Health Tips

Childhood obesity may not be a widespread phenomenon as yet, but the rapidly increasing numbers do provide us cause to be concerned about. Researches show that kids have lesser obesity associated health problems in comparison to adults. However, there is a high possibility of their growing up into overweight individuals which accentuates the risk of their falling prey to acute illness like heart disease, diabetes and so on at a later stage in life.

Causes
One may query as to what reasons lie behind children turning overweight or obese? The truth is that this condition could be fallout of any one or combination of a number of reasons. The very common ones accounting for childhood obesity are genetic factors, inadequate or total absence of physical activities like exercise, unhealthy eating habits and so on. In few cases, obesity in kids could be a consequence of a medical condition.

The problem of obesity in childhood can also be associated with certain family habits like their eating and activity patterns. Genetic factors can hike up the possibility of a child getting overweight. Two factors that play a vital role in determining a kid’s weight is his or her eating and activity patterns. Due to the popularity of television and video games, many children nowadays in the urban regions especially spend a lot of remaining inactive.

Diagnosis
Whether or not obesity in a kid is really the fallout of a medical condition like endocrine disorder can be established clearly by a physical examination and blood tests. An important point to notice is that although weight problems do occur in families, not all kids from that family will be prone to being overweight. Its, however, a known thing that children whose parents or other family members are obese could be at a greater risk of becoming overweight themselves.

The most reliable source that can confirm whether a child is overweight or not, is the doctor. If you feel that your child is overweight, do not hesitate to consult a child specialist. He or she will record the kid’s weight, height and growing pattern to make sure its falls within the healthy range. Examining obesity in children can be a tad difficult because often children, especially boys, grow up in unpredictable bouts.

Support is the Key
If your child is overweight, then it’s very pertinent that you make him or her aware that you will be supportive. How a child feels about oneself is often conditioned by what‘s their parents' opinion and feedbacks about them. So your acceptance of them at any weight is bound to make them feel good about themselves. It is also suggested that you speak to your children about their weight problem so that they’re able to share their apprehensions with you. The right eating and exercising and follow this.

The prevention of obesity in children is crucial to their future well being and happiness. Strange as it may sound, a number of adult health associated problems these days are being linked by experts to infant obesity. With infants normally being chubby, it a difficult job to discern obesity at this stage. But the truth is that it does exist. Infact, even our eating habits as adults are, to a certain degree, determined by how we were fed as babies.

Preventing obesity in infants signifies keeping an eye over their diet during the elementary stage. Ideally babies should be nurtured on only mother’s breast milk during the initial six months. Solids should be incorporated gradually into the diet over the rest of the year. Breastfeeding the baby should also continue simultaneously. Incase of slightly older kids, its advisable to consult a doctor in order to check obesity.

Encouragement is the Key
If your child is obese, it is significant that you permit him or her to know that you will be supportive. Children's opinion about themselves is often influenced by their parents' about them. And so if you accept your children at any weight, they will be more liable to feel good about themselves. At the same time, it’s also vital for you, as parent, speak to your children about their obesity so that they are able to share their worries with you and do something about it.

It’s strictly warned that parents refrain from setting their children aside because of their weight problem. On the contrary, parents should concentrate on steadily altering their entire family's physical activities and eating pattern for the better. By this, each will imbibe healthy eating habits and the overweight child will not feel singled out. There are numerous small ways in which you can include all family members in this not-so-easy task.

Set an Example - Live Healthy
Be the leader yourself in this obesity prevention mission. When you embrace healthy living habits gladly, there’s all likelihood your children will fall suit more easily. Think of family activities like trekking, biking, or swimming that will involve all members in it. Be more attuned to the requirements of the child showing tendency of weight gain. Such kids may feel shy or uncomfortable taking part in certain kind of games.

Try cutting down on the hours you spend watching television at home with kids. This encourages lack of physical activity, which can be the principal reason behind weight gain in children. Most importantly, take a good diet. Have lots of fruits, vegetables, low-fat or nonfat dairy products, poultry without skin and lean meats, low-fat or fat-free breads and cereals and calorie-free or sugar-free juices. Consult family dietician for advice on proper diet.

Follow Fernwood Women's Health Clubs top tips that will help to combat excess weight gain and keep you feeling healthy and looking great all year round.

1. Achieve negative energy balance by expending more energy (via exercise and physical activity) than you are consuming from food. That may mean starting an exercise program and/or simply becoming more active in your day to day life. Combined with that, a reduction in energy (kilojoule) intake is important.

