Meet the Overweight

Tips for Healthy Eating

2011-07-07T12:51:00.000-07:00

Eating well is an important part of maintaining good health, and can help you feel your best. It can be simple too. Just follow these eight tips to get started.

The two keys to a healthy diet are:

Eat the right number of calories for how active you are, so that you balance the energy you consume with the energy you use. If you eat too much, you’ll put on weight. If you eat too little you’ll lose weight. The average man needs around 2,500 calories a day. The average woman needs 2,000 calories.
Eat a wide range of foods to ensure that you’re getting a balanced diet and that your body is receiving all the nutrients it needs.

Base your meals on starchy foods
Starchy foods include potatoes, cereals, pasta, rice and bread. Choose wholegrain varieties when you can: they contain more fibre, and can make you feel full for longer. Starchy foods should make up around one third of the foods you eat.
Most of us should eat more starchy foods: try to include at least one starchy food with each main meal. Some people think starchy foods are fattening, but gram for gram they contain fewer than half the calories of fat.
Eat lots of fruit and veg
It’s recommended that we eat at least five portions of different types of fruit and veg a day. It’s easier than it sounds. A glass of 100% unsweetened fruit juice can count as one portion, and vegetables cooked into dishes also count. Why not chop a banana over your breakfast cereal, or swap your usual mid-morning snack for some dried fruit?
Eat more fish
Fish is a good source of protein and contains many vitamins and minerals. Aim for at least two portions a week, including at least one portion of oily fish. Oily fish is high in omega-3 fats, which may help to prevent heart disease. You can choose from fresh, frozen and canned; but remember that canned and smoked fish can be high in salt. Oily fish include salmon, mackerel, trout, herring, fresh tuna, sardines and pilchards. Non-oily fish include haddock, plaice, coley, cod, tinned tuna, skate and hake. Anyone who regularly eats a lot of fish should try to choose as wide a variety as possible.
Cut down on saturated fat and sugar
We all need some fat in our diet. But it’s important to pay attention to the type of fat we’re eating. There are two main types of fat: saturated and unsaturated. Too much saturated fat can increase the amount of cholesterol in the blood, which increases your risk of developing heart disease. Saturated fat is found in many foods, such as cakes, pies, biscuits, sausages, cream, butter, lard and hard cheese. Try to cut down, and choose foods that contain unsaturated rather than saturated fats, such as vegetable oils, oily fish and avocados. Learn more, and get tips on cutting down, in Eat less saturated fat.

Most people in the UK eat too much sugar. Sugary foods and drinks are often high in calories, and could contribute to weight gain. They can also cause tooth decay, especially if eaten between meals. Cut down on sugary fizzy drinks, cakes, biscuits and pastries, which contain added sugars: this is the kind of sugar we should be cutting down on rather than sugars that are found naturally in foods such as fruit and milk. Food labels can help: use them to check how much sugar foods contain. More than 15g of sugar per 100g means that the food is high in sugar

When to Contact a Medical Professional

2011-07-07T12:40:00.000-07:00

Contact your health care provider if the following symptoms occur along with the Weight gain:

* Constipation
* Excessive Weight gain without a known cause
* Hair loss
* Sensitivity to cold
* Swollen feet and shortness of breath
* Uncontrollable hunger accompanied by palpitations, tremor, and sweating
* Vision changes

Your health care provider will perform a physical examination, measure your Weight, and ask questions about your Weight gain, such as:

* How much Weight have you gained?
* When did the Weight gain begin?
* Did it come on suddenly or slowly?
* Have there been changes in your diet or appetite?
* Has your physical activity been restricted due to illness or injury?
* Has your participation in social activities decreased?
* Are you anxious, depressed, or under stress?
* Do you have a history of depression?
* What other symptoms do you have?
* What medications do you take?
* Do you use alcohol or street drugs?
* Does the Weight gain cause you much concern?

Tests that may be done include:

* Nutritional assessment
* Blood tests including chemistry profile
* Measurement of hormone levels

Weight gain caused by emotional problems may require psychological counseling. Talk to your provider about an appropriate diet and exercise program and realistic Weight loss goals. If Weight gain is caused by a physical illness, treatment (if there is any) for the underlying cause will be prescribed.

