5 Ways to Reach a Healthy Weight

Diets aren't the way to go when it comes to losing weight. That's because they create temporary eating patterns — and, therefore, temporary results. Most dieters gain back any lost weight when they go back to their old eating habits.

So what's the best way to drop excess weight? Create a new normal!

Weight loss is most likely to be successful when people change their habits, replacing old, unhealthy ones with new, healthy behaviors. Here are 5 ways to make that happen:

1. Exercise. Regular physical activity burns calories and builds muscle — both of which help you look and feel good and keep weight off. Walking the family dog, cycling to school, and doing other things that increase your daily level of activity can all make a difference. If you want to burn more calories, increase the intensity of your workout and add some strength exercises to build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, even when you aren't exercising.
2. Reduce screen time. One reason people get less exercise these days is because of an increase in "screen time" — the amount of time spent watching TV, looking at the computer, or playing video games. Limit recreational screen time to less than 2 hours per day. If you're with friends at the mall, you're getting more exercise than if you're IMing them from your room.
3. Watch out for portion distortion. Portion sizes are bigger than they used to be, and these extra calories contribute to obesity. Another key factor in weight gain is that more people drink sugary beverages, such as sodas, juice drinks, and sports drinks. So choose smaller portions (or share restaurant portions) and go for water or low-fat milk instead of soda.
4. Eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies a day. Fruits and veggies are about more than just vitamins and minerals. They're also packed with fiber, which means they fill you up. And when you fill up on fruits and veggies, you're less likely to overeat when it comes to high-calorie foods like chips or cookies.
5. Don't skip breakfast. Breakfast kick-starts your metabolism, burning calories from the get-go and giving you energy to do more during the day. People who skip breakfast often feel so hungry that they eat more later on. So they get more calories than they would have if they ate breakfast. In fact, people who skip breakfast tend to have higher BMIs than people who eat breakfast.

Reference: The Nemours Foundation

Physical Activity for a Healthy Weight

Why is physical activity important?

Regular physical activity is important for good health, and it's especially important if you're trying to lose weight or to maintain a healthy weight.

• When losing weight, more physical activity increases the number of calories your body uses for energy or "burns off." The burning of calories through physical activity, combined with reducing the number of calories you eat, creates a "calorie deficit" that results in weight loss.
• Most weight loss occurs because of decreased caloric intake. However, evidence shows the only way to maintain weight loss is to be engaged in regular physical activity.
• Most importantly, physical activity reduces risks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes beyond that produced by weight reduction alone.

Physical activity also helps to–

• Maintain weight.
• Reduce high blood pressure.
• Reduce risk for type 2 diabetes, heart attack, stroke, and several forms of cancer.
• Reduce arthritis pain and associated disability.
• Reduce risk for osteoporosis and falls.
• Reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.

How much physical activity do I need?

When it comes to weight management, people vary greatly in how much physical activity they need. Here are some guidelines to follow:

To maintain your weight: Work your way up to 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or an equivalent mix of the two each week. Strong scientific evidence shows that physical activity can help you maintain your weight over time. However, the exact amount of physical activity needed to do this is not clear since it varies greatly from person to person. It's possible that you may need to do more than the equivalent of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week to maintain your weight.

To lose weight and keep it off: You will need a high amount of physical activity unless you also adjust your diet and reduce the amount of calories you're eating and drinking. Getting to and staying at a healthy weight requires both regular physical activity and a healthy eating plan.

Obesity: Strategies and Solutions

There is no single or simple solution to the childhood obesity epidemic, but learn what states, communities, and parents can do to help make the healthy choice the easy choice for children, adolescents, and their families.

For States and communities

• Assess their retail food environment to better understand the current landscape and differences in accessibility to healthier foods. 
• Provide incentives to existing supermarkets and farmers' markets to establish their businesses in low-income areas or to sell healthier foods.
• Expand programs that bring local fruits and vegetables to schools.
• Put salad bars in schools. 

• Pursue a “Spectrum of Opportunities” to help early care and education facilities in their jurisdictions support optimal nutrition, breastfeeding, physical activity and screen time standards and practices.

• Enroll elementary, middle, and high schools in USDA's Team Nutrition program and apply for certification through the HealthierUS School Challenge.
• Increase access to free drinking water and limit the sale of drinks with added sugars in schools by establishing school wellness and nutrition policies.
• Support breastfeeding in hospitals and the workplace.
• Create and maintain safe neighborhoods for physical activity and improve access to parks and playgrounds.
• Support quality daily physical education in schools and daily physical activity in child care facilities.

For Parents

• Follow the advice of the American Academy of Pediatrics and limit media time for kids to no more than 1 to 2 hours of quality programming per day whether at home, school or child care.
• Visit the child care centers to see if they serve healthier foods and drinks, and limit TV and video time.
• Work with schools to limit foods and drinks with added sugars, fat and salt that can be purchased outside the school lunch program.

• Provide plenty of fruits and vegetables, limit foods high in fat and sugars, and prepare healthier foods at family meals.
• Serve your family water instead of drinks with added sugars.
• Make sure your child gets physical activity each day.

