by Kathryn Smith
In the western world, obesity is assuming epidemic dimensions.
Driving this tendency in this part of the world is the culture of
consuming convenience foods that are dense in calories, but low in
nutrients. High fat content, uncontrolled use of preservatives in
factory-made food as well as a sedentary lifestyle with little physical
activity, collectively, is putting population at risk of contracting
coronary diseases, premature aging and early death.
Adverse Effects of Excess Body Fat
Other
well known risks related to obesity are joint pains (osteoarthritis),
sterility in women and spine related problems. Typically people
recognize that, these and other conditions can be managed by maintaining
an ideal body mass index (BMI). BMI measurements throw some insights
into the percentage of fat an adult is composed of – lesser the body
fat, the better. Women generally have a higher percentage of fat than
men. It is also widely recognized that body weight (read: fat) can be
reduced by regular exercise (especially weight training and cardio) as
well as by following a sensible diet with high fiber content.
More Health Risks of Obesity
- Is there such a thing as being fit and fat: Can You Be Fit But Fat?
- Obesity and Colorectal Cancer Risk: Childhood Obesity Linked to Colorectal Cancer, Obese and Type 2 Diabetes Have Increased Risk of Colon Cancer
- Large Waist Circumference and Your Risk of Early Death: Warning Your Muffin Top May Kill You!, Obesity, LIfe Expectancy and Disability
- Obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome: Health Risks for People with Fat Bellies
- Is it painful to be fat? Maybe in more ways than one… New Study Finds Obesity Causes Physical Pain
- Heart Failure Risk? Obesity Itself Is an Independent Risk Factor for Heart Failure
The Importance of Homemade Food
Though
homemade foods have more fresh vegetables, fruits and lean meat
protein, they seem to be losing ground to high-calorie ready-to-eat
foods made in factories. Part of the problem can be set right by
resorting to homemade food and by following a regimen of exercises.
Since
homemade food is generally made on a day-to-day basis, their chance of
losing intrinsic nutritional value is rare. They are more likely to
retain micro nutrients and minerals which are found in small quantities,
and generally there is a good control on the ingredients used in
cooking.
What Nutritionists Have to Say about Diet
Time
and again nutritionists have emphasized the importance of consuming a
balanced diet. Fat in excess is not desirable (a minimum quantity is
however a must), because they are the easiest to accumulate in body, and
protein if not used by body will also accumulate as fat. Getting into a
healthy lifestyle is important too. Too much alcoholic drinks are known
to interfere with the digestion process, which too needs to be
moderated, nutritionists say.
What Doctor’s Have to Say about Obesity
It has also been reported in medical journals that sleep is an important factor in controlling obesity.
Too much or too little of sleep can be harmful, and a minimum of 8
hours is what doctors recommend. Sleep induced artificially using drugs
is also known to cause dependency, which again contributes to obesity,
medical researches indicate.
Doctors recommend against binge
eating, a habit that seems to be taking deep roots in most societies
around the world. They also recommend aerobic, flexibility and weight
training exercises to keep the body fit. Flexibility is believed to
significantly extend longevity. Establishing a regular eating pattern in
most cases can help people to lead a healthy life.
OHSU's Dr. Steven Shea discusses his research on hunger and the circadian clock. Click to watch the VIDEO.
A Fascinating Medical Report about Timing
In
a report published by the International Journal of Obesity, Dr. Frank
Sheer and his team of researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in
Boston concluded that meal timing is just as important as what one eats
for shedding body fat. Frank further noted that the study was first of
its kind on such a scale. His study is based on researches conducted on
420 overweight patients from Spain in a 20-week study program.
In
course of his study, he split the participants into 2 groups – early
meal eaters (those who ate their mid-day meal before 3 p.m.) and
late-eaters (those who generally ate after 3 p.m.). Participants were
allowed to choose either of the group on their own based on their habit.
In Spain, it may noted, the mid-day meal accounts for more than 40% of
the calorific intake generally, and is also considered the most
important meal for the day.
What the Researchers Found about Timing Meals
Here are some of the interesting conclusions you may want to know –
- Late eaters lost significantly less weight than participants in the early-eaters group.
- Late eaters were also found to be at higher risk of contracting diabetes than the other group.
- Another interesting fact that emerged was that late-eaters generally consumed lower calories for breakfast.
- Late eaters are more likely to skip their first meal of the day, and are at risk of malnutrition.
Finally
it was also found that there were little differences in the two groups
as regards to the total calorific intake and expenditure, hormone levels
of leptin and ghrelin, and sleep pattern and duration. Having
discounted these possibilities, the researchers concluded that timing
was an independent risk factor in weight shedding.
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