Watching your weight is not just an activity for fashion models; it is a vital way to reduce a number of health-related risks.
By: Dr. Joanne Kalish
Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States and 55 percent of adults in the American population are overweight or obese.
These startling statistics mean that watching your weight is not just an activity for fashion models; it is a vital way to reduce a number of health-related risks.
The host of health problems aggravated by being overweight include: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type II diabetes, coronary artery disease, stroke, gall bladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, respiratory problems, uterine cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer.
In the past, obesity was thought of as contributing to death because it leads to risk factors. Now, however, obesity is known to be an independent risk factor.
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‘Looking at obesity as a disease is a good first step, as it will motivate you to do things differently so you can stay alive. Consider weight loss as one of the best forms of prevention available to you.’ Dr. Joanne Kalish
Board-certified internist The Medical Center at Princeton |
What do you do if you are overweight? The best approach to dieting is one of simplicity and logic. Losing weight and keeping it off requires a gradual, step-by-step change in your lifestyle and maintaining the right attitude. If you can lose just 10 percent of your body weight, you will see a marked decrease in your medical risks.
For long-lasting success, nothing beats working with a team of certified professionals including a physician, registered dietitian and exercise physiologist as they will help you address as many factors as possible at the same time. This includes how you are eating, how you are exercising, what your motivations are, an examination of your mental state and what medical risks you may have that require attention. Nutritional analysis, a fitness and medical health evaluation, and counseling are all components of a successful weight-loss campaign.
A registered dietitian may see clients once a month for at least six months before they are ready to move into the maintenance phase. Taking this slow approach to the problem enables clients to lose, on average, 3-5 pounds per month. When given approval by your physician, exercise can jump-start your program. You may start out simply walking around the block and work up to more vigorous forms of exercise as your body responds to the activity.
The National Institute of Health issued an updated set of guidelines in 1998. There are three criteria in evaluating obesity: body mass index, waist circumference and overall medical risks. The BMI is a number calculated or measured by multiplying weight in pounds by 705 and divided by your height in inches squared.
For example, the BMI of a 5’4" woman who weighs 165 pounds is 28.4. The normal range is 18-25. Numbers of 30 or above are considered medical obesity, where weight will adversely affect your health. If weight were the only risk factor, a high BMI will increase your risk factor for having a heart attack or stroke 40 percent.
A BMI in the 25-29 range is considered overweight and other risk factors are then examined to see if you would be advised to lose weight. These risk factors include high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking and a family history of heart attacks or strokes. If two or more risk factors are present, it is important to bring your body mass index below 25.
Consider this: your relative risk of having a heart attack is three times greater with a BMI of 30 or above and two times as likely with a BMI of 25-29. Your risk for developing diabetes increases by 25 percent for each additional BMI unit over 22.
Another area that obesity has an adverse affect on is your body’s joints. Increased weight means increased pain in your joints, regardless of whether or not you have arthritis. Obesity can also lead to arthritis. By decreasing your BMI by two points, you can decrease the odds of developing osteoarthritis in the knees by 50 percent.
The second criteria for evaluating obesity is waist circumference. If you have an "apple" body type, you tend to retain weight in your middle. High waist circumference numbers are associated with an increased risk of heart attacks or stroke. For women, a circumference greater than 35 inches spells trouble, and for men, it is a circumference greater than 40 inches.
The third obesity criteria involves your overall medical health. Family history and current health problems need to be taken into consideration, as being overweight can significantly increase your risk of a number of medical problems as outlined above. Your doctor can evaluate your condition and advise you about your need to lose weight.
One way to calculate your body’s amount of body fat is through the use of a computerized scale. You stand on the scale and it measures how quickly an electrical impulse goes through from one foot to the other. This helps sort out what amount of your body is fat, what amount is muscle and what amount is water.
If the percentage of your weight is 27 percent fat or less, then you are considered in good shape. If the percentage is more than 27 percent, however, this signals that weight loss is needed.
Looking at obesity as a disease is a good first step, as it will motivate you to do things differently so you can stay alive. Consider weight loss as one of the best forms of prevention available to you.
Even weight problems that have been inherited can be overcome. Many adults remember being overweight as children and believe they will never be able to break the cycle, but it is simply not true. Altering your diet, regularly burning calories and keeping a positive attitude can really pay off.
Once the altered diet becomes a habit, most people report that their new way of eating no longer feels like "a diet." In addition, dieters who have lost significant amounts of weight note that regular exercise becomes an excellent way to reduce stress and feel good about themselves. They find themselves looking forward to that time during the day when they do something good for themselves.
So make today your day to take the first step toward better health.
Dr. Joanne Kalish is a board-certified internist on staff at The Medical Center at Princeton. Health Matters appears Fridays in the Lifestyle section of The Princeton Packet and is contributed by The Medical Center at Princeton.