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| OBESITY IS A SIGN OF DANGER |
Dr. K. G. Balakrishnan,
Consultant Cardiologist, Zulekha Hospital, Sharjah. |
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There was a time when being fat or obese like being tall or short or fair
or dark, was considered just a physical appearance. Then came the correlation
between obesity and diabetes, heart attacks, stroke, etc., and obesity
took on a dangerous connotation, not the 'in' thing. Nevertheless, the
number of obese kept getting larger and larger and this problem of obesity
today is gargantuan.
" In earlier days Obesity was defined as anything around 20% or more than
the ideal body weight which was based on the Metropolitan Life Insurance Nomogram.
Then World Health Organisation defined obesity on the basis of Body Mass Index
(BMI) with the conversion of units of measurements into metric system all over
the world," says Dr. K.G. Balakrishnan, consultant cardiologist, Zulekha
Hospital, Sharjah.
BMI is equal to weight in kilograms divided by height in meter squared.
So, if somebody weighs 75kg and is 165 cm tall, then BMI is equal to 75
divided by 1.65 squared (75/1.652). Normal BMI ranges from 20 to 25. Overweight
is from 26 to 29. And obesity is 30 or more. A rough guide for ideal weight
is height in cms Ð 100 = weight in kg.
" Now obesity is considered not just a physical appearance but a disease.
Obesity has been correlated with longevity because of its strong association
with many serious diseases. Hence it is worth remembering certain catchy sayings
to take note of obesity and its relation to longevity," says Dr. Balakrishnan.
Sayings like 'more the body weight, lesser the duration for our legs to carry
weight in this world' and 'longer the waist line, shorter the life line'.
There is another index of obesity based on type of obesity. For example;
Waist obesity or Apple-type of obesity, there's Hip obesity or the Pear-type
of obesity. A helpful tip is to measure our waist at a level which is top
of hip bone (felt at the sides of our back) and measure hip at the broadest
point around buttocks. "With that, waist to hip ratio is calculated.
In men it should be 0.8 to 1.0 and in women from 0.7 to 0.9. If the waist
measure is equal to or more than hip it has a correlation with diabetes,
stroke, high blood pressure, heart attack, etc. It is said that apple type
of obesity is more dangerous than pear type of obesity" says Dr. Balakrishnan.
Obesity is an epidemic in the developed countries, as well as in some developing
countries. A rough estimate is that 50% of adults in these countries are
obese. What is more important though, is that, more and more children are
getting to be obese. "Fifty per cent of the children are overweight
and 25% are obese, leaving only 25% in the ideal weight range. Except for
a small percentage, (5 to 10%), where obesity is secondary to endocrine
disorders, in a majority of cases obesity reflects the kind of indiscipline
in lifestyle," says Dr. Balakrishnan.
For that matter, saying that 'weight is not gained out of thin air' is
a very true statement; Weight gain is largely due to over-indulgence -
Eating wrong types of foods and to a lesser extent because of a sedentary
lifestyle lead. With technological revolution in the latter half of 20th
century, humans forgot to use their muscles especially those on the legs.
The net result has been weight gained due to excessive intake of calories
combined with insufficient burning of those very calories.
" Obesity, especially apple type or abdominal type, is a forerunner to diabetes,
hypertension, some types of cancers like breast, uterus, osteoarthritis, poor
effort tolerance resulting in breathlessness on very mild exertion or even talking
for a while. This leads to elevated bad cholesterol levels in blood which along
with diabetes and hypertension increase risk of heart attacks and strokes," says
Dr. Balakrishnan.
One way out is for each obese individual to follow a disciplined lifestyle
that includes a moderation in eating and regular exercise. To take note
is a fact that fats contribute eight calories per gram while proteins as
well as carbohydrates contribute only four calories per gram. To press
home the point, avoid fats, reduce quantity of proteins and carbohydrates
and increase the intake of non-caloric food like green leafy vegetables,
salads and some fibrous fruits. The best way is to consult a qualified
dietician and get a proper diet chart, then strictly adhere to that chart
and consume only the right type of food.
Two - exercise 30 minutes a day for at least 5 days a week or walk 5 km
every day. Three - swimming for half an hour on a daily basis. Calisthenics
help in burning calories. The bonus is that exercise per se helps in reducing
blood pressure even before one starts losing weight. Finally, it all boils
down to determination - the will to lead a disciplined lifestyle. This
in the final analysis, is the sheet-anchor of any weight reduction programme.
Adopt a policy to 'eat to live' and not 'live to eat'. That's the best
way to stay healthy, wealthy and happy. |
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