2. Eating too much of any food type (carbohydrate, protein, fat and alcohol) will result in weight gain. As fat is the most energy dense nutrient, the first step is to reduce fats found in food! For example reducing consumption of saturated fat found in butter, cheese, fries and most fast foods.

3. Reduce total sugar intake, especially concentrated sugars like soft drinks and sugar associated with fat, for example cakes and biscuits. Try alternatives like a low fat muffin, low fat smoothies, low fat yoghurt or a fruit platter. These will balance your blood sugar levels yet still satisfy the cravings.

4. Start the day with a good breakfast to kick start the metabolism, e.g. muesli, tub of yoghurt and a piece of fresh fruit.

5. Eat regularly (for example every three hours) during the day to keep the metabolism working efficiently and to prevent excessive hunger and over eating.

6. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Aim for two serves of fruit a day and three serves of vegetables as a minimum. Fruit and vegetables are low kilojoule and a great source of vitamins and minerals!

7. Balance meals with a small serve each of carbohydrates (about the size of a tennis ball), protein rich food the size of your palm, together with a large serve of fruit, vegetables or salad. The vegetables should fill the majority of the plate.

www.fernwoodfitness.com.au


COMPETITION
Fernwood's Get Gorgeous Countdown aims to empower 50 overweight women who want to establish a healthier and happier life. The challenge will help improve body image, self-esteem as well as reductions in weight and body measurements, whilst also coaching the women on healthy food and exercise habits they can continue to incorporate into their daily lives on an ongoing basis.

Ten overweight women will be selected in all five states (VIC, NSW, ACT, SA, QLD) to form a state team and participate in Fernwood's Get Gorgeous Countdown, incorporating Fernwood's Vitality Guarantee program - a 12 week journey with one-on-one consultations with a trainer and Slimplicity weight management coach.

At the conclusion of Fernwood's Get Gorgeous Countdown, one woman from each state team will also have the chance to win a complete make-over and 12 month Fernwood membership incorporating the Slimplicity weight management program.

Obesity is one of the biggest health concerns in the UK today with nearly one fifth of the adult population reportedly obese. A person is said to be obese if their BMI is 30 or above. Figures today show that 17% of men, and 21% of women in the UK are obese. A person with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is said to be overweight, with 46% of men, and 32% of women in the UK falling into this category. In 1996, approximately 13% of 8 year olds and 17% of 15 year olds were obese. This increases the chance of adult obesity. These are alarming figures. Obese women have a higher chance of dying from cancer of the gall bladder, cervix, breast, uterus and ovaries. Men have an increased risk of abdominal obesity due to their shape, which increases the risk of heart disease and type-2 diabetes. With increasing weight comes a host of other health problems including; Type-2 diabetes Increase in cholesterol levels Increase in blood pressure Premature death Heart disease Stroke

Ideal Weight Range for Women Ideal Weight for Men Based on Body-Fat Percent Height ft/inches Ideal Weight (Pounds) 5' 0" 97-127 5' 1" 100-132 5' 2" 103-136 5' 3" 107-140 5' 4" 110-145 5' 5" 113-149 5' 6" 117-154 5' 7" 121-159 5' 8" 124-164 5' 9" 128-168 5' 10" 132-173 5' 11" 135-178 6' 0" 139-183 Height ft/inches Weight Range (Pounds) 5' 0" 97-127 >5' 1" 100-132 5' 2" 103-136 5' 3" 107-140 5' 4" 110-145 5' 5" 113-149 5' 6" 117-154 5' 7" 121-159 5' 8" 124-164 5' 9" 128-168 5' 10" 132-173 5' 11" 135-178 6' 0" 139-183 6' 1" 143-189 6' 2" 147-194 6' 3" 151-199 6' 4" 155-204

To lose weight, your calorie intake must be reduced, or you need to increase the amount of exercise you do. Each person will have different needs when it comes to calorie intake, this is due to individual lifestyle.

Obesity is a condition where a person's height will not be in proportionate to his weight. That means his weight will be more than how much it should be. Dieting is more popular among obese as many people follow strict diets to keep their body weight at its bay. The obesity is also prevalent among children owing to the physical inactivity and devouring lot of junk foods. Read more . This article covers Symptoms of weight problems in children can be

Foods to be avoided by obese people

Dieting tips to fight obesity

If you weigh 20% or more over the recommended weight for your age and body height you are considered obese. This problem affects many people all over the world and just as many people are following obesity diets. Being a condition that can cause great physical and social problems, diet and obesity are linked closely together as dieting and changing your lifestyle are the only things that can really help an obese person.

Morbid obesity is a sever form of being overweight where a person weighs more than a 1200m pounds over their ideal weight. Obviously this condition causes huge problems for the body and results in possible heart attacks. There are special diets for morbid obesity.

