Although COVID-19 is declining in the US, Americans are staring at another epidemic that is showing no signs of subsiding: obesity. More Americans than ever before – about 42% of us – are considered clinically obese. It’s an urgent problem considering that obesity greatly increases the risk of serious illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and dementia. But solutions are available, and they start by realizing the main reason behind obesity. That’s what experts say. Read on – and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss our special report: This Diet Is The Best Way To Lose Weight.
“To determine if someone is obese, let’s look at the body mass index,” a measure of body fat based on height and weight, says Me Ali, MD, bariatric surgeon and medical director of the MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at the Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California. “The normal BMI range is between 18 and 25.” A BMI over 25 is considered overweight while “someone with a BMI over 30 is considered obese and at risk of developing health problems because of their weight,” says Ali.
iStock
People tend to be overweight because they regularly consume more calories than they consume. “A lot has to do with the quality of the diet and the different habits people can adopt, such as snacks on a regular basis,” says JoAnn Manson, MD, Dr.PH, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Senior Consultant in Preventive Medicine at Brigham & Women’s Hospital.
But not all calories are created equal. Some foods that are highly processed – including simple carbohydrates, candies, packaged snacks, and fast foods – will not fill you up and encourage your body to eat more and keep eating.
For example: a diet high in processed foods like chips, cookies, and TV food increases a person’s blood sugar, which can cause insulin to skyrocket and crash, leading to frequent feelings of hunger. “These foods don’t make you feel full, so you tend to overeat,” says Manson.
CONNECTED: 15 evidence-based tips for losing weight, say experts
Sam Moqadam / Unsplash
Experts say there is no silver bullet (or diet) for weight loss. The key is to eat fewer calories. “The truth is, almost any diet will work [for weight loss] if it helps you to eat fewer calories “, says Harvard Medical School.
Doctors therefore recommend consuming high quality calories, such as those provided by the Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes fruits, vegetables, fish and olive oil, while being low in red meat, processed meat and processed foods. For snacks, instead of candy or potato chips, try nuts, fruits, or non-starchy vegetables with a yogurt-based dip.
These healthy staples can be delicious and filling, and fill you up without depriving yourself or resorting to old-fashioned calorie counting. “The quality of your diet is far more important than the quantity of calories,” says Manson. “A high-quality diet almost automatically leads to better calorie control – you will consume foods with a higher feeling of satiety.”
iStock
“The goal of obesity treatment is to achieve and maintain a healthy weight,” says the Mayo Clinic. “This will improve your overall health and reduce your risk of developing obesity-related complications. You may need to work with a team of health professionals – including a nutritionist, behavioral counselor, or obesity specialist – to help you understand your diet and make changes. and activity habits. The initial treatment goal is usually a modest weight loss – 5 to 10% of your total weight. That means that if you weigh 91 kg and are obese by BMI standards, all you need to do is lose about 10 to 20 pounds (4.5 to 9 kg) for your health to improve. However, the more weight you lose, the greater the benefits. ” And now that you have a great foundation, don’t miss out on these additional ones 19 foods for weight loss that really work.