Difference Between Overweight and Obesity

Overweight vs Obesity

Globally there are more than 1 billion adults who are overweight and at least 300 million of these people are suffering from obesity. There are major risks of being overweight and being obese. These are type 2-diabetes, hypertension tendencies and cardiovascular problems, stroke and many kinds of cancer. The main reasons for such high saturation of fats are serious eating disorder and consumption of high saturated fats, sugar and no work out. People who are above the normal weight are often called as overweight or suffering from obesity. However, there is a fine difference between being overweight and obesity.

An overweight person is one who weighs more than that is normal or needed to be fit. Overweight is actually when a person weighs much more than the weight that is considered as healthy according to one’s age and height. However, obesity is a term which is used when a person has a body weight due to the accumulation of fat in the body.

According to the medical dictionary, over heaviness is being overweight. Hence when a person makes his physical appearance more fat as compared to what is required for the normal fitness and health of the body we call him to be overweight. An overweight person has a body mass index (BMI) of 25.0 to 29.9. However, obesity is a state when excessive amount of body fat is stored in the body as compared to the mass. The body mass index of an obese person is 30.0 to 39.9. A person who has a BMI of 40.0 or above is considered as terribly obese. The Body Mass Index or BMI is a method that uses the height and weight to measure the amount of fat that is normal for a person to perform his daily activities. For calculating BMI, we divide the weight of the person in kg by height in meters squared. This is for inches and pounds.

When food supplies are plenty and lifestyle is moderate people plunge into every mouth watering food they like. The result is that around 64% of the adult population of United States is considered overweight. Hence, overweight is a factor that is now found in almost all age groups. Obese on the other hand quite near to being overweight. It is when a person possesses more fat than what is required for the normal functions of the organ. Our body needs fat for reproduction, hormonal, immune systems, energy for activities we perform on a daily basis. The excess fat that’s collected causes obesity.

Why Fast Food Is Bad For You?

Eating too much fast food is considered to be a leading cause of obesity, hypertension, and heart disease.

Fast food restaurants are popular because they serve tasty convenient foods for a reasonable price. Many people visit these restaurants frequently to eat their main meals. They don't realize that these type of food items are bad for health.

Here are some reasons why fast food is bad for your health.

Fast food contain more calories.

Majority of junk foods are loaded with calories. Large portion size and high fat content are the main reasons for the high energy content.

An average person need to consume about 400-600 calories in a mealtime. (If he takes 3 main meals and 2 snacks.) The calorie content of many items are far more than that level.

For example; KFC chicken pot pie have 790 calories. If you eat that and drink 300ml of Pepsi, which contain 170 calories, you will have a total of 960 calories.
A McDonald's Big Xtra Hamburger with cheese have 810 calories. A Burger King's Club Chicken Sandwich is loaded with700 calories.

Think that if you eat 220 more calories a day, you will gain one pound of extra fat in your body in two weeks time. That means, 24 pounds in one year. That is a lot of weight gain. So, don't visit those restaurants more than once a week.

Fast food contain more unhealthy fat.

Most of the convenient foods contain high levels of saturated fat. This type of fat is mostly derived from animal products such as meat, eggs and butter. Palm oil and coconut oil also contain significant amounts of saturated fat.

Eating too much saturated fat can increase bad cholesterol level in the blood. Elevated levels of cholesterol is the main cause of heart attack, stroke and peripheral vascular diseases.

Another type of fat presents in these food is called trans fat, which is the worst type of fat. We do not need to eat trans fat, even in tiny amounts.

Consumption of trans fat is linked to elevated levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the blood. In addition, it can lower the amount of good cholesterol (HDL) in you body.

Fast foods are high in sodium.

Sodium plays several important roles in our body. We need to consume certain amount of sodium everyday.

However, taking too much salt is bad for the body. It can cause high blood pressure, obesity, and osteoporosis. In addition, experts believed that over-consumption of salt is linked to increased risk of developing bowl cancer.

An average adult need to consume about 1200mg sodium per day. Many of the convenient foods contain far more than that amount.

For example; KFC double down sandwich contain 1880 mg of sodium. Similarly, McDonald's Angus bacon and cheese contain 2070 mg of sodium.

Imagine you eat one of these items for your one meal time. then what are you going to eat for the rest of the day?

Eating too much fast food is bad for your health because they contain more calories, more unhealthy fay, and more salt. They can lead to obesity, high blood pressure, and coronary heart diseases.

Reasons Why Obesity Is a Real Problem

Obesity is a growing health problem that affects many people including children of all ages. Obesity is bad for our health for many reasons.

Here are 10 main reasons why obesity is really bad.

1. Obesity is the number one cause of type 2 diabetes. The chances of getting diabetes increases more than tenfold if your body weight is higher than normal. Diabetes do all the bad things to your body. It can give many problems to your eyes, kidneys, and heart.


2. Excessive weight gain increases the risk of developing high blood pressure. It is estimated that over 25 per cent of hypertensive cases are due to increased body weight. Losing weight can help normalize your blood pressure. That is why many doctors advise people to do exercise if they have high blood pressure.


3. Obesity is bad for your heart. It increases the risk of ischemic heart diseases that include angina and heart attack. Abdominal obesity or belly fat is the worst problem that can affect health of your heart.


