Prevention of Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity

Today in America, the number of overweight and obese is astronomical.  People are eating out of convenience and often do not even take into consideration what they are putting in their mouths.  Parents are not monitoring their children's diets because they probably are not even monitoring their own.

" Did you know:

• Obesity is the #2 cause of preventable death in the United States
• 60 million Americans, 20 years and older are obese
• 9 million children and teens ages 6-19 are overweight
• Being overweight or obese increases the risk of health conditions and diseases including: Breast cancer, Coronary heart disease, Type II diabetes, Sleep apnea, Gallbladder disease, Osteoarthritis, Colon cancer, Hypertension and Stroke" (Get Fit Foundation, 2012).

The role of diet plays a huge part in overweight and obese people's day to day lives.  Hunger is a physiologic reply to the absence of food in our digestive tract.  Ghrelin adds feelings of hunger to our stomachs hormones.  Appetite can take place with our without hungers and there are many factors that can affect it such as hormones, environment, social interactions, etc.  Hunger can overshadow satiety in the appetite controls system.  Satiation can end our meal because it is a hormonal response that goes to our brain, telling our brain that we have had enough to eat.  Food for overweight and obese children and adults can be a source of pleasure but can also be a coping mechanism for some.  Often times people overeat because they are maybe lonely, have a particular craving, or might have an addiction.  People that face this problem might also not get any physical exercise.  They choose to eat their food in the comfort of their home and do not get out much.  That does not mean that all people who are overweight do this.  What I am trying to say is that people who are overweight are clearly consuming too many calories and not expending enough energy.  It's all about calories in versus calories out.  You cannot consume more food than you physically expending. 

Now, people who are underweight have a different problem.  People who are underweight can struggle to stay alive if they get sick.  They do not have enough nutrients in their bodies and can easily deteriorate if they have to go without food for days at a time do to having to have surgery or have tests run.  Diet for an underweight person should include a minimum of 3 meals a day.  It also would not hurt to eat 3 to 4 healthy snacks in between meals.  When someone is underweight and needs to put back on healthy weight, they should eat foods that are high in calories such as nuts, starchy vegetables, plant oils, seeds, and dried fruits.  It is important to eat the RIGHT foods in order to put on weight and stay away from junk foods that are high in sugar and have no nutritional value. 

Whatever category you fall into, it is important to take a hard look at what you are putting into your body.  Often times, nutritionists and personal trainers (like myself) ask for a person to write down everything they put into their mouth for one week.  Once you do this, you start to become more responsible for your choices.  Life is all about choices...make the right one by eating healthy and exercising regularly.  The rule of thumb is calories in versus calories out - don't consume more food than the energy that you are expending!

Reference:

Get America Fit Foundation (2012). Obesity Related Statistics in America. Retrieved August 13, 2012, from http://www.getamericafit.org/statistics-obesity-in-america.html