Tag: obesity

As the obesity epidemic grows in scope, so too does the “blame game.” Lack of exercise, over-consumption of food, sedentary work environments, lifestyle choices, biological predispositions, genes…the list of possible culprits for America’s fatness goes on.

Fast food is a common target. Earlier this month, an advocacy group launched a campaign petitioning 26 hospitals across the country to remove a major fast food restaurant from their cafeterias with the aim of sending a “better message” to consumers.

Some of the reasoning behind the group’s initiative comes from a 2006 study published in the journal Pediatrics that concluded that allowing fast food centers to operate in hospitals not only affects guests’ consumption of fast food on the day of their visit, but also unintentionally boosts the perception of the “healthfulness” of fast food in general. Here’s more research that supports the initiative:

• The prevalence of obesity-related diseases has risen sharply over the past thirty years, and the number of fast food restaurants in America has more than doubled over the same period (The National Bureau of Economic Research).
• Studies have shown that “consumption of fast food among children in the US seems to have an adverse effect on dietary quality in ways that plausibly could increase risk for obesity.”
• Studies have shown that increased proximity to fast food restaurants is linked to an increase in obesity.

Courtesy of wagnerfpa.wordpress.com.

So being near to fast food increases the likelihood of obesity, but will removing fast food from hospitals (and other institutions and neighborhoods) help solve the problem?

Consider this:

• The New York Times recently reported that studies have shown that “there is no relationship between the type of food being sold in a neighborhood and obesity among its children and adolescents.”
• Restrictive “diets” and the “diet mentality” in general do not lead to long-term effective weight-loss. What does work, according to a recent study by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, is eating less fat, exercising more, using prescription weight loss medications, or participating in commercial weight loss programs.
• Calling for removal of fast food from hospitals sends the message that fast food restaurants are “bad” and can be blamed for obesity, lessening personal responsibility for our own health.

Blaming fast food restaurants for obesity can place us on a slippery slope.  Should we remove buses from our streets to force people to choose the less convenient, but “healthier” walking or biking options?  After all, sitting for long periods of time is correlated with obesity, and most adults do not get the recommended level of exercise.

Similarly, while we should limit consumption of fast food, we can’t eliminate it from the American diet as long as there is a demand for convenient, inexpensive, and (arguably) tasty food.  We need to improve health through education and develop incentives that encourage healthy lifestyle decisions, proper nutrition, and exercise.

Perhaps a partnership between hospitals and Weight Watchers (or other proven commercial weight loss programs), or the establishment of walking groups or active events within hospital walls, could promote lasting change.

We won’t make any progress in the fight against obesity by playing the blame game at the expense of taking responsibility for our health into our own hands.

Courtesy of www.topnews.in.

What do you think? Will restricting fast food lead to a decrease in obesity? How can we as individuals, families, and institutions promote a healthier America?

It’s hard to exaggerate the important of heart health when almost 600,000 million Americans die of heart disease every year. Even individuals who are apparently fit and healthy can be caught unawares by a diagnosis, so let’s take a look at the steps you can take today to give yourself the best chance at a healthy heart now and in the future.

Courtesy of hometestingblog.testcountry.com

Step 1 – Know your numbers and risk profile: Schedule a doctor’s appointment and a blood test to learn the important numbers (risk factors) for heart disease, such as your blood pressure, cholesterol level, fasting blood glucose level, and BMI.

Having multiple factors for heart disease increases your risk exponentially, and some factors, such as age, gender, family history, and race, can’t be controlled.  However, knowing where you stand on the others will help you take the appropriate action; according Dr. Philip A. Ades of Eating Well, treating any one risk factor effectively halves your likelihood of developing heart disease.

Step 2 – Quit smoking (or better yet, don’t start): It’s easy for non-smokers to cite all of the negative effects of this habit as reasons to “just stop,” but they may not understand the seriousness of the lifestyle change required to quit. If it’s been a while since you have reviewed the risks associated with smoking, check them out here, and work with your doctor to develop a plan to quit.

The importance of the remaining steps cannot be understated, as they directly impact all of the remaining heart disease risk factors:

Step 3 – Adjust your diet if necessary: Making a conscious effort to reduce intake of saturated and trans fats, added sugars and sodium, and excess calories in general greatly reduces your risk for heart disease.