4. Being obese can be a cause of obstructive sleep apnea. It is a respiratory problem in which breathing is stopped intermittently during sleep. As a result, oxygen supply to the brain is cut off hundreds of time during sleep. It can cause many health problems such as bad memory, poor concentration and hypertension.


5. Overweight is associated with high levels of cholesterol in the blood. It increases the levels of triglycerides and bad cholesterol (LDL). In addition, fat people usually have low levels of good cholesterol (HDL). This pattern of cholesterol profile is a leading cause of atherosclerosis. That means narrowing of blood vessels that leads to heart attack.


6. Another reason why obesity is bad is, it can cause acid reflux. This condition is also known as gastro oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). In this condition, acid in the stomach is leaked backwards into the esophagus causing heart burn.


7. Gout is a medical problem that affects joints. It causes painful arthritis that can affect toes, ankles, and other joints. The reason for joint inflammation is deposition of uric acid crystals in the joint cavity. People with obesity have greater risk of getting gout.


8. The lifetime risk of cancer is high among obese people. They have more chance of getting breast, bowel and esophageal cancers.


9. Overweight can aggravate osteoarthritis which is a common joint problem due to wear and tear. Increased body weight puts more stress on joint surfaces causing damage.


10. Heart failure is one of the bad results of morbid obesity. Excess weight gain is an independent risk factor. That means, even if you are healthy otherwise, being fat places you at risk of developing congestive cardiac failure.

Obesity Facts You May Not Know About

Obesity is a worldwide health problem that has been increasing dramatically. Better understanding of body weight issues is important for a healthy life. Here are some facts about obesity that you may not know before.

• The incidence of obesity in the world has doubled in the past three decades.
• Obesity and overweight are the fifth leading cause of death worldwide.
• More than10 per cent of the world's population are obese.
• Two in three Americans are either overweight or obese.
• Obesity is a leading cause of diabetes, ischemic heart disease, and sleep apnea.
• About 45 per cent of the type 2 diabetes cases are due to excessive body weight.
• More than half of the obese people have obstructive sleep apnea, which can cause high blood pressure, heart disease, and road traffic accidents.
• Being overweight can increase the chance of getting certain types of cancer.
• Accumulation of extra fat in the belly region is more hazardous than fat in the buttocks and thighs. In other words, pear shape body is better than apple shape body. 
• Faulty eating habits is the number one cause of excess body fat.
• Fast foods play a major role in the development of overweight. Many people love junk food because they are convenient, tasty and cheap. However, these convenient foods have lots of calories.
• Over-consumption of sugar and other sweets is linked to too much weight gain in many cases.
• Soda and other calorie containing beverages such as energy drinks can make you to put on excess body weight.
• You may not know the fact that what we eat regularly is more important than occasional party foods.
• Eating an ice cream in a birthday party is less harmful than drinking a can of Pepsi everyday.
• Majority of people in the developed countries spend more money on meals purchased in fast food outlets.
• Soda is cheaper than bottled water in many supermarkets and vending machines.Soda can make you gain weight.
• One glass of beer contain approximately 80 calories. Drinking two glasses of beer daily can make you gain 20 pounds in a year.
• Lack of sleep is a well recognized cause of obesity. People who sleep for 8 hours a day have less chance of putting on weight than people who sleep for 6 hours a day.
• Too much stress in your life can make you gain excess weight.
• Less than half of the people in the US have adequate level of physical activity which is important to maintain a healthy weight.
• One in four Americans do not do any physical activities in their leisure times.
• Incidence of childhood obesity has tripled in the past three decades.
• More than 75 per cent of fat children will also be fat in their early adulthood.
• In general, academic performance of overweight children is less than that of normal weight children.
• Many overweight children are bullied by their peers at school. This may be the cause of learning difficulties among them.
• Children with extra body fat have more chance of getting problems in their joints.
• Fat kids usually have low self esteem.
• Kids need more than an hour of physical activity each day. Nowadays, many children are comfortable with television and computers. They spend long hours of time in front of the screen. They do not like outdoor play.
• Watching television for longer periods of time is a significant contributor of obesity in children.
• If both parents are obese, there is up to 80 per cent chance that their children become obese.

Are There Natural Ways to Lose Weight?

Who does not want to shed some pounds? But, it’s so difficult! It’s not rare to hear the question as to whether “something out there” could help with the weight loss. People want something “natural.” Often this means not using prescription pills or having surgery. Let me share with you the advice I share with those who come to see me.

First, if you are overweight or obese, you will have to make some changes. To lose fat weight, you have to eat fewer calories, or burn more calories, or both. And you have to sustain this over time, which is the hard part. No matter what else you do, you always have to return to this basic rule.

Weight loss can be supported in many ways. Appetite can be suppressed, more calories can be burned by stimulating metabolism, or digestion can be inhibited to decrease how many calories are absorbed by the body. All of these methods also can be combined.

So, what is out there to consider using? Well, there are many claims but much less science to support that any of these really do what they are “advertised” to do. You are your own experiment. Be careful in your choices because you do not want the risks of a supplement to outweigh any benefits. And, watch the cost! These can be expensive and hurt your personal finances.

