How you decide
to reduce obesity and lose weight should depend on your individual circumstances.
If you
are mildly obese and feel confident you can tackle your weight problem
by yourself, you may decide to lose weight with a sensible diet and
exercise program.
If you
are mildly obese without confidence in your ability to lose weight,
or if you are seriously obese, you may decide to contact your doctor
and ask for an explanation of your weight loss options.
Whichever
category you fall into, please note that reducing obesity and controlling
your weight requires maximum support, both from your family and health
advisors. Solving your obesity problem and reaching a healthy weight
is likely to be a lifelong process.
Obesity
and Weight Loss
For most
severely obese people, achieving an "ideal body weight" is both
unrealistic and unnecessary to improve their health and reduce their risk
for disease.
Benefits
of Weight Loss
If you are
overweight, losing as little as 5 to 10 percent of your body weight may
improve many of the problems linked to being overweight, such as high
blood pressure and diabetes. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds and
are considered overweight on the weight-for-height chart, you would need
to lose 10 to 20 pounds.
Health
Benefits of Weight Reduction
A 10 kg reduction
in body weight can lead to the following health benefits:
Mortality
Benefits from Weight Loss
20+ percent
fall in total mortality
30+ percent
fall in diabetes related deaths
40+ percent
fall in obesity-related cancer deaths
Hypertension
Benefits from Weight Loss
Approximately
10 mmHg systolic and diastolic blood pressure
Fat Levels
Benefits from Weight Loss
10 percent
total cholesterol reduction
15 percent
low density lipoprotein cholesterol reduction
30 percent
triglycerides reduction
7 percent
increase in high density lipoprotein cholesterol
Diabetes
Benefits from Weight Loss
Fall of 50
percent in fasting glucose.
Slow Steady
Weight Loss is Best
Slow and
steady weight loss of no more than 1 pound per week is the safest way
to lose weight.
Very rapid
weight loss can cause you to lose water or muscle, rather than fat.
Over fast
weight loss also increases your chances of developing other problems,
such as gallstones, gout, loose skin and nutrient deficiencies.
Making
long-term changes in your eating and physical activity habits is the
best way to lose weight and keep it off over time.
Obesity
and Weight Loss - Importance of Exercise
Losing weight
is in itself beneficial to reducing many health risks, including heart
disease risk, but increased cardio-respiratory fitness should also be
encouraged. Normal weight men with low cardiorespiratory fitness have
a greater risk of cardiovascular disease mortality than overweight or
obese men who do not have low cardiorespiratory fitness.
Obesity
and Weight Loss - Choosing the Right Weight Loss Program
The US National
Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (1998) guidelines have suggested that
weight loss programmes should aim initially to reduce body weight by 10%
from baseline, at a rate of one or two pounds (approximately 0.5–1
kg) a week, for six months.
Avoid
all fad diets
Avoid
all weight loss programs or diets promising FAST weight loss of >
2 pounds/week.
Do not
rely on diet alone - get physically active!
Obesity
and Weight Loss - Basic Strategies
Eat Better
Whether you
are trying to lose weight or maintain your weight, you should take a look
at your eating habits and try to improve them. Try to eat a variety of
foods, especially pasta, rice, bread, and other whole-grain foods. You
should also eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. These foods will fill
you up and are lower in calories than foods full of oils or fats.
Increase
Physical Activity
Making physical
activity a part of your daily life is an important way to help control
your weight and lower your risk for health problems.
Spend
less time in activities that use little energy like watching television
and playing video games and more time in physical activities.
Try to
do at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day on most days of the
week.
The activity
does not have to be done all at once. It can be done in short spurts
- 10 minutes here, 20 minutes there - as long as it adds up to 30 minutes
a day.
Simple
ways to become more physically active include walking to the store or
taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