If Weight continues to be a problem despite diet and exercise, talk with your health care provider about other treatment options, including medications and surgery.

¿Where can I get more information?

* Your pharmacist can provide more information about Weight loss.

* Remember, keep all medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed

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10 Tips About How to Lose Weight

2011-05-02T12:13:00.000-07:00

Set realistic goals - You didn't put on extra weight overnight so it is equally unrealistic to take it off quickly. Record a goal that you can reach in one month that is 4 to 8 pounds less than you weigh now. Set a goal you know you can achieve.
Spread your calories around - Divide your calorie goal by the number of meals (at least three) so that you eat about the same amount of calories at each meal. If meals are more than 500 calories, save some calories for snacks between meals. Make sure you eat at least 1200 calories each day or you will lose muscle.
Diet foods not required - Eat regular foods rather than the "sugar free", "lite" or "fat free" versions (except soda beverages and milk) because the calories in these "diet" foods still count towards your total calories each day. Diet foods are usually not as satisfying or filling so you may eat more of them. Drink fat free or skim milk so you can add some fat at meals. If you only drink 1% milk, then cut added fat in half at meals. If you drink 2% (low fat) milk, then don't add any fat to food at meals. Eat the basic food groups at meals - lean meat, legumes, dairy, fruits and vegetables. Then add one or two servings of whole grains or starches each meal to reach your calorie goal. Include eight ounces of milk and one serving of whole grains, fruits and vegetables at each meal to provide carbohydrate fuel for your brain and muscles. You need at least 100 grams of carbohydrate each day.
Drastic changes not recommended - The plan you follow to lose weight should be built on the how you eat now modified by these ten changes. A weight loss plan should be a plan you can follow for a lifetime by making small changes in the portion sizes you eat once you reach your goal weight so that you can maintain a healthy weight. Try the Healthy Body Calculator to calculate your basal calorie needs (don't include activity) at your current weight and your goal weight. There may be as little as a 10 calorie increase per day for each pound of body weight you gain over a year.
Portion control - Control meal portions to a piece of lean meat as big as the back of your hand from your knuckles to where your wrist bends and as thick as your little finger or about the size of a deck of cards. Other foods like whole grains, vegetables and fruits can be portioned to 2 heaping serving tablespoons or approximately ½ cup each per meal. Measure how many ounces are in your beverage glass or mug so that you pour 4 or 8 ounces portions.
Cook it yourself - Bake, broil or steam food rather than frying. Consider cooking from scratch more often so you know what is in the food you eat.
Some fat is OK - Limit added fat to 1 teaspoon (margarine or mayonnaise or oil) or 1 tablespoon of salad dressing per meal if this doesn't exceed your calorie goal. You can choose to put margarine on your potato or salad dressing on your salad, but not both. To limit salad dressing and make it go farther, serve your salad dressing on the side of your salad and then dip your fork in the dressing before spearing each mouthfulof salad.
Sugar is not evil - You just can't afford the calories. Sugar only contains carbohydrate so use an artificial sweetener in beverages or drink sugar-free soda in reasonable amounts.
Alcohol in moderation - Alcoholic beverages are just as empty of nutrients as sugar, but your liver processes them like fat. If you drink, limit yourself to one drink per day (12 ounce beer or 4 ounces wine or 1 ½ ounces distilled liquor) and then only add fat to one meal that day.
Have your cake too? - Probably not. Desserts are mostly fat and sugar which will put you over your calorie goal for the day.

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How Fatty Foods Curb Hunger

2008-10-10T09:39:00.000-07:00

Fatty foods may not be the healthiest diet choice, but those rich in unsaturated fats – such as avocados, nuts and olive oil – have been found to play a pivotal role in sending this important message to your brain: stop eating, you're full.

A new study by UC Irvine pharmacologists shows that these fats trigger production of a compound in the small intestine that curbs hunger pangs. This discovery, the researchers say, points toward new approaches to treating obesity and other eating disorders.