Here are some of the products you may find in your quest for “natural” weight-loss treatments.

APPETITE SUPPRESSANTS
Anti-depressant medications that increase a substance called serotonin [ser-o-TONE-in] in the brain can sometimes cause weight loss. St. John’s Wort and 5-HTP work the same way. 5-HTP decreases carb (sugar and starch) intake, causes early fullness, and helps weight loss in the short term. The same holds true for St. John’s Wort. However, we only have people’s reports of the effectiveness of those two agents. There is no evidence of long-term benefit in managing obesity with those agents.

Hoodia grows in the Kalahari Desert. The San Bushmen eat Hoodia to keep hunger away during long hunts. The precise way that Hoodia works is not known, but like 5-HTP and St. John’s wort, it helps make you feel full sooner. Here’s what I tell my patients: if they walk as much as a San Bushman does when he is hunting, then Hoodia will probably help the weight-loss process!

THERMOGENIC (CALORIE -BURNING ) AGENTS
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could increase your metabolism [meh-TAB-o-liz-um] so you could burn more calories without having to be more physically active? That is what thermogenic agents are supposed to do. These are known as “fat-burning” agents. Have you heard of an “adrenaline [uh-DREN-uh-lin] rush”? This is what you get when you have to fight or run away. Adrenaline is a hormone and it gets your metabolism going. When you have an “adrenaline rush” your heart beats faster, you get shaky, you are more alert, and you release energy from your body stores. An “adrenaline rush” causes a thermogenic effect – it increases your body heat. Adrenaline is also called epinephrine [eh-pi-NEPHrin].
Norepinephrine [NOR-eh-pi-NEPH-rin], which is like epinephrine, decreases appetite.

Ephedrine [eh-FEH-drin] is a thermogenic agent. It is often combined with caffeine. Ephedrine decreases the breakdown of norepinephrine at the nerve endings. Neither ephedrine nor caffeine alone does much to help weight loss. However, when combined, ephedrine and caffeine do cause weight loss.

Ephedra [eh-FEH-druh], also known as ma huang [ma hwong], was often used in the past to help people with weight loss. The ephedra plant naturally contains ephedrine, pseudoephedrine [soo-doh-eh-FEH-drin], and phenylpropanolamine [fen-ul-pro-puh-NA-lameen], which are sold as medications. Ephedra is no longer a good option. In 2004, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned ephedra products because they were linked with serious or fatal side effects. Unfortunately, ephedra products are still around in the black market.

With ephedra gone, bitter orange is now popular. Bitter orange contains 1% to 6% synephrine [sih-NEF-reen]. Synephrine may cause weight loss because it is similar in its effects to ephedra. This means that bitter orange has the same potential for harm as ephedra. In fact, bitter orange supplements have been linked to stroke and heart damage, cardiac arrest, loss of consciousness, chest pain, and death.

Thermogenic products have chemicals that may seriously affect your health. If you have hypertension or known heart disease, stay away from them. Otherwise, make sure you are under the care of a doctor who may monitor your blood pressure and heart health.

One last word on thermogenic agents: caffeine sources include not just coffee, but also guarana [gwa-ra- NAH], cola nut, maté, and tea extract. Claims that these natural products cause significant weight loss are untrue. The very best way of increasing fat burning (thermogenesis) is to become more physically active on a regular basis.

DIGESTION INHIBITORS
Foods that contain fiber stretch the stomach and get digestion started. This causes fullness and may also cause the gut to absorb less of food. Psyllium [SILL-i-um] seeds, barley, and guar gum are some examples of natural products tried for weight loss. High-fiber foods decrease fat being absorbed by binding fats within he gut. Upping fiber intake lowers serum cholesterol [ko-LESS-tuh-roll] and triglyceride [try-GLIS-er-ide] levels. The effects on weight loss, however, vary.

The flip side of digestion inhibitors is that they may keep your prescription medications from being properly absorbed. If you use digestion inhibitors, be sure to take your medications one hour before or two hours after taking the high-fiber product.

OTHER AGENTS THAT MAY AID WEIGHT LOSS
There are several other natural products that are marketed for weight loss. These include:

• Glucomannan [gloo-ko-MAN-nen], which is extracted from the konjac [KOHN-yak] plant.
• Guggul [GOO-gul], which produces a gummy resin that is used in supplements.
• Inulin, which is a sugar that comes from chicory.
• Conjugated linoleic [lin-oh-LAY-ik] acid, which is found mainly in dairy products and beef.
• Calcium in foods, because adults and children with low calcium intake are more likely to gain weight, have a higher body mass index (BMI), and be overweight or obese, compared with people with higher calcium intake.
• 7-keto-DHEA, which comes from the hormone DHEA and may boost basal metabolism and thermogenesis. As opposed to DHEA, 7-keto-DHEA is not converted to sex hormones, so it may be safer in this form.
• Garcinia [gar-SIN-ee-uh] fruit and rind extracts, which contain up to 50% hydroxycitric [hy-drox-ee-SIH-trik] acid.
• Chromium, which is an element found in nature that people use for high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity.
• Pyruvate [pie-ROO-vate], which taken in large amounts (22-44 grams) instead of carbs, may cause weight loss. The problem here is that pyruvate causes significant side effects in the gut, including diarrhea, bloating, and flatulence.
• “African mango” or “bush mango,” which is a tree from Africa that produces a mango-like fruit. The seeds have high fiber content and function as a bulk-forming laxative.