Medical problems typically caused by obesity are:

Depression

Due to the weight problem obese people can have trouble leaving their homes and enjoying a fun social life. The lack of social contacts and the pressure of dealing with an overweight body can cause symptom of depression.

Hypertension

Also know as high blood pressure, this can reach dangerous heights as the food intake of the obese person combines with the weight that the body has to carry, can cause this condition. Hypertension can be regulated with a morbid obesity diet.

Heart Disease

The risk of heart disease is high for obese people. Fat foods, the heart having to work doubly as hard to pump blood around the body and carry a lot of excess weight combined with a higher blood pressure can cause heart failure.

Diabetes

Caused by high sugar levels than cannot be regulated by the body itself due to a lack on insulin of the body's inability to make use of insulin, diabetes type 2 can occur in obese people.

Dieting For Obese Children

America knows the highest number of obese adults and children in the world. Obesity causes even more problem for children than it does for adults as children are more likely to be put in an awkward social position when obese.

It can be hard to emphasize the need for healthy food and a healthy child obesity diet with kids and the best approach is to stimulate activities that kids enjoy, preferably in groups so that they experience support and stimulation to enter into these activities from other children.

If you suspect that your child is overweight or it is showing signs of any of the following problems it might be wise to consult your doctor and he or she can help to educate e your child on the benefits of an adolescent obesity diet program.

Symptoms of Weight Problems In Children Can Be

• Eating several helpings during meals
• Overeating in between meals
• A tendency to overeat in unhealthy snacks
• Shunning social contact with other children
• Depression

Foods To Be Avoided By Obese People

It is not easy to stay away from products that are everywhere around us. Snacking in between meals on unhealthy foods are some of the main problem and causes of obesity. A lack of time to prepare healthy meals at home and the availability of take away foods (high in salt and fats and low in fibers) can make it difficult to maintain a healthy diet.

There are certain foods that should be avoided by obese people trying to lose weight. A child obesity diet should be lacking in all of these products and parents should supply healthy alternatives.

Soft drinks

Ridiculously high in sugar content, soft drinks provide nothing but empty calories causing blood pressure and blood sugar levels to rise quickly and then drop causing feelings of hunger as the body needs more sugar to even out the blood sugar levels.

Fruit juices

Can be taken in mod3eration but only if it is a pure fruit juice without any additives. One glass a day can help provide vitamin C and fiber but these juices should be taken in moderation.

Sports drinks

A morbid obesity diet will not benefit from sports drinks. Providing carbohydrates and a lot of sugar these drinks are designed for people with a very high activity level. As these drinks boost the blood sugar levels the body gets more energy to keep exercising after which a drop in glucose levels (blood sugar) is noted, causing false hunger pangs.

Chips

Packed with saturated fats and a lot of salt and carbohydrates, these snacks cause nothing but trouble for people who need to follow a diet. As chips contain a lot of calories but they don't fill you up, you end up eating a lot of them. One bag of chips contains more calories than those that need to be taken by the average obese person on a diet for obesity.

Crackers

Containing white starches and carbohydrates and hardly any nutrients, crackers should be avoided. Empty calories do not fill the body up and instead of crackers, wholemeal products that are rich in fiber should be eaten instead.

Adipose tissue is specialized connective tissue that functions as the major storage site for fat in the form of triglycerides.

There are two different types of adipose tissues. They are

1. White adipose tissue.

2. Brown adipose tissue.

   Most adipose tissue is white. White adipose tissue does three functions:

3. Heat insulation,

4. Mechanical cushion. (Adipose tissue also surrounds internal organs and provides protection for these organs.)

5. A source of energy.

The adipose tissue which is directly below skin (subcutaneous adipose tissue) specially acts as the heat insulator of the body. It conducts heat only one third compared to other tissues. The degree of insulation is dependent upon the thickness of this fat layer.

Lipogenesis

Lipogenesis is the deposition of fat. This process occurs in adipose tissue and in the liver .

The excess calories (consumed more than what actually needed for the current physical activity ) is stored in adipose tissue. Carbohydrate and protein consumed in the diet can be converted to fat. The carbohydrates can be stored as glycogen in the liver and muscle and can also be converted to triglycerides in the liver and transferred to adipose tissue for storage. Amino acids from proteins are used for new protein synthesis or they can be converted to carbohydrate and fat.

Fatty acids, in the form of triglycerides are consumed through the diet or synthesized by the liver .Very little synthesis of free fatty acids occurs in the cells of adipose tissue (adipocytes). Triglycerides are the most important source of fatty acids, because this is the form in which dietary lipids are assembled by the digestive system and liver.