Daniele Piomelli, the Louise Turner Arnold Chair in Neurosciences, and his colleagues have studied how a fat-derived compound called oleoylethanolamide regulates hunger and body weight. In their current work, which appears in the Oct. 8 issue of Cell Metabolism, they found that an unsaturated fatty acid called oleic acid stimulates production of OEA, which in turn decreases appetite.

Oleic acid is transformed into OEA by cells in the upper region of the small intestine. OEA then finds its way to nerve endings that carry the hunger-curbing message to the brain. There, it activates a brain circuit that increases feelings of fullness. In previous studies, Piomelli found that increasing OEA levels can reduce appetite, produce weight loss and lower blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Piomelli believes OEA could be used in a variety of drugs because it is a key to the way the body naturally handles fatty foods and regulates eating and body weight.

"We are excited to find that OEA activates cell receptors that already have been the focus of successful drug development," he said. "This gives us hope for a new class of anti-obesity drugs based on the savvy use of natural appetite-controlling mechanisms."

Nearly 30 percent of Americans are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which has declared obesity an epidemic disease. The occurrence of obesity has risen by almost 60 percent since 1991, and it greatly increases the risk of premature death, diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers.

What is Overweight?

2008-07-24T09:45:00.000-07:00

Obesity is an excess proportion of total body fat. A person is considered obese when his or her weight is 20% or more above normal weight. The most common measure of obesity is the body mass index or BMI. A person is considered overweight if his or her BMI is between 25 and 29.9; a person is considered obese if his or her BMI is over 30.

"Morbid obesity" means that a person is either 50%-100% over normal weight, more than 100 pounds over normal weight, has a BMI of 40 or higher, or is sufficiently overweight to severely interfere with health or normal function.

The Body mass Index

The body mass index (BMI), or Quetelet index, is a statistical measure of the weight of ax person scaled according to height. As such, it is useful as a population measure only, and is not appropriate for diagnosing individuals. It was invented between 1830 and 1850 by the Belgian polymath Adolphe Quetelet during the course of developing "social physics"

Body mass index is defined as the individual's body weight divided by the square of their height. The formulas universally used in medicine produce a unit of measure of kg/m². Body mass index may be accurately calculated using either of the formulas below.

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Overweight Causes.

2008-07-24T09:33:00.000-07:00

Genetic Causes

Genetics play a major role in overweight and obesity. Scientific consensus is emerging that body weight is about 70 percent determined by inheritance. Adopted children, for example, tend to resemble the weight of their biological parents more than their adopted parents. Exactly how genes control body weight is not known, but the resting metabolic rate, which is the amount of energy we expend at rest, and the metabolic energy we expend after a meal are about 70 percent determined by our genes. Food and beverage intake, selection of specific food items, and how full we feel after eating may all be at least partially determined genetically.

Nutritional Causes

Americans today are eating more calories than ever before, as indicated by statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

It’s no mystery why Americans are gaining more weight: we are eating more calories. Specifically, we are eating more carbohydrates, mostly as refined grains, added sugars, and sweeteners; and we are still eating too much of the wrong kinds of fat – animal and trans fats. All of this may lead to premature death.

Another nutritional cause of obesity is that we eat out more often than we used to. About 50 percent of food spending today is spent on food eaten away from home. Eating out contributes to a higher intake of added fats and carbohydrates. Further, the intake of fruits, vegetables and milk is lower when eating out. Seventy-five percent of students ages 11-18 eat in a fast-food restaurant each week.

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Xenical, To treat the Overweight.

2008-07-24T09:11:00.000-07:00

¿What is Xenical?

Xenical blocks some of the fat that you eat, keeping it from being absorbed by your body. Xenical is used together with a reduced-calorie diet and weight maintenance to treat obesity in people with certain risk factors (such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol or triglycerides). Xenical may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

¿How should I take Xenical?

Take this medication exactly as directed on the label, or as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label. This medication comes with patient instructions for safe and effective use.

Follow these directions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. Xenical is only part of a complete program of treatment that also includes diet, exercise, and weight control. Your daily intake of fat, protein, and carbohydrates should be evenly divided over all of your daily meals. Follow your diet, medication, and exercise routines very closely. Take this medicine with a full glass of water.

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