MAKE IT COUNT!
When it comes to supplements, there is a lot of marketing, but little science. Here is the most natural way of losing weight that I know of, and what I tell my patients to do. There is actual science behind these recommendations. Counting is the key and these tips are brought to you courtesy of the numbers “2” and “10.”

• “2”: Every hour on the hour during the waking hours of the day, get up and walk away for a minute. Then walk right back to what you were doing. These two minute walks add up to a 30-minute walk at the end of the day. When you are home at night, turn the TV on. At the beginning of every commercial break get up, and go up and down two flights of stairs. If you have the TV on two hours every night, then every night you will climb a 40-story tall building!
• “10”: Aim for 10 servings of fresh fruits or vegetables every day. One serving is the size of a measuring cup. Eat two servings with breakfast, lunch, and supper. And eat one serving mid-morning, mid-afternoon and in the evening. You choose when to have the last serving. Increasing the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables in the meal plan does indeed help you lose weight! Just make sure these are fruits that have high fiber such as berries, apples, or cantaloupe, and if you have diabetes or prediabetes, check with your doctor to see what fruits and vegetables to avoid.

These recommendations help establish the building blocks to good health, which are healthy eating and physical activity.

Potential Complications Of Obesity

Who would not like to look thin? Going to a wedding or reunion? Want to get into those jeans that fit so well just a few years ago? We cannot escape the changes that happen to our body over the years. But being overweight has consequences beyond how we look or how we might not fit into old clothes. Obesity is a disease because it can shorten your life and because it causes complications. Obesity causes problems with your body, your metabolism, and your mental health. Let’s discuss some of the problems caused by obesity.
People with higher weights have shorter lifespans. If a person is obese at the age of 40, life will be shortened by 7 years. This shorter life expectancy is from weight-associated effects alone. Obesity also causes many life-shortening conditions:

• Ninety percent of people who develop type 2 diabetes will have a body mass index (BMI) greater than 23.
• The risk of getting type 2 diabetes is highest if the weight is gained during childhood and there is a family history of diabetes, abdominal obesity, or mother having had gestational diabetes.
• If you have obesity, the chance of developing high blood pressure is up to five times greater compared to someone with a normal weight.
• Eighty-five percent of those diagnosed with high blood pressure have a BMI above 25.
• Increasing cholesterol levels are associated with weight increases above a BMI of as little as 21.

High cholesterol, elevated blood pressure and the presence of diabetes in turn lead to increased heart disease.

• In a study with over 300,000 people followed-up over 7 years, every unit increase in BMI led to a 9% increased risk for heart attack.
• In the same study there was an 8% increased risk of stroke.
• In women with obesity plus high blood pressure, 70% will develop an enlarged heart and 14% will get heart failure.

Breathing capacity can be affected by having obesity.

• Sleep apnea (halted breathing during sleep) is much more common in those who have obesity.
• Asthma is more common as BMI goes up.
• Collapse of lung tissues and more lung infections are more common after anesthesia for surgery in patients with obesity.

In joints that carry excessive weight, such as the hips and knees, arthritis tends to be a problem. There is also evidence that other joints, like the ones in the hands, might also be more involved. And gout is also more common.
Not as well known is that many cancers are more common in patients with obesity.

• The World Health Organization International Agency for Research into Cancer has estimated that being overweight (and also sedentary) might account for up to 25-30% of cancers of the breast, colon, uterus, kidney and esophagus.
• About 10% of all cancer deaths that are not from smoking are related to obesity.
• In women who have obesity there are more thyroid cancers, leukemias, multiple myeloma, and pancreatic cancers.
• In men who have obesity there are more thyroid cancers, malignant melanomas, multiple myelomas, gallbladder cancers, and leukemias.

Even fertility is decreased by obesity.

• In women, 6% of those who are obese have trouble conceiving.
• When a pregnancy occurs, the chance of a serious event requiring hospitalization is 4-7 times greater for a woman with obesity compared to a woman who is lean.
• Gestational diabetes, difficulty with blood pressure control (pre-eclampsia), difficulties while in labor and delivery, higher c-section rates, and more deaths of the mother and/or fetus, are all associated with obesity.
• Children born to mothers who have obesity are more likely to be large. Large birth weight increases the risk of infants developing diabetes in later life.
• Men are also affected by obesity. Obesity causes erectile dysfunction (impotence) and lower fertility. Many men have low testosterone (male hormone) because they have excess abdominal fat.

Gallbladder disease is more likely in obesity.

• Compared with women who are lean, women with a BMI of over 32 have three times the risk of gallstones.
• In women with a BMI over 45, this risk is seven times higher.
• Changes in the liver that resemble alcoholic liver disease (known as fatty liver) can be seen with obesity. In 50% of patients, these changes will lead to fibrosis of the liver. In 30% cirrhosis will develop, and 3% will go on to develop liver failure.

