WEEK SEVENTY-ONE :: What Can We Do To Fight Obesity?

[b0dybu1ld3r]

As bodybuilders we do our best to live a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately it seems as if our race is dying out. Many people are not living a healthy lifestyle. Most of American adults are overweight or obese.

Introduction

Obesity is an epidemic which has only increased in America during the past 20 years. By definition, it is a BMI (Body Mass Index) of over 30, and over 40 is morbid obesity(1). Obesity may cut short your lifespan, and is harmful to the body in many ways. It can be caused by many things, such as a sedentary lifestyle, genetics, and emotional issues(causing overeating). Overall however, a lack of discipline is the most likely culprit.

Only recently however, has obesity become a widespread problem. The statistics from the National Center for Health show that 30% of U.S. adults, age 20 and older, are obese, while an additional 34% are overweight(2). The really worrisome fact is that it is becoming more and more prevalent in younger people.

What can we do to fight obesity?

Fighting obesity is less complicated than many make it out to be. It is a personal choice whether or not those who suffer from it will succeed or fail. The most basic and necessary way to lose fat however, is to take in less calories than your body is burning.

1.)Reducing Caloric Intake

Simply reducing calories to below that of the maintenance level is necessary to lose fat. However, highly restrictive diets are bound to fail. An affective way to reduce calories to the necessary level is to taper down until the calories reach the level necessary.

First you need to determine your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) with the following equation. Your BMR is the total number of calories your body needs if you did nothing but lie in bed all day with no activity at all.
Men:
BMR = 66 + (13.7 X wt in kg) + (5 X ht in cm) - (6.8 X age in years)
Women:
BMR = 655 + (9.6 X wt in kg) + (1.8 X ht in cm) - (4.7 X age in years)
* Note: 1 inch = 2.54 cm and 1 kilogram = 2.2 lbs.
Example:
Male, 27, 180lbs, 5'11"
66 + (13.7 x 81.81kg) + (5 x 180 cm) - (6.8 x 27 yrs) = 1903

Now take your BMR and multiply it by the number next to your activity level. This will calculate your maintenance caloric intake.

Sedentary = BMR X 1.2 (little or no exercise, desk job)
Lightly Active = BMR X 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)
Mod. Active = BMR X 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)
Very Active = BMR X 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)
Extremely Active = BMR X 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job Or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.)

2.)Becoming More Active

Increasing physical activity will increase the metabolic rate, therefore allowing more calories to be consumed. As you can see, this maintenance calories are significantly higher for those who are moderately active than those who have a sedentary lifestyle. A good way to increase your activity level, is to incorporate easy activities like the following into your routine.

• Take a walk
• Park farther away from your destination than you usually would
• Take care of basic chores
• Stretching
• Dancing

Some other slightly more difficult activities that will contribute greatly to increasing the metabolism and overall well-being are:

• Resistance training
• Jogging
• Swimming
• Biking

3.)Keep Weight at a Reasonable Level

Strong social support is very helpful in keeping weight down to a reasonable level. Attending a support group may help to ensure success. Occasional cheat meals may help in keeping the diet clean the rest of the week.

More tips in fighting obesity:

• Eat smaller portions of food
  
  Splitting your meals up, and eating smaller meals more often tends to speed up the metabolism. This also keeps you feeling fuller throughout the day.
  
  
• Keep a nutrition log
  
  You can then track the exact amount of calories you eat each day, allowing you to achieve optimal results.
  
  
• Increase vegetable intake
  
  Vegetables will help to fill you up, and they contribute very little (if any) to fat gain.
  
  
• Mix it up!
  
  Changing up the diet often (making healthy food choices of course), can keep things less boring and allow you to keep your diet healthy over the long term.

How important is it fighting obesity?

Seeing as how obesity has only been increasing in the recent year, fighting it is of the utmost importance. The health risks are alarming for those with obesity. If we can do nothing else to motivate those with obesity to make a change, then we must educate them of the many, many risks associated with it.

Here are some of the risks involved with obesity:

• Hypertension
• Type-2 Diabetes
• Stroke
• Coronary Heart Disease
• Gallbladder disease
• Some forms of cancer
• Osteoarthritis
• Sleep Apnea
• Dyslipidemia (high total cholesterol levels or high levels of triglycerides)

What do you see in the future statistics of obesity? How did you come to this conclusion?