Triglycerides are made up of long chain of fatty acids .These are hydrolyzed (broken) to glycerol and free fatty acids by an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase (LPL). The free fatty acids are taken up by cells of adipose tissues and stored again as triglycerides through a complex process.

Insulin, a hormone secreted by the cells of the pancreas, plays an important role in the lipogenic process. The net effect of insulin is to

1. Increase storage,

2. Block mobilization and oxidation of fatty acids.

Insulin stimulates LPL formation. The LPL breaks the circulating to free fatty acids which can enter the adipocyte. Insulin is also required for the transport of glucose, which is needed for conversion of free fatty acids to tryglycerides in adipocytes. The conversion of glucose to fatty acids is accomplished by insulin's activation of several enzymes.

Over weighted persons are at increased health risk than normal persons. They are more prone to chronic diseases like heart diseases, type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, and few types of cancers.

What is obesity?

Excess amount of body fat is Obesity.

Excess weight of muscles, bone, fat and water in the body (like body builders and athletes) is Overweight.

Is fat necessary to our body ?

Certain amount of body fat does the following function

1. Heat insulation.

2. Absorption of shock.

3. Storage of energy. Etc.

According to Ayurveda the functions of body fat are described as follows

“Medaha sneha swedaudhrudatwam pushtim asthyancha”

This means in normal conditions the body fat keeps the body moisturized , causes sweating , gives energy to body (by storing energy) and nourishes bones. (By protecting them from shock).

Distribution of fat

Women have more body fat than men. In women usually the fat accumulates around hips giving them a pear shape. In men it accumulates around belly giving them an apple shape. The obesity related problems start when fat accumulates around waist.

In ayurveda the distribution of fat is described as follows .

Medastu sarvabhutaanamudarenvasthi thishtathi |

Ata evodare vriddhihi prayo medaswino bhavet ||

Fat gets deposited in and around belly in all living beings. It is also present in bone. Hence when a person becomes obese his stomach bulges out.

And also the characters of an obese person are described as

"Medo mamsa ativriddhatvaachalasphigudarastanaha"

The hips, belly and breasts of an obese person sag and sagged parts flap as that person moves. An obese person will not be active.

The balance between calorie intake and energy expenditure determines a person's weight. If a person eats more calories than he or she burns, the person gains weight (the body will store the excess energy as fat). If a person eats fewer calories than he or she burns, he or she will lose weight. Therefore the most common causes of obesity are overeating and physical inactivity. At present, we know that there are many factors that contribute to obesity, some of which have a genetic component:

• Genetics. A person is more likely to develop obesity if one or both parents are obese. Genetics also affect hormones involved in fat regulation. For example, one genetic cause of obesity is leptin deficiency. Leptin is a hormone produced in fat cells, and also in the placenta. Leptin controls weight by signaling the brain to eat less when body fat stores are too high. If, for some reason the body cannot produce enough leptin, or leptin cannot signal the brain to eat less, this control is lost, and obesity occurs. The role of leptin replacement as a treatment for obesity is currently being explored.

• Overeating. Overeating leads to weight gain, especially if the diet is high in fat. Foods high in fat or sugar (e.g., fast food, fried food and sweets,) have high energy density (foods that have a lot of calories in small amount of food). Epidemiology studies have shown that diets high in fat contribute to weight gain.

• A diet high in simple carbohydrates. The role of carbohydrates in weight gain is not clear. Carbohydrates increase blood glucose levels, which in turn stimulate insulin release by the pancreas, and insulin promotes the growth of fat tissue and can cause weight gain. Some scientists believe that simple carbohydrates (sugars, fructose, desserts, soft drinks, beer, wine, etc.) contribute to weight gain because they are more rapidly absorbed into the blood stream than complex carbohydrates (pasta, brown rice, grains, vegetables, raw fruits, etc.) and thus cause a more pronounced insulin release after meals than complex carbohydrates. This higher insulin release, some scientists believe, contribute to weight gain.

• Frequency of eating. The relationship between frequency of eating (how often you eat) and weight is somewhat controversial. There are many reports of overweight people eating less often than people with normal weight. Scientists have observed that people who eat small meals four or five times daily, have lower cholesterol levels and lower and/or more stable blood sugar levels than people who eat less frequently (two or three) large meals daily. One possible explanation is that small frequent meals produce stable insulin levels, whereas large meals cause large spikes of insulin after meals.