Being obese also can affect kidney function. The kidney cannot filter well in people with chronic obesity. So kidney function is decreased by having excess weight alone.

Finally, the effect of obesity on emotional well-being is important to understand. In most societies, people with obesity are viewed as less desirable marriage partners, less likely to be promoted in their jobs, and tend to earn less than their more ideal-weight peers. Obesity can cost more, for example, many airlines now charge for two seats for a person with obesity. It is not surprising that obesity increases the risk of major depression. In turn, depression can lead to binge eating disorder and night eating disorder. Depression causes a vicious cycle leading to more weight gain.

All Causes Of Obesity

Lack of Energy Balance

A lack of energy balance most often causes overweight and obesity. Energy balance means that your energy IN equals your energy OUT.

Energy IN is the amount of energy or calories you get from food and drinks. Energy OUT is the amount of energy your body uses for things like breathing, digesting, and being physically active.

To maintain a healthy weight, your energy IN and OUT don't have to balance exactly every day. It's the balance over time that helps you maintain a healthy weight.

• The same amount of energy IN and energy OUT over time = weight stays the same
• More energy IN than energy OUT over time = weight gain
• More energy OUT than energy IN over time = weight loss

Overweight and obesity happen over time when you take in more calories than you use.

Other Causes

An Inactive Lifestyle

Many Americans aren't very physically active. One reason for this is that many people spend hours in front of TVs and computers doing work, schoolwork, and leisure activities. In fact, more than 2 hours a day of regular TV viewing time has been linked to overweight and obesity.

Other reasons for not being active include: relying on cars instead of walking, fewer physical demands at work or at home because of modern technology and conveniences, and lack of physical education classes in schools.

People who are inactive are more likely to gain weight because they don't burn the calories that they take in from food and drinks. An inactive lifestyle also raises your risk for coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, colon cancer, and other health problems.

Environment

Our environment doesn't support healthy lifestyle habits; in fact, it encourages obesity. Some reasons include:

• Lack of neighborhood sidewalks and safe places for recreation. Not having area parks, trails, sidewalks, and affordable gyms makes it hard for people to be physically active.
• Work schedules. People often say that they don't have time to be physically active because of long work hours and time spent commuting.
• Oversized food portions. Americans are exposed to huge food portions in restaurants, fast food places, gas stations, movie theaters, supermarkets, and even at home. Some of these meals and snacks can feed two or more people. Eating large portions means too much energy IN. Over time, this will cause weight gain if it isn't balanced with physical activity.
• Lack of access to healthy foods. Some people don't live in neighborhoods that have supermarkets that sell healthy foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Or, for some people, these healthy foods are too costly.
• Food advertising. Americans are surrounded by ads from food companies. Often children are the targets of advertising for high-calorie, high-fat snacks and sugary drinks. The goal of these ads is to sway people to buy these high-calorie foods, and often they do.

Genes and Family History

Studies of identical twins who have been raised apart show that genes have a strong influence on a person's weight. Overweight and obesity tend to run in families. Your chances of being overweight are greater if one or both of your parents are overweight or obese.

Your genes also may affect the amount of fat you store in your body and where on your body you carry the extra fat. Because families also share food and physical activity habits, a link exists between genes and the environment.

Children adopt the habits of their parents. A child who has overweight parents who eat high-calorie foods and are inactive will likely become overweight too. However, if the family adopts healthy food and physical activity habits, the child's chance of being overweight or obese is reduced.

Health Conditions

Some hormone problems may cause overweight and obesity, such as underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), Cushing's syndrome, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

Underactive thyroid is a condition in which the thyroid gland doesn't make enough thyroid hormone. Lack of thyroid hormone will slow down your metabolism and cause weight gain. You'll also feel tired and weak.

Cushing's syndrome is a condition in which the body's adrenal glands make too much of the hormone cortisol. Cushing's syndrome also can develop if a person takes high doses of certain medicines, such as prednisone, for long periods.

People who have Cushing's syndrome gain weight, have upper-body obesity, a rounded face, fat around the neck, and thin arms and legs.

PCOS is a condition that affects about 5–10 percent of women of childbearing age. Women who have PCOS often are obese, have excess hair growth, and have reproductive problems and other health issues. These problems are caused by high levels of hormones called androgens.

Medicines

Certain medicines may cause you to gain weight. These medicines include some corticosteroids, antidepressants, and seizure medicines.

These medicines can slow the rate at which your body burns calories, increase your appetite, or cause your body to hold on to extra water. All of these factors can lead to weight gain.

Emotional Factors

Some people eat more than usual when they're bored, angry, or stressed. Over time, overeating will lead to weight gain and may cause overweight or obesity.

Smoking

Some people gain weight when they stop smoking. One reason is that food often tastes and smells better after quitting smoking.

Another reason is because nicotine raises the rate at which your body burns calories, so you burn fewer calories when you stop smoking. However, smoking is a serious health risk, and quitting is more important than possible weight gain.

Age

As you get older, you tend to lose muscle, especially if you're less active. Muscle loss can slow down the rate at which your body burns calories. If you don't reduce your calorie intake as you get older, you may gain weight.

