How to treat obesity

After researching what causes obesity and how it affects our physical and mental health, I am concluding my blog for now, with ways to treat obesity. As stated in my previous blog posts, in order to maintain or lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you consume. Another article I found on a government website from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, contained some very helpful ways to reverse or treat obesity.

Of course we all hear that in order to lose weight we need to watch what we eat and remain physically active, but it is so much more detailed than just that. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, obese patients should "try to lose 5 to 10 percent of your current weight over 6 months". Obese patients should "set realistic weight-loss goals. . .".  By starting off slow, weight loss won't seem so overwhelming. Losing "1-2 pounds a week" is ideal because it is possible and will "help keep off the weight"

 

Losing weight and being healthy isn't just a one time thing. It's something a person has to commit to, long term. Start learning about food and how to determine if it is considered healthy or not. Make sure you are not consuming more calories than you are burning or using. Stick to your goals and plans even after you have lost weight so that you are sure to keep off the weight. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute also states that very low calorie diets, shouldn't be done. It is very important to include different food groups into your meals daily to ensure you are properly nourished. We should also "limit" fast food, processed food and sugary foods which can contain very high calories. Another factor into losing weight is "portion control". Having smaller portions is healthier because it means less calories, but you are still getting the proper nutrition. Another tip from the NHLBI, is to eat more foods that contain water. These foods include fruit, vegetables and soups.

 

I found a video on Youtube about how the body absorbs different nutrients from Dr. Travis, a doctor on a show called The Dr's. This show is about health related issues and ways to stay healthy,

 

I also wanted to include a video about why water is so important to the body and how it plays into weight loss and overall health. This video was made by Registered Dietician, Lynn Goldstein. 

                                        

Now we've got the nutrition part down, next is the physical activity part. Exercise is very important for our well-being. We all know exercise helps us to lose weight because we burn calories while being active. Exercise also helps strengthen our muscles. Also stated in a previous blog post, muscle helps burn calories faster. Aside from our muscles in our arms, legs or abs, exercise strengthens our heart muscle. :

       "The four main types of physical activity are aerobic, muscle-strengthening, bone strengthening, and stretching. You can do physical activity with light, moderate, or vigorous intensity. The level of intensity depends on how hard you have to work to do the activity." (NHLBI)

As you lose weight, your body won't have to work as hard while participating in physical activity.

 

If you have followed these guidelines religiously, and still haven't lost weight, The NHLBI suggests FDA approved "weight-loss medications. These medications are only approved for patients with a BMI of 30 or higher.

To answer my initial question of "Is obesity a disease, or self inflicted?", I am satisfied with the answers I got.  I have come to the conclusion that it is a combination of both. Depending on the person, they may have made themselves that way by being unhealthy and not getting enough physical activity, or they may suffer from an illness that causes weight gain such as poly cystic ovarian syndrome or a thyroid problem. Unless we know that person, we have absolutely no way of knowing their background when it comes to obesity. It is common for people to judge at first glance, but I hope for the people that did read my blog, they think twice before making rude assumptions about people suffering from obesity.

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Fat healthy and skinny healthy

It isn't a secret that obesity can cause other serious health issues. Being obese  can increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes and maybe even early death? After finding two articles on Google, "You Can Be Fit and Fat- or Thin and Unhealthy?" published in Time Magazine, and another called "Metabolism and weight loss" published to The Mayo Clinic, I found very interesting facts about how being obese doesn't always mean you are not "physically fit", and that a "slow metabolism" isn't always to blame for having a hard time losing weight.

 

According to Time Magazine, based on a research study done by European Heart Journal, Overweight or obese people weren't necessarily more susceptible to the diseases associated with obesity. In fact, Time Magazine states that as long as an obese person is "metabolically fit" they were considered "healthy". :

      "The researchers categorized obese participants as “metabolically healthy” if, aside from their weight, they didn’t suffer from insulin resistance, diabetes, low levels of good cholesterol, high triglycerides and high blood pressure. Nearly half of the obese participants in the study qualified as metabolically fit."

Another study about obesity and "body fat" done by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Survey showed that health issues have a lot to do with "where body fat is distributed". If a person carries more fat in their abdomen, they are more likely to develop "insulin resistance and inflammation".

This also goes for thin people. Time also states that Dr. Timothy Church, director of the Laboratory of Preventive Medicine at Pennington Biomedical Research Center "normal weight" individuals who practice healthy eating habits but do not get much physical activity, are less healthy than some obese people. This is because although they may have the eating part down, your body needs "30 minutes" of exercise to stay physically healthy and that you need "2-5 hours of moderate intensity aerobic exercise a week".

 

So although society labels obese people healthy, they may in fact be more fit than they appear, just as a thinner person might not be physically healthy.