Seeing as how people have become less active today as they used to be, if this trend continues obesity can only rise. People have less time to prepare the proper meals today, and the “fast food” is full of high fats and high calories.

Experts agree that the causes of the obesity epidemic are environmental(3). If we can increase education however, we may be able to lower these risk factors. Overconsumption is obviously a choice, but if we educate people on how to make healthier food choices and to be more active, the obesity percentages may drop.

BONUS QUESTION: How do you feel about child obesity? Who do you think is at fault to blame?

Child obesity today is obviously a very serious issue, and is especially serious considering overweight children are more likely to be overweight adults(4). Much of the blame is put on the parents, which is rightfully so. However, children spend the majority of their time out of home, in school. Therefore, much of the blame should also be given to the schools.

We must teach them how to adopt a healthier lifestyle. This includes teaching them to increase activity levels, how to make healthy food choices, and the proper quantities of food that they should consume. Parents should encourage their children to participate in extra-curricular activities. Remember, for adults obesity is generally a choice, while for the majority of children it can be attributed to poor education and bad examples.




Thanks!
- Jordan J. (b0dybu1ld3r)

Bibliography

(1)http://www.annecollins.com/obesity-in-children.htm
(2)http://www.nhpf.org/pdfs_bp/BP_Obesity_7-03.pdf
(3)http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/conte.../328/7452/1327
(4)http://www.americanheart.org/present...dentifier=4670

[bitterplacebo]

As bodybuilders we do our best to live a healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately it seems as if our race is dying out. Many people are not living a healthy lifestyle. Most of American adults are overweight or obese.

We've been hearing it more and more recently. America is fat. Obesity is an increasing trend in the United States. Hearing such phrases so often makes it important to understand exactly what the word “obese” means.

For the purposes of this article, obesity is the condition where the quantity of fat tissue stored on a person's body increases their risk of health conditions or starts to interfere with daily activities.

What can we do to fight obesity?

Now that we know how to describe obesity, we can organize a plan of attack. The goal of this plan is to help spread general awareness and knowledge concerning obesity and what can be done to combat it. The first thing we need to analyze is where to draw the line between obesity and healthy weight. Then we can look at what factors contribute to unhealthy fat storage in an effort to show how obesity is a condition that can be controlled.

Measuring Obesity:
1)BMI (Body Mass Index) – can be calculated from weight and height. Then compare it on a chart to find where a particular person stands comparatively in terms of body fatness. One problem with this method is that it does not take into account bone density or muscle mass, leading to inaccuracy.
2)Body Fat Percentage – can be calculated using a variety of methods like calipers or underwater weighing. These methods increase accuracy at the cost of some convenience and ease of measurement.
3)“By Eye” - fat is relatively easily distinguishable on a person. The above methods should be used by those thinking they might be bordering on obese or a little obese, but significant obesity is easily determined by simply looking.

Contributing Factors:
-Sedentary lifestyle. This means little physical activity is ever done.
-High glycemic diet. The problem is generally too many processed or sugary foods lead to fat storage.
-Stress. Contributes in many ways to obesity, read on for details.
-Insufficient sleep. Sleep is related to some metabolic functions as well as appetite-related hormones.1
-Age. After age 25, metabolism decreases five percent every ten years.2 Average lifespan has also increased, allowing more time for obesity to occur.
-Genetic or eating disorders.
-Society's lack of awareness. Inefficient diet cycling. Increased marketing of foods/products with questionable health value. Overproduction of food. Psychologically reinforcing bad eating habits by rewarding the young with sweets.

Taking Control:
After taking another look at the factors that influence obesity, we can realize that the majority are actually under our control. The first step to take is setting goals and standards of behavior in each area, then applying changes to lifestyles in order to meet those goals. The following strategies can be used by most everyone in order to establish the control in their life that is essential to combatting obesity.