Midlife weight gain in women is mainly due to aging and lifestyle, but menopause also plays a role. Many women gain about 5 pounds during menopause and have more fat around the waist than they did before.

Pregnancy

During pregnancy, women gain weight to support their babies’ growth and development. After giving birth, some women find it hard to lose the weight. This may lead to overweight or obesity, especially after a few pregnancies.

Lack of Sleep

Research shows that lack of sleep increases the risk of obesity. For example, one study of teenagers showed that with each hour of sleep lost, the odds of becoming obese went up. Lack of sleep increases the risk of obesity in other age groups as well.

People who sleep fewer hours also seem to prefer eating foods that are higher in calories and carbohydrates, which can lead to overeating, weight gain, and obesity.

Sleep helps maintain a healthy balance of the hormones that make you feel hungry (ghrelin) or full (leptin). When you don't get enough sleep, your level of ghrelin goes up and your level of leptin goes down. This makes you feel hungrier than when you're well-rested.

Sleep also affects how your body reacts to insulin, the hormone that controls your blood glucose (sugar) level. Lack of sleep results in a higher than normal blood sugar level, which may increase your risk for diabetes.

How Protein Helps Weight Loss

A recent study from Sydney found that a low protein diet meant that subjects consumed more calories, which could lead to weight gain in the long term.

 Reasons ranged from protein snacks being healthier snacking alternatives, to appetite control - since most recommended protein snacks are dense and nutritious foods when compared to commonly consumed carbs and fats. Today we’re taking this study further, and delving deeper into the world of protein intake and how protein affects weight loss. 

Can Surgery Help You Lose That Fat

Weight management has gained significance in the present day scenario with increasing affluence, abundance of convenience foods and lack of physical activity  Morbid obesity is typically defined as being 100 pounds or more over ideal body weight or having a Body Mass Index of 40 or higher. With weight gain comes the requirement to cut the fat out, and one such medically suggested treatment for treating obesity is bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery is emerging as the modality of choice to assist the morbidly obese in developing healthy lifestyles. However, bariatric surgery is not without its myths. Today, with expert inputs from Dr. Deep Goel, Gastroenterologist at BLK Super Specialty Hospital, let's take a look at how exactly bariatric surgery can help an obese person lose weight...

Top 5 myths of bariatric surgery

• Bariatric surgery is reversible. Except for the adjustable gastric band, none of the features of bariatric surgery are reversible.
• You will never be hungry again, the way you used to be before undergoing bariatric surgery.  This is not true. However, after bariatric surgery the patient will feel full after small meals. We advise you that majority of your meals should constitute protein as this keeps you full for longer and prevents mindless snacking. 
• You can’t get pregnant after bariatric surgery. This is a complete myth. Infact, it is observed that fertility generally tends to increase after weight loss surgery. However, we advise patients to use contraceptive devices for the initial year.
• Bariatric surgery is very risky and should be avoided as much as possible. With the emergence of advance equipments, bariatric surgery has become quite safe. However, one has to keep in mind the usual complications related to any other surgery like, leak, injury to surrounding structure, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.
• Bariatric surgery involves a large incision and big scar. With advancements in technology, it is now done by minimal invasive techniques with few small holes in the stomach. It is safe and highly recommended for severely obese patients. 
• Bariatric surgery has no real benefit except for looking better. After bariatric surgery, obesity related medical conditions like diabetes, blood pressure, sleep apnea, joint pain, angina and infertility, PCOD, etc improve significantly. Looking better is just as added perk. However, it is important to note that weight control is an on-going maintenance and requires a healthy lifestyle above everything else. 

Do’s and don’ts after bariatric surgery
 

• Your progress rate should be from fluids to pureed foods and then to soft foods, slowly marching your way to the regular foods. 
• Do not drink liquids with meals. Drink fluids before and after one hour to meal.
• Eat 4‐6 tiny, protein‐focused meals per day at regular intervals.
• Stop eating when feeling full or if you feel any discomfort. Always cut food into small pieces and chew food properly to prevent blockage. Set aside 30 to 45 minutes for each meal and try and savor your food.
• Concentrate on eating protein rich foods such as fish and seafood, paneer, eggs, and poultry. At mealtimes, eat protein foods first before any other food.
• Avoid very sweet food, candy, chocolate, and high‐sugar beverages to prevent the unpleasant effects of the dumping syndrome. 
• Sip liquids slowly, drinking at least 2 liters per day to avoid dehydration. Avoid alcohol intake for at least six months after surgery, as it is high in calories and may cause an ulcer. Also the effects of a hangover may be felt much more quickly. Eliminate caffeine, and aerated beverages from your diet for 6 months. Consume beverages such as coconut water, apple juice, herbal tea, clear veg broth, chicken broth etc.
• Take a multivitamin supplement with iron, B12 vitamin and calcium on a daily basis. 

Kids Obesity Facts

Almost one in two of our kids are either obese or overweight.

• The number of obese kids and teenagers has tripled or quadrupled in the past four decades.

• African-American and Mexican-American kids are at even higher danger.

How do I know if my kid is obese?

