Overweight, Underweight, and Obesity…
Underweight is defines as having a “body weight below a healthy weight; BMI below 18.5.” Overweight is defined as having a “body weight above a healthy weight; BMI 25 to 29.9.” Obese is defined as having a “body mass index of 30 or higher” (Sizer and Whitney, 2013, pg. 335). Being overweight, underweight or obese can have unhealthy implications.
Overweight people may have problems breathing, have type 2 diabetes, have high blood pressure, hypertension, be prone to certain cancers and stroke. Being underweight can be just as dangerous as being overweight. People who are underweight may not have the enough nutrients to supply proper brain function, may also ingest too little calories forcing the body into starvation mode where it eats away valuable muscle, and may continue to lose more weight if hospitalized. Being obese poses the most risk because the person who is carrying around an extensive amount of weight may experience, stress on bones and joints, early arthritis, type 1 diabetes, be more prone to colon cancer, heart attacks, have high bad cholesterol (LDL), and have low good cholesterol (HDL).
The problem with too much core body fat..
Having too much visceral fat in the center region of the body is bad because this type of fatty acid gets released into the bloodstream and may cause heart disease and metabolic syndrome; “increased blood pressure, a high blood sugar level, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels — that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes” (Mayo Clinic, 2014).
How is mortality impacted?
Mortality is impacted by both underweight and overweight status; however being overweight may possess a higher mortality rate. As a person’s body contains less muscle than fat, the body loses its ability to burn fat as fast. The fat built up causes stress on the body; raising cortisol levels, and causes hypertension. Conversely, being underweight may pose less mortality impact but still needs to be addressed because the body that is underweight may have trouble regulating body temperature, recovering from an illness that requires hospitalization, and low immunity due to malnutrition. (Sizer and Whitney, 2013, pg. 341).
Prevention…
There are preventive measures we can take to prevent underweight and overweight issues in our society; maintain a healthy body weight; education about nutrition and maintaining a diet that is balanced between fats, protein and fiber, and engaging in exercise to keep strong muscle tissue, good metabolic rate, and strong cardiovascular heart activity to prevent clogged arteries.
Diet Modification…
It is important to make changes but a little step in the correct direction is better than failing at trying to do it all at once.
Simple modifications I have made over time that I recommend are:
- Practice portion control by using a smaller plate.
- Relaxing, sitting down, and chewing slowly help me to feel full faster.
- Eat more fresh vegetables and fruits.
- Consume less fat from animals and strive to get my fat from vegetable sources.
- Eat more grains with my meals so I will feel fuller longer.
- I know I have said before in my blogs; but keep the meal colorful. Make your meal happy and attractive looking to inspire you to eat it.
- Try something new everyday. If I get bored with my selection, I ask a friend for suggestions.
- Swap healthy recipes with your friends and family to keep it interesting.
- Take vitamins and minerals supplements if you can not get them from your food.
- And always check with your physician before trying anything new.
References
Mayo Clinic. (2014,). Metabolic syndrome. Retrieved from Diseases and Conditions website: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/metabolic-syndrome/basics/definition/con-20027243
Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2013). Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (13th ed.). Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. (Kindle Version).
The Cat's Meow 