1)Increased exercise: Any regular exercise routine or activity will raise metabolism. These could be cardiovascular activities or weight lifting. Muscle burns 90% more calories than fat.2 Combined with a diet strategy, exercise is a powerful obesity prevention tool.
2)Controlled and balanced diet: Skipping meals can lower metabolism. Substitute more organic foods in place of processed and sugary foods. Some studies show that alcohol consumption may influence the rate at which fat can be burned, so limit its intake. Make sure to get enough protein to preserve muscle tissues. Consider a minimum of .5 grams per pound of body weight, or more (1g/lb) when trying to gain muscle mass.
3)Minimize stress: Digestion is inhibited under chronic stress. Stress also has a negative impact on growth and sex related hormones. Sports, exercise, meditation, grooming, social contact, and other recreation are good ways to decrease stress. Stress is a burden needlessly carried by many, closely related to many mental disorders. External help in these areas is always available and easily accessible to those whose stress becomes unmanageable by themselves.
4)Sleep more: Energy levels will increase, which may promote more exercise activities. It will also aid in the body's recovery from physical activity. There are also the metabolic benefits previously discussed.
5)Gain knowledge: My personal opinion places the pursuit of knowledge above all other strategies. If you know your enemy and how it works, strategies can be formed to fight it and victory will be closer.

How important is it fighting obesity?

There is much to lose and nothing to gain through being obese. Such a condition needs to be actively addressed and efforts to reduce it must increase.

Effects of obesity:
-Increased risk for life threatening diseases.
-Increased risk for diabetes, which can also become life threatening.
-Increased blood pressure, which can lead to fatal heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, and heart failure.4
-Increased risk for cancer.
-Increased risk for depression and low self-esteem.
-Increased cost of health care. In America, current policies will cover the administration of techniques to solve health issues as they become a problem rather than covering techniques to prevent an issue from becoming a problem. Obesity is a specific problem that can be fought through simple knowledge and prevention techniques instead of surgeries or medicines.

As we can see, fighting obesity will help alleviate many problems associated with it. It is important in things ranging from the physical, the mental, and even the economical. Improving the quality of life all over the world is certainly of interest to everyone. A world that is healthier is a world that is stronger and happier.

What do you see in the future statistics of obesity? How did you come to this conclusion?

Even with our increased notice of this problem plaguing our society, obesity has been on an increasing trend for years. A study conducted at the American Institute of Research of Dietary Habits found that by 2010, 21% of American children will be considered obese.3 In previous years we have shown to be a few percent less than that number, approaching 16%.

The way I see things, the percentage of obesity should eventually reach a constant state. Efforts to prevent obesity from consuming us have been on the rise, and should hopefully lower the rate at which it becomes a problem. That along with the simple fact that obesity actually has a relation to death rate might prevent the percentage from continually rising to higher levels.

Regardless of what the actual future is, it should be everyone's responsibility to try to adopt and pass on a better lifestyle to our current youth. It is these youth who will, in turn, influence the future of further generations. The difficulty of changing the world is everyone's challenge. It's up to us to create a future better than the present.

BONUS QUESTION: How do you feel about child obesity? Who do you think is at fault to blame?

It's definitely not a good thing to have our children, the future, be growing up with the unnecessary burdens and stresses that result from obesity. Naturally, we want to look for the cause of child obesity in an effort to prevent it, but this blame is not so clearly placed.

We can't blame the children, who often lack the proper knowledge and awareness to control their lifestyle. The parents and adults may also not always have the proper knowledge of obesity to help prevent it from occurring in children, and thus are free from some blame. The difference is that the adults are definitely more aware of obesity and the problems associated with it. Through this awareness, they have the ability to take actions concerning obesity. The adults can choose to learn more about obesity and how to prevent it. After gaining this knowledge, they can then attempt to influence children to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

I feel it's important that the children should actively make the choice to avoid obesity, rather than having a lifestyle forced upon them by adults. Life can be thought of us the decisions a person makes. If we take away a child's choice, we're robbing them of much of their life and their ability to grow up.

Ultimately it's adult who will teach children, so it's every adult's responsibility to teach the youth about obesity and how to prevent it. The more this knowledge reaches children, the more likely they will decide to take control of their own lifestyle. Real strength comes not through force, but rather through the ability to control.

