The Heaviness of Weight Management

Weight management is your ability to sustain or manage a certain weight that you, or one of your resources, has determined for your daily living. Two of the most important factors (aside from how you chose your optimal weight) are diet and exercise.  Although being underweight can have health risks, much of the research focuses on excessive weight and obesity.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, about two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight or obese.  Furthermore, individuals who are obese have a 10- to 50-percent increased risk of death from all causes, compared with healthy weight individuals (BMI 18.5 to 24.9). Most of the increased risk is due to cardiovascular causes.[1].Obesity is associated with about 112,000 excess deaths per year in the U.S. population relative to healthy weight individuals[2].

[1] Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults—The Evidence Report. National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. September 1998. Available at  www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/ob_gdlns.htm.

[2] Flegal KM, Graubard BI, Williamson, DF, Gail MH. Excess deaths associated with underweight, overweight, and obesity. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2005; 293(15):1861–7.

Common Risk Factors for Overweight and Obesity

  • Diabetes
  • Coronary heart disease
  • High cholesterol
  • Stroke
  • Hypertension
  • Gallbladder disease
  • Osteoarthritis (degeneration of cartilage and bone of joints)
  • Sleep apnea and other breathing problems
  • Certain forms of cancer (breast, colorectal, endometrial, and kidney)

The Body Mass Index (BMI)

Body fat and body mass measurements are used to determine whether you are under- or overweight. BMI (Body Mass Index) is an indirect measurement of your body composition. It takes into consideration both your weight and height. Many doctors and health care providers will use this measure to determine certain health risks.

BMI Chart URL location: http://www.humana.com/visitors/pparchives/2005/07/article5a.asp

Or, please feel free to use the BMI calculator site below to get your number:

The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute at  http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

Activity Defined

What is a Lot of Exercise?

Activity Levels

  • Low activity: No planned, regular physical activity; occasional weekend or weekly activity (such as golf or recreational tennis) is the only type of physical activity
  • Moderate activity: Participating in physical activities such as swimming, jogging, or fast walking for 30 – 60 minutes at a time
  • Strenuous activity: Participating in vigorous physical activity for 60 minutes or more at least 4 – 5 days per week

Being Underweight

Being underweight can be a factor related to cancer treatment, stress, medications, lifestyle reasons, etc. and depending on the amount of weight loss and your underweight condition, it can potentially have negative health consequences.  Please contact your primary care physician or health care provider to go over these potential consequences.

Mental Health Conditions Related to Weight Loss

Anorexia Nervosa is a disorder where people severely limit their food intake. The consequence is profound and potentially dangerous weight loss and in many cases, to the point of starvation. This disorder is most commonly found in adolescent females, but may also occur in males, children, and adults.

Bulimia is binge eating followed by self-induced vomiting. It’s often associated with anorexia nervosa. These people, however, may have no weight loss, and thus, may not seek medical attention.

What is a “Balanced Diet”?

As the name implies, a balanced diet tends to be a balance of food characteristics: fats, proteins, salt, sugar, calories, etc.

  • Do not eat meat more than once a day. Eat fish and poultry more often than red or processed meats because they are less fattening.
  • Avoid frying food. Fried food absorbs the fats from the cooking oils, increasing your dietary fat intake. Instead, bake or broil food. If you do fry, use polyunsaturated oils, such as corn oil.
  • Cut down on your salt intake. Limit table salt, or flavor intensifiers that contain salt, such as monosodium glutamate (MSG).
  • Include adequate fiber in your diet. Fiber is found in green leafy vegetables, fruit, beans, bran flakes, nuts, root vegetables, and whole-grain foods.
  • Do not eat more than 4 eggs per week. Although they are a good source of protein, and they’re low in saturated fat, eggs are very high in cholesterol.
  • Choose fresh fruit for dessert, rather than cookies, cake, or pudding.

And of course, too much of anything — calories or a particular type of food — has its drawbacks.

U.S. Government Food Pyramid

Diets to Consider

Using the above information may prove valuable in a general diet, but make sure you discuss with your primary care physician, dietitian, or nutritionist what your individual needs are; especially if you have kidney disease, liver disease, cancer, diabetes, and/or other special needs.

Weight Management with Dr. Schwartz

The Reality of Weight Management

After reading above you may say, “Easier said than done!!!  I know all this already!!  What do I do??”

Factors that affect your ability for Weight Management

Ask:  “How does motivation, depression, social isolation, sadness, anxiety, genetics, fear, etc. play into my weight and what I CAN and CAN’T control?”

  • Fatigue
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Motivation
  • “Emotional Eating” – Eating food to make you feel better or fill in a missing emotional piece rather for hunger.
  • I just can’t stick to my exercise schedule…too little time
  • I’m eating out all the time or in social situations which makes healthy eating hard.
  • Stress!

What are the physical, emotional, social, behavioral, and cognitive factors play into weight management?

Potential Goals with Dr. Schwartz

  • Explore and Identify the barriers to weight change
  • What is my motivation for lasting weight management…what will keep me going?
  • Does this involve a whole lifestyle change?
  • What am I satisfying with my “Emotional Eating”?
  • How can I get more exercise in my life?
  • Creating an exercise plan; or a food schedule

Summary

Dr. Schwartz can help you explore what physical, emotional, social, behavioral, and cognitive factors play into weight management. “How does motivation, depression, social isolation, sadness, anxiety, genetics, fear, etc. play into my weight and how does these factors affect what I can and can’t control?”

References

http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3040451

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001943.htm

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/behavior.htm

http://win.niddk.nih.gov/statistics/index.htm#what