 

In my second article written by The Mayo Clinic, metabolism is how our body "converts" the food we consume, into energy for our body to perform the necessary functions "such as breathing". Even if we aren't participating in physical activities, our bodies are constantly working. Mayo Clinic also states that the speed of our metabolism is unique to each individual. Our bodies are so complex and determine the rate our metabolism should be.

My sources were very informative to me and did answer my question on how thin and obese people can be either unhealthy or healthy when it comes to the physicality aspect. I also learned that a "slow metabolism" isn't always to blame for being obese. Our bodies and functions are tailored to function. A question I have is, How does an obese person start their journey of weight loss and physical fitness? How long does it take?  Is it possible for every person suffering from obesity to become healthy and average weight?

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Work Cited

Nichols, M., N. Townsend, P. Scarborough, and M. Rayner. "Cardiovascular Disease in Europe 2014: Epidemiological Update." European Heart Journal 35.42 (2014): 2950-959. Web.

 

Determination.

Obesity and the emotional effects.

healthproper.com

How often is it that we find ourselves turning to comfort foods such as brownies, potato chips or our favorite fast food joint when we are highly stressed? After doing some searching in Google Scholar, I found very interesting information.  According to the American Psychological Association, obesity is frequently accompanied by depression. "Depression can both cause and result in stress". When they [obese patients] become stressed, or any person for that matter, we tend to overeat and turn to food to deal with our emotions. Another important point the APA brings up, is that "[Feelings of sadness, anxiety or stress often lead people to eat more than usual". It is a repeating cycle; Being obese=stress which leads to more eating, which contributes to the existing obesity issue. But add a certain medication, a metabolic health problem or some bad genetics, and you have an even bigger problem. The APA also states that "the causes of obesity are rarely limited to genetic factors and prolonged eating . . .". People who aren't obese fail to see other potential existing problems that factor into obesity like medications or physical illness. According to the MentalHelp website,  ["Consequences of being overweight or obese include lowered self-esteem and anxiety,. . . depression and eating disorders such as binge eating . . .".  MentalHelp also states that not everyone who indulges in food is overweight. Food is associated with almost all emotions. Happiness, sadness and as stated, stress. Why is it okay for a "thin" person to indulge, but it's not okay for a heavier person to? Why are people and doctors more concerned with the issues of overweight people rather that people who aren't overweight, but also aren't in the best health?

wikimedia.org

Society and its ignorance towards obesity has affected the body image of people ranging from being average size to being obese. I myself have struggled with body image, so who better to ask then yourself when you want to get some insight on how it feels to have a body image issue. Although I haven't been obese, I have struggled with my weight and appearance. It doesn't feel so great when we live in a world where we are expected to have the perfect body, and when we don't, we are seen as lazy and unhealthy. I myself would be embarrassed to eat in public because of fear of judgement.  All these negative emotions would cause me a great deal of stress which made for a roller coaster of different weights.

It is clear to me that after researching my sources, both the American Psychological Association and the MentalHealth website believe that stress plays a major role in obese people. Not only does the stress cause us to eat more, it also can cause a negative impact on the speed of our metabolism and how our bodies store more fat rather than rid it.

I would like to know more about how obese people can sometimes be considered healthy and a thin person with minimal body fat can be unhealthy. What about a person struggling with obesity, actually makes them unhealthy? What about a thin person makes them healthy?

onlyhealthynews.com

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What are the causes of obesity?

Many people think if they see an obese person, they became that way from overeating or being lazy. What they don't know is that aside from the fact of poor nutrition and lack of physical activity, many other health issues can also cause a person to be obese. I thought I should start my research by finding out what are the actual causes of obesity. What factors play into becoming overweight or obese and why? I found two sources from The National Heart, Lung and Blood institute and The Mayo Clinic, with what I thought had very informative and credible information.