Some of the best ways to do that? Eat less heavily processed and refined food and substitute with more whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins (including fish, nuts, beans, and lean meats). Keep a close eye on portion sizes of snacks and meals to lower your chances of overeating, and drink alcohol in moderation. For more healthy diet and nutrition tips from Midtown, click here.

Step 4 – Exercise more (or at the very least, sit less): Losing weight (or lowering BMI) is just one potential benefit of regular exercise. Consistent daily and weekly efforts to get up and move will help you become healthier, stronger, and more energized, and just 10 minutes of activity here and there can make a big difference.

Courtesy of www.bbc.co.uk

Once you begin consciously moving more, try adding more traditional exercise to your routine a few days per week for just a few weeks. Experiment with different activities until you settle on one that works for you. Your body and mind may not react positively right away, but if you don’t give exercise a real chance (which means a consistent effort), you will never experience the real benefits.

Step 5 – Stress less: While we hold out hope that someone will develop a “magic pill” that will banish stress from our lives forever, managing stress remains one of the most difficult aspects of our lives. Work and family commitments alone are enough to overwhelm our calendars and our worry threshold for the month. You can try to sleep more, take more time for yourself, and clear your schedule, but it’s not always possible to do those things.

So what can you do? It may help to start by identifying the centers of stress in your life and how you feel about them.  Observe what happens to your mind and body when you experience stress. Knowing what causes your stress in the first place can help you gain new perspective and create coping strategies that will reduce stress and its consequences. It takes patience and practice, but you and your heart are worth it.

What are you doing to improve your heart health?

My great aunt is 81 years old. She mows her own lawn. She paints her house every other year. She hangs curtains (and installs the hardware), cooks huge Italian meals on a weekly basis and drives them to the lucky members of her family on both sides of the city, and can fix just about anything. She runs after my 19-month-old twins and my three-year-old, even when each is headed in a separate direction. She’s the picture of health, save for the occasional cold. My aunt seems to have more energy on her worst day than I have on my best.

She’s also about 10-15 pounds overweight.

Her very slim husband is 84. While still very vital, he has long lacked energy and strength. He has heart problems and high cholesterol. Even in his younger years, he preferred to stay at home and relax rather than follow my aunt on her many adventures.

My aunt is by far the more healthy of the two.

Recent research suggests that some of those who are overweight (33% of all Americans) might actually be considered healthy and fit. This article cites studies that have found that those with an “overweight” BMI (not to be confused with a BMI in the “obese” range) are less likely to have a whole slew of diseases, including lung cancer, osteoporosis, and anemia, when compared with those who have a “normal” BMI. In addition, a study in the journal Obesity, found that those with an “overweight” BMI have a lower mortality risk than any other weight group.

Image by Royalty-Free/Corbis

These studies have their critics, of course. Some doctors believe that over the years, being overweight will lead to other serious diseases, even if those carrying around extra pounds might appear fit and healthy now. In addition, when you gain weight, you can’t control what parts of your body absorb the fat, so, these doctors believe, while thigh fat might be beneficial in helping an individual avoid osteoporosis, abdominal fat leads to an increased risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.

Both sides agree that working out is vital to overall health, whether you’re overweight or not.

I do think it’s possible for those with an “overweight” BMI to be strong and fit. I have witnessed both men and women carrying some extra weight absolutely smoke me in the races in which I’ve run, and I’m currently running an 8:20 pace per mile. They may carry their weight around their mid-sections, but their legs are long and lean and fast.

In addition, I think there needs to be less focus on BMI and clothing size and more attention paid to activity levels, energy, and overall health and wellness. We live in a number- and physical-appearance-obsessed culture, and while everyone can’t slip into a size 2 pair of skinny jeans or look fabulous six weeks after giving birth, I do think it’s possible to be fit, healthy, and overweight, assuming exercise and eating well are priorities.  

Do you think it’s possible to be both overweight and healthy, or do you feel it’s dangerous to endorse this concept, because it might discourage those carrying extra pounds from trying to lose weight?