So as we see, knowledge can be one of the most powerful allies in the war against obesity. It is knowledge that will allow us to control and strengthen our lives as well as give us the power to change the future.

References
1.http://www.health.harvard.edu/health...eat_081705.htm
2.http://nutrition.about.com/od/guesta...metabolism.htm
3.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity
4.http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/...BP_WhatIs.html

[Aussie LTD]

obesity article

[stimilus]

As you all know the percentage of obese youngsters is increasing rapidly. A new experimental way of educating them has recently been put into motion. During this class the teens were allowed to stand, sit on a resist-a-ball, and move from station to station to complete different parts of their assignment. The results are in and test scores are significantly higher. I don't need to tell you that the amount of calories they burned daily increased aswell.

A giant step in the fight against obesity.

[JBL1]

I usually don't counteract what others say, however:

You mention that some people don't have time to eat right and be healthy. As a graduate student, working for a PhD, I know what a busy life is like, and a person must MAKE room for it.

Also, as far as money, you don't need a gym membership to walk around, do push ups, or crunches. Park further from work or the store and walk. Take the stairs. And I've found that when I eat healthy at home, its cheaper than getting fast food and cookies.

And where genetics is concerned, yes, some people have slower metabolisms than others. Some have larger frames. This isn't about being skinny, though, it's about being healthy. You make compensations for your caloric needs, and set reasonable goals for your frame.

I never said that people don't have time. I said that with all sorts of other time constraints, exercising might not be a priority. I think you fail to get my point that obesity is a sociological, psychological and biological problem, and despite the fact that you don't need a gym membership to walk, where is the motivation if you are living in the slums? It might not even be safe for you to walk around your neighborhood. As a PhD candidate, you are living a far different life than somebody in that situation. My point is not to make excuses, it is to point out that it is not necessarily some inherent flaw in people that makes them obese, and under different circumstances they might not be that way. Obesity tend to lead to depression which can be crippling to an individual. You can't just tell them to get up and walk around. The problem is not that simple. Some of these people can't walk to the store or don't have cars anyway. You speak from a standpoint that is obviously above poverty due to your linguistics. Nutritious food is expensive, you could do a thousand sit ups a day and still eat crappy food and not be healthy. I don't think it is necessary to blame the victim, when there is a whole world of socioeconomic reasons for why they are where they are in life and empathy would do much more for them than blame.

[JBL1]

But I will go a step further. My home state recently made it a felony for folks caught making meth with children in the home. Probably a good law which very few would argue with, except the meth users.

However, to me, it is just as bad, and I would argue, WORSE to not only allow, but encourage, and by example lead, a child into a lifetime of poor health, disease, ridicule by peers, lessened oportunities of employment, a mate, the possibility of any athletic pursuits, and all the other negative consequences that obesity promises. I'm not sure that I would want to make it a felony, but surely if these people have so little respect for themselves, their health, and the health of their children, they have already demonstrated their unfitness for parenthood.

I will have to completely agree with that. That is an excellent example and very true. You really can't expect to have an overweight child that won't go through all of the problems that you listed.

[ghostfacekilla]

if we started measuring obesity by using bf % instead of height to weight ratio then bam, a lot of people in the u.s. are no longer obese.

[joboxer]

What can we do to fight obesity?

Education

Nutrional education in schools should go far, far beyond a simple food pyramid. All people should be know exactly what a protein is, what a carbohydrate is, and the different kinds of fats.

Dedication

Weight loss goals and programs need to be much more long term. People should learn that there should never be a 6 week diet. In fact they should learn that a "diet" is not something you go on, and then come off. Healthy eating, and long term goals need dedication and month or year long goals to see comittments to get real results.

Activation

We just have to do it together and it is possible. The majority of Americans in the 1950's smoked. Today they do not. In countries like France almost everyone still smokes.

We can make a choice as a country to be healthier. And your choices will effect those around you. Once you loose weight you become an inspiration to others.

If you come from an obese family that has poor eating habits, turn the whole family around. Cook dinner for your whole family for a week and show them how tasty and fufililng healthy eating can be.




How important is it fighting obesity?

In the grand scheme of things medical science continues to expand the human lifespan despite growing conserns about obesity.

