Doctors
General Public
Medical
Students
Main
Page
![](_borders/marketing.gif)
![](_borders/arifsohail1.jpg)
| |
All the facts you
should know about Obesity
About
Miss Noreen Aslam
Are you overweight? Are you obese?
Obesity is defined medically as a condition in which a person is 20% or more
above the desirable weight. For example if the desirable for your age, sex,
height & frame is 100 lbs and your weight is 121 lbs, then by definition,
you are obese.
Causes of obesity
Obesity is not just caused by over eating. In fact, it could be caused by
multiple causes. Actually obesity is a complex interaction of the factors which
interact together to induce obesity:
Psychological ------ Socio-economic ------ Medical ------
Metabolic disorders ------ Genetic ------ Cultural
Indices of obesity
In the past obesity was measured just by a weighing scale and a comparison was
made with life insurance tables. Today, the clinically useful parameters of
over-weight is Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is measured by the following formula:
Weight in kilogram/Height in meters x Height in meters
(W/H2)
Many scientific studies have proved that the BMI is much more accurate predictor
of morbidity & mortality in both men & women.
Normal BMI is 22-25 kg/m2
To compare it to the weight increase of 20% the BMI would correspond 27kg/m2
Assessment of body fat
Skin fold measurements are used to estimate body fat is deposited on the skin.
However, fat between the internal organ is also very important to be measured
and skin fold measurements do not take that into account.
Today's Technology
Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis is another method used to determine total body
fat. Its a machine with electrodes which apply small amounts of current &
resistance to the body to estimate the fat levels.
Treatment of obesity
The essential components of treatment include behaviour modification, caloric
restriction, nutrition education and exercise. Two criteria must be satisfied if
the treatment is to be considered successful.
* Weight loss must be such that desirable weight according to body frame and
state of health is achieved.
* The desired weight must be maintained.
Behaviour Modification
This is based on the premesive that excessive food intake is a learned response
that can be changed. By means of this concept the individual learns to focus
attention on the environmental factors that influence his or her food intake
& gradually to modify these so that a change in eating habits &
subsequent weight loss occurs.
Some techniques that can be used successfully to control food intake include
* Eating only at specified times & places.
* Learning to eat more slowly.
* Omitting other activities, such as reading or watching television while
eating.
* Use smaller plates.
* Use of a reward system.
Calorie-Restricted Diets
Many widely accepted nutritionally sound diets are available and are designed to
bring about steady weight loss, to establish good food habits and to promote a
sense of well being. Such diets must be palatable, must fit into the framework
of family food habits and must not require additional expense or long
preparation time. Basic considerations in planning weight-reductions diets
include the following:
Energy
A diet that provides 800 to 1000 Kcal below the daily requirements leads to a
loss of 3 to 4 kg (6 to 8 lbs) monthly. This gradual loss does not result in
severe hunger, nervous exhaustion and weakness that often accompany drastic
reduction regimens. For most men 1,400 to 1,600 Kcal is satisfactory level and
for women 1,200 to 1,400 Kcal are indicated. Diets that supply 1,000 Kcal or
less are rarely necessary except for individual who are bedfast. In many elderly
persons satisfactory weight loss is achieved only when energy intake is limited
to 1,000 to 1,200 Kcal; this is because of their reduced basal metabolism and
reduced physical activity.
Protein
Although 0.8 gm protein/kg desirable body weight is sufficient, an allowance of
1.5 gm/kg improves the satiety value of the diet. Most dietary plans can include
70 to 100 gm protein daily.
Fat & Carbohydrates
Many diets drastically restrict the fat intake and allow a moderate carbohydrate
intake.Complex carbohydrates are especially good.
Whats the best Nutrition Advice
The Dietry Guidelines
Following are the dietary guidelines for healthy individuals 2 years of age
or more. By following these dietary guidelines, you can
enjoy better health.
Eat a variety of foods to get the
energy, proteins, vitamins, minerals & fiber you need for good health.
Balance the food you eat with Physical activity to
maintain or improve your weight to reduce chances of having high
blood pressure, stroke, certain cancers, heart disease and most common kind of
diabetes.
Choose a diet with plenty of grain products,
vegetables & fruits which provide needed vitamins, minerals,
fiber and complex
carbohydrates and can help you lower your intake of fat.
Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat &
cholestrol to reduce the risk of heart attacks & certain
types of cancers to help you maintain a healthy weight.
Choose a diet moderate in sugars.
A diet with lots of sugars has too many calories & too few nutrients for
most people & contribute to tooth decay.
Choose a diet moderate in salt or sodium
to help reduce risk of high blood pressure.
Avoid alcohol beverages. Alcohol
beverages supply calories but little or no nutrients & its also cause of
many health problems.
| |
Pakistan Dietetic
& Nutrition Association
![pdna.gif (7872 bytes)](_borders/pdna.gif)
Click
Here
|
|