• Slow metabolism. Women have less muscle than men. Muscle burns more calories than other tissue (which includes fat). As a result, women have a slower metabolism than men, and hence, have a tendency to put on more weight than men, and weight loss is more difficult for women. As we age, we tend to lose muscle and our metabolism slows, therefore, we tend to gain weight as we get older particularly if we do not reduce our daily caloric intake.

• Physical inactivity. Sedentary people burn fewer calories than people who are active. The National Health and Examination Survey (NHANES) showed that physical inactivity was strongly correlated with weight gain in both sexes.

• Medications. Medications associated with weight gain include certain antidepressants (medications used in treating depression), anti-convulsants (medications used in controlling seizures such as carbamazepine and valproate), diabetes medications (medications used in lowering blood sugar such as insulin, sulfonylureas and thiazolidinediones), certain hormones such as oral contraceptives and most corticosteroids such as Prednisone. Weight gain may also be seen with some high blood pressure medications and antihistamines.

• Psychological factors. For some people, emotions influence eating habits. Many people eat excessively in response to emotions such as boredom, sadness, stress or anger. While most overweight people have no more psychological disturbances than normal weight people, about 30 percent of the people who seek treatment for serious weight problems have difficulties with binge eating.

• Diseases such as hypothyroidism, insulin resistance, polycystic ovary syndrome and Cushing's syndrome are also contributors to obesity.

The definition of obesity varies depending on what one reads, but in general, it is a chronic condition defined by an excess amount body fat. A certain amount of body fat is necessary for storing energy, heat insulation, shock absorption, and other functions. The normal amount of body fat (expressed as percentage of body fat) is between 25-30% in women and 18-23% in men. Women with over 30% body fat and men with over 25% body fat are considered obese.

How common is obesity?

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. One in three Americans is obese. Obesity is also increasing rapidly throughout the world, and the incidence of obesity has nearly doubled form 1991 to 1998.

What are the health risks associated with obesity?

Obesity is not just a cosmetic consideration; it is a dire health dilemma directly harmful to one's health. In the United States, roughly 300,000 deaths per year are directly related to obesity, and more than 80% of these deaths are in patients with a BMI (body mass index, which will be discussed later in this article) over 30. Obesity also increases the risk of developing a number of chronic diseases including:

• Insulin Resistance. Insulin is necessary for the transport of blood glucose (sugar) into the cells of muscle and fat (which is then used for energy). By transporting glucose into cells, insulin keeps the blood glucose levels in the normal range. Insulin resistance (IR) is the condition whereby the effectiveness of insulin in transporting glucose (sugar) into cells is diminished. Fat cells are more insulin resistant than muscle cells; therefore, one important cause of IR is obesity. The pancreas initially responds to IR by producing more insulin. As long as the pancreas can produce enough insulin to overcome this resistance, blood glucose levels remain normal. This IR state (characterized by normal blood glucose levels and high insulin levels) can last years. Once the pancreas can no longer keep up with producing high levels of insulin, blood glucose levels begin to rise, resulting in type 2 diabetes, thus IR is a pre-diabetes condition. In fact scientists now believe that the atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) associated with diabetes likely develops during this IR period.

• Type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes. The risk of type 2 diabetes increases with the degree and duration of obesity. Type 2 diabetes is associated with central obesity; a person with central obesity has excess fat around his/her waist, so that the body is shaped like an apple.

• High blood pressure (hypertension). Hypertension is common among obese adults. A Norwegian study showed that weight gain tended to increase blood pressure in women more significantly than in men. The risk of developing high blood pressure is also higher in obese people who are apple shaped (central obesity) than in people who are pear shaped (fat distribution mainly in hips and thighs).

• High cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia)

• Stroke (cerebrovascular accident or CVA)

• Heart attack. The Nurses Health Study found that the risk of developing coronary artery disease increased 3 to 4 times in women who had a BMI greater than 29. A Finnish study showed that for every one kilogram (2.2 pounds) increase in body weight, the risk of death from coronary artery disease increased by one percent. In patients who have already had a heart attack, obesity is associated with an increased likelihood of a second heart attack.

• Congestive heart failure

• Cancer. While not conclusively proven, some observational studies have linked obesity to cancer of the colon in men and women, cancer of the rectum and prostate in men, and cancer of the gallbladder and uterus in women. Obesity may also be associated with breast cancer, particularly in postmenopausal women. Fat tissue is important in the production of estrogen, and prolonged exposure to high levels of estrogen increases the risk of breast cancer.

• Gallstones

• Gout and gouty arthritis

• Osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) of the knees, hips, and the lower back

• Sleep apnea

• Pickwickian syndrome (obesity, red face, underventilation, and drowsiness)