But, valuable medical resources and talented doctors use their genious figuring out ways to battle the bulge, when they could be trying to cure cancer. So of course it is important.

But I guess what it comes down to is how important is the quality and length of your life to you?

What do you see in the future statistics of obesity? How did you come to this conclusion?

Liposuction will if it is not allready become a "maintence procedure" for many.

Fat therapy, and fat acceptance will become lingua franca for all of us. Dieting will be seen as self hate. "Fatism" will become the new racism, because its all about genetics anyway and there is nothing you can really do about it anyway.

BONUS QUESTION: How do you feel about child obesity? Who do you think is at fault to blame?


Children do not drive themselves to Mcdonalds. That is our fault. Especially because most kids don't even want Mcdonalds food, they just want the toy that comes in a box and get hooked on junk food as a result.

That's why it is up to us to make their nutritional choices for them. It is up to us to give them a good education.

Children who grow up on wheat bread will not switch to white. And if "snack food" means nuts and fuits to a child, they will probably never switch to twinkies as a result.

Not only do parents need to step up their game when it comes to child obesity. Companies do to. Health Food should be marketed to children as well as adults. Special K could come up with a slogan Special K-is for Kids! Or maybe oatmeal could have a toy in the box too! Lets get kids excited about eating healthy. The same tactics Mcdonalds use to hook kids could easily be used by the health food industry as well.

[JC-orginalbdass]

Joboxer, you do realize you are a couple of days past the deadline, don't you?

[BlondeAmazon]

What Can We Do To Fight Obesity?
I know what I do in my family is lead by example. People tend to shun what they either do not understand or what they themselves lack in. By simply being rigid with my own needs and making demands upon myself I find that I inspire those around me to do the same. Its funny but people actually tend to feel guilty when you go with them and order a chicken salad and they order a bacon double cheeseburger. I dont critisize, nor do I offer to help, but people know they can come to me for advise and help when they are ready to recieve it. So, to answer the question, again- lead by example.

How important is it fighting obesity?
I dont even know how to answer this question as it seems so self explanitory.

What do you see in the future statistics of obesity? How did you come to this conclusion?
I have actually KNOWN of people who GAINED extra weight to be eligible for disability. This SICKENED me!! To think that our society is paying for people to choose to be lazy slobs is amazing. I cannot believe that the money put into disease caused by obesity has so skyrocketted that we now can barely afford insurance for our familys. Important?? HELL YES its important? Education in our classrooms for our children, money to our schools to fund athletics and P.E. programs. We arnt going to see any changes until we start teaching people early on what they are doing to their bodies. We kicked the crap out of the smoking industry, why cant we attack the fast food and junk food industries for the FAT in the country?



BONUS QUESTION: How do you feel about child obesity? Who do you think is at fault to blame?
I believe that parents who have children who are obese should be treated EXACTLY as those parents who shove their child in a closet and dont feed them. It is a form of abuse and the parents should be held accountable. My two boys grew up in a healthy household, and although they had some junkfood (as all teenagers do) both kids are tall and stick thin- genetics mostly- BUT- I got SICK TO DEATH of people ACCUSING me of NOT FEEDING my kids!!! Fat people tend to view thin people as if we are some different SPECIES. I understand letting yourself go. I GET pain and trouble and the fact all of us are able to gain unwanted pounds and I KNOW people dont do it on purpose (for the most part). BUT, PARENTS!!! You OWN a mirror-- if you are fat you are TEACHING your child to be fat also if you do not take steps to change your lifestyle! I have trained heavy women, I am currently training a woman who is 5'4 and started at 300 lbs. She has lost 57 lbs and gained about 18-20 lbs of muscle. She makes no excuses, she works hard, she doesnt bitch and she has taken the steps to make her household a healthier one. In the process she has upped her self confidence and self esteme and is growing in many ways because of it, as a better woman and person and mother. Bottom line is that people need to be held accountable. Smokers have to pay a higher deduction for insurance, obese people should have to also. Athletes and athletic familys are not the norm anymore. It should be celebrated and rewarded as if we had a perfect driving record. Maybe if we hit the people in their pocketbooks they might open their eyes?