Weight is only one of many personal features that identify kids from one another. Parents naturally want their kid to be as perfect as possible, but interpreting “perfect” can be a challenge especially when it comes to bodily proportions and shape. Both are affected by genes, environment, exercising, and nutrition. Society’s focus on slimness disregards the reality that kids develop at different rates and have different system components, sizes, and shapes from their siblings and friends.

It is unlikely that an individual kid is at danger for Obesity without the whole close relatives being at danger as well. Both genes and environment contribute to obese and are shared by the whole close relatives. Family member’s lifestyle questions (at left) can help you evaluate your loved one’s danger.

Obese kids do face additional significances for mental and actual wellness. Yet it is very important that bodyweight and food do not become an ug-of-war between mother or father and kid.

As a mother or father you can Obese kid’s development using special maps that are available on the Internet (see resource list, page 4) and in many medical care configurations (physician/pediatrician’s offices, WIC treatment centers, public wellness departments). Children develop in bursts, but the general goal is to have the kid’s development form a curve over time.

Three new studies link between sugary drinks and obesity

Three studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) provide compelling new evidence linking sugar-sweetened sodas and other beverages to obesity.

The studies, two of which were clinical trials involving children and teens, add support to recent efforts to reduce Americans’ consumption of sugary beverages, including New York City’s recently adopted ban on the sale of large sizes of such drinks.

Americans drink an astounding amount of sugary beverages, such as sodas, fruit-flavored drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks and highly sweetened coffees and teas. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half of Americans drink a sugar-sweetened beverage on any given day, and 25 percent down more than 12 ounces of them daily.

Study (1)

One of the new NEJM studies, led by researchers at VU University in the Netherlands, involved 641 mostly normal-weight schoolchildren, aged 4 through 11 years, who reported drinking sugar-sweetened beverages regularly. Half of the children were randomly assigned to receive a non-carbonated sugar-sweetened beverage with their school lunch. The other half received an artificially sweetened beverage.

After 18 months, the children drinking the sugary beverages had gained, on average, significantly more weight than those drinking the artificially sweetened ones: 16 pounds 3 ounces versus 14 pounds 1 ounce.

The study has its limitations. Most notably, about a quarter of the students dropped out of the study before it ended (although while they were in the study, their weight paralleled that of those who saw the study through). In addition, all the students were healthy and white. The researchers say it’s unclear if the study’s results would be similar in other ethnic groups, in obese children, or in adults.

The researchers conclude their study by pointing out that U.S. children take in, on average, almost three times as many calories from sugar-sweetened beverages as the amount provided to the Dutch children in the clinical trial.

"We speculate that decreased consumption of such beverages might reduce the high prevalence of overweight in [U.S.] children," they write.

Study (2)

A second study, led by researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital, involved 224 overweight and obese ninth- and tenth-graders (the mean age was 15). At the start of the study, all the teens said they drank at least 12 ounces of sugary beverages daily. The researchers divided the students into an experimental and a control group. The experimental group received a one-year intervention program designed to get them to drink less sugar-sweetened drinks. The program included home deliveries of bottled water and non-sugary drinks (most sugar-sweetened beverages are consumed in the home), monthly 30-minute motivational telephone calls with the parents, and three 20-minute check-in visits with the teens.

The control group received two $50 supermarket gift cards to encourage them to stay in the study, but they received no instruction on what to buy with the card.

At the end of the year, the teens in the intervention group had gained, on average, only half as much as those in the control group: 1 pound 7 ounces versus 3 pounds 5 ounces.

Although the intervention part of the study ended after one year, all the teens were followed for another year. At that point, no difference in weight gain was observed between the two groups. The authors do not know why the differences disappeared, although one possible explanation is that the teens in the experimental group returned to their old beverage habits.

The major limitation of this study was the small number of students involved.

Study (3)

For a third study, Harvard University researchers used genetic and dietary data from 33,000 adults who were participating in three ongoing long-term health studies. Each participant was given a genetic-predisposition-to-obesity score based on how many of the 32 gene variants associated with obesity he or she had. (Although each of us has some genetic risk of becoming obese, research suggests that the more of these 32 gene variants we have, the greater our individual risk.)

Using self-reported dietary information, the researchers then divided the participants into four groups based on how much sugar-sweetened beverages they consumed: less than one serving per month, one to four servings per month, two to six servings per week, and one or more servings per day.

After crunching the resulting data, the researchers found that the risk of becoming obese among the participants with the highest number of obesity-related gene variants was more than twice as great in those who drank the most sugary beverages compared to those who drank the least.

“Taken together, these three studies suggest that calories from sugar-sweetened beverages do matter,” writes Yale University pediatric endocrinologist and obesity expertDr. Sonia Caprio in an NEJM editorial that accompanies the three studies. “Furthermore, policy decisions about sugar-sweetened beverages should not be considered in isolation. Other strategies to achieve and maintain normal weight, including increasing physical activity, will be important to stem the obesity epidemic and its effects. The time has come to take action and strongly support and implement the recommendations from the Institute of Medicine, the American Heart Association, the Obesity Society, and many other organizations to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages in both children and adults.”