is rising all over the world.

Obesity among children is not just a physical problem. Overweight children also suffer emotionally. They are teased an d bullied at school and suffer from low self-esteem. This can lead to depression, anxiety and eating disorders. In many cases children start overeating because they are lonely (lash-key-kids: If they are lonely so food is their friend. They come home to an empty house, food keeps them company), unhappy or emotionally stressed. Unhappy people are desperate for a quick fix to make them less miserable.

Many schools not only have soda and snack machines but also outlets for fast food chains on the school grounds. Research has shown that kids can be encouraged to eat better. In one experiment it was found that more children will choose to buy healthy snacks, such as carrot sticks and fresh fruit, if they are offered.

Losing weight

Encouraging kids to lose weight has to be done extremely sensitively. Overweight children need to feel they are loved jut the way they are. When a child needs to lose weight, experts say parents should concentrate on health, not appearance, and on more exercise, not less food. The kids know they are fat. They get the message every day. Parents have to encourage their child to get involved in more exercise. It helps too if parents set an example by thinking about their own waistlines and eating healthy food and taking regular exercise. When parents pester their kids about what they should and shouldn´t be eating, their efforts backfire. So what should be done? Encouraging and increasing family leisure activities, making a wide variety of foods available in the home, with a larger proportion of fruits and vegetables. Parents should serve tasty, nutritious food, sit down and enjoy it with their children, and not say a word about weight. Actions do speak louder than words. Sometimes it is time to seek professional help. The message to restrict food is sometimes better accepted when delivered by a professional.