Source #1

My first source came from The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute website. Although this article was published 4 years ago, July 13, 2012, it weighed in on many health factors that are still present and becoming more common today. The first cause listed was having a "lack of energy balance". This means that the energy you're taking in is from food and drink. The energy you're "putting out is the energy your body uses to breathe, digest and for physical activity". If you take in more energy than you're putting out, you will become overweight or obese because you aren't burning enough of the calories you're taking in. In order to maintain a healthy weight, you need to put out the same amount of energy you are bringing in. The next cause I found was having an "inactive lifestyle". Americans are becoming less physically active. "Relying on vehicles for transportation rather than walking, spending too much time in front of the TV or computer, having a job where physical activity is minimal, or the lack of physical education in schools are all examples of inactive lifestyles people develop". Inactive people are more likely to gain weight because they are consuming more calories than they burn in a day. Environment is another factor in obesity. If people are living in apartments, places away from parks or in general, somewhere where it is hard to find a place to participate in physical activities, they are less likely to be active. Not everyone can afford a gym membership or healthier foods, causing them to make poorer choices. Food ads also contribute to obesity targeting children with high calorie snacks. One cause that surprised me was obesity linked to genes. Although I was aware that genes have a lot to do with the health and makeup of a person, I didn't know genes can affect "the amount of fat the body stores". A child comes from an obese family is more likely to become obese themselves especially if they follow their parents unhealthy eating habits, or if it is in their genetic makeup. The next cause I found was due to health conditions. Under active thyroids, crushing syndrome (a condition when the body produces too much hormone cortisol) and poly cystic ovarian syndrome all affect the body's weight. They can slow down metabolism making it harder to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. Medications such as antidepressants and seizure medications can also slow metabolism and can cause an increase in appetite. Emotional factors and smoking cause weight gain as well, overtime. Some people tend to overeat when feeling angry, sad or bored. When people stop smoking, food tends to taste better so they eat more. This article leaves readers with a message of not all obese people are unhealthy eaters. It brings light to other serious health conditions that don't allow a person to burn calories as fast as someone who is free of health ailments. I see this article as very credible because not only does it have several causes of obesity, it goes into detail and explains the "how?".

After reading this article, I found that there are several causes to obesity but they all mostly come down to not burning the same or more calories that the body is taking in. Some factors are in control by the person, like physical activity or healthy choices, but others such as medical conditions, medications and even genes which cannot be controlled. The causes that can't be controlled can be fixed by more activity and lower calorie, smaller proportioned meals or experimenting with different medications if applicable.

   

Source #2

My second source was an article from The Mayo clinic staff. This article provided me with similar information but was more condensed and very brief. The main focus was obesity being caused by inactivity and unhealthy diet, stating that people are eating more calories than they burn, and are taking in very high calorie foods from fast food places. This article was short and straight to the point.

This article is credible, but i don't believe it provided readers with enough information. There was nothing about health issues, medications or even genes. Although this article didn't provide me with the same contributions as the first source, it will help me with the body image part of my blog and the question of "why do people blame obesity on diet and exercise only?".

Both sources provided me with the same information of health, eating habits and calorie intake and output, but raises several questions for me. Why do people solely blame obesity on poor diet and inactivity? Why did The Mayo Clinic focus only on one cause of obesity; bad eating and exercise habits? How do obese people that have medical conditions, causing them to be overweight, feel about themselves being seen as unhealthy and lazy? Can a person stop obesity from continuing on to future generations if they choose a healthier lifestyle even though genes affect things such as body fat storage? Do Obese parents feel responsible for their children becoming overweight?

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Why obesity and body image intrigues me.

Many men, women and even children are currently struggling with obesity. For some people, obesity leads to body image issues such as not feeling comfortable in their own body and feeling that they need to look a certain way in order to be accepted. I myself have had issues with struggling with weight, accepting that I am normal and getting the thought out of my head that you do not need to look a certain way to be healthy. One question that interests me is, is obesity a disease, or is it self inflicted? I would like to learn more about obesity and body image because I really want to understand how a person becomes obese, and how it affects their own body image. Is it caused by a health issue? Is it caused by unhealthy food choices? Do they exercise? Is it something that happens due to mental illness? Could it be from lack of self control? Maybe all the above, but I plan to research in medical journals, health related articles, psychological readings and maybe even forums or blogs from people that have, or still are dealing with obesity. How do their friends or family feel? Are they embarrassed, or do they feel they are to blame? I want to find out what really goes on in the mind of a person struggling with weight and body image issues.
                                   

With the growing number of fast food chains and promotion of sugary snacks, people are giving in to the temptations of fast and sometimes tasty foods. It's easier to pick up a few cheeseburgers or make a frozen pizza for dinner. A parent working a full time job has so many responsibilities, they don't want to take the time to make a healthy dinner for their family. Maybe this is causing the rise of obesity rates in america. With such busy lives, if they don't have time to cook a healthy meal, they most likely don't have the time to go for a walk around the park or go to the gym.

Maybe they have an underlying health issue which is causing weight gain. Unless we have personally experienced it, we won't know what exactly is causing obesity. It's easy to judge and say that person is over-eating or is just not living a healthy life. Researching this topic will give me more information on what really causes the majority cases of obesity.

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Introducing myself and my topic

My name is Ashley, and I was one of the many teens that struggled with body image and weight. I was a little heavier than i'd like to have been, so I worked very hard to get fit and be somewhat comfortable with my body. 10 years since the start of high-school, and the birth of my son (age 2), I am in better shape than i've ever been, but body image in the media has affected the way i feel about myself, which isn't a very great feeling. After struggling with these issues myself, it lead me to be interested in researching if obesity is a disease or self inflicted and how it affects body image.