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Behind the headlines
More than half the nation's adults are overweight and the latest research shows that children are storing up problems from an early age (3 Year old dies from heart attack). So what can we do about it? Why is obesity in the news? A report from The National Audit Office says more than two in three women and one in two men are overweight or obese. This means figures (numbers) have tripled in 20 years. further alarm bells are being sounded over children: a recent survey in Liverpool shows that the numbers who are overweight or obese have doubled in just TEN years. Is this the result of eating fast foods. What is obesity? Most of us know if we're overweight by how we look and feel. Doctors, and other health carers, use a measurement system known as the Body Mass Index (BMI). To calculate this divide your weight in kilos by your height in metres squared (i.e., multiplied by itself). If you want to use pounds and inches instead, multiply your weight in pounds by 703, then divide the answer by your height (in inches) squared. A BMI of 25-30 means you're overweight, and more than 30, obese. Doctors checking the BMI of children under 16 use special charts. Why are so many more of us obese? The main reason is that we're much less active, yet we eat too much for our reduced energy requirement. We then store this surplus food as fat. We're also eating proportionately less fibre (in fruits and vegetables and wholegrain foods) and more fat, sugar and white flour. Does it matter? Health problems are very slightly more likely if your BMI is 25-30, more likely if it's 30-35, and very much more likely if it's over 35. The problems include backache, varicose veins, osteoarthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, asthma, heart disease, strokes and some cancers. What's often not acknowledged is that being overweight can also be uncomfortable, tiring, and hard on the feet. Are some people naturally plump? A person can be well rounded without being overweight or obese. So should we eat less? It depends on your activity level: if you become more active, you'll loose weight without eating fewer calories. However, if your activity level stays the same, you need to eat fewer calories to reach and maintain a healthy weight. Surprisingly, though, if you do this by eating more vegetables and fruits, less fat, and more unrefined starchy carbohydrates, and you replace red meat with poultry and game, your plate may be fuller than before! Aren't the most more-ish foods the most fattening? It's natural to like fatty, satisfying food, sweet, "feel-good" food, and comforting food made with white flour. Overindulging in them is fattening So enjoy items such as pizza, cakes, biscuits, pastry, puddings and ice-cream, but have them only occasionally, in small portions, and as part of a meal that's rich in fibre ( vegetables, fruit, wholegrain foods ) and protein (poultry, fish, eggs, beans, meat ). Go for more healthy desserts such as fruit jellies, yoghurts and home-made ice lollies containing puréed fruit. Is exercise really useful? Daily aerobic exercise---the sort that makes you warm, a brisk walk or swimming---burns fat. Regular strengthening exercise---such as cycling uphill, lifting weights, digging or doing energetic housework--builds muscle: this is important because muscle cells burn more energy than other cells, so they use up calories from foods you've eaten that day, or from your fat stores. It's getting the right balance of daily food intake and exercise that enables you to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. What about children? We need to give children well-balanced meals, teach them how to make choices and, most importantly, encourage them in physical activity, the problem with this is that you may need to join them in these healthy pursuits! Parents and teachers could also lobby for more school P.E. Parents could organise themselves so that they had the time to walk to and from school with their children instead of going by car. Do slimming clubs help? Their support can be a great help. But most members stop going when they've lost weight, then soon start putting it back on again. It's better to keep going to help you maintain a slim new you, or go back as soon as you have gained a few pounds. What about diet books? These can be good guides, providing they promote a healthy diet and aim for a safe weight loss of 1-2lbs (½-1kg) on average each week. How do you stay slim? Only one slimmer in 20 stays slim. The answer is to make healthy eating and exercising habits permanent fixtures in your routine. Of course, you'll put on a few pounds now and then. Don't waste your time feeling guilty, but immediately get back to exercising regularly, having regular mealtimes, nutritious food and moderate portions, and finding enjoyable ways of looking after yourself that do not involve comfort eating---or sitting permanently slumped in front of the television set!!!! GR2 Control Programme. For the lucky people of the world where GNLD have introduced this programme it is an effective way of losing excess weight, remaining healthy and keeping your energy levels high. Check with your GNLD distributor to find out if your lucks in. UK resident can contact me. |
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