Obesity is an enemy, prevent it!

July 4, 2014 by Bukola Adebayo 0 Comments

   

 

Did you know that being overweight and obese increase one’s risk of dying 20 years earlier than those who are not?

Did you also know that obesity and being overweight increase your chances of developing diabetes and certain cancers before the age of 50? These are preventable but incurable diseases killing hundreds daily.

Experts warn that being overweight or obese is not just about how you look any more. They note that over time, it means that you have an increased risk of dying of various health conditions.

Though death is inevitable, nobody wants to go earlier than planned. And it is more disheartening when an individual dies of preventable diseases caused by obesity.

According to doctors, obesity is now a major public health challenge which wrecks the same havoc as malnutrition. Consultant nephrologist (diabetes and kidney specialist), Dr. Segun Aribisala, says being overweight or obese is a serious medical problem that should be addressed and seen as a health challenge, not a social or psychological problem.

Aribisala states that scientific evidence shows that obesity reduces an individual’s life expectancy at least by 20 years, as he or she has an increased risk of developing type-2 diabetes and kidney failure before the age of 50.

According to him, hospital studies show that more than 80 per cent of people with type-2 diabetes are either overweight or obese.

“The link to obesity and type-2 diabetes is that fat cells build great resistance to the hormone insulin. Insulin is the hormone that converts excess calories in the body to sugar and carries it to the blood cells where it is used up as energy.

“When a person is insulin-resistant, blood sugar cannot be taken up by the cells, resulting in high blood sugar. In addition, the cells that produce insulin must work extra hard to try to keep blood sugar normal. This may cause these cells to gradually fail. When your blood sugar is high because insulin is not working due to the fat cells in your body, then type-2 diabetes sets in, no matter your age.”

“When type-2 diabetes is not managed early or properly, the kidneys begin to suffer for it till they eventually fail. Kidney failure is killing many Nigerians today. Now, what I usually say is if you are overweight, you must go and see a doctor first before you hit the gym, so it can be tackled as a health problem. For all we know, you may be at a pre-diabetic stage already.”

As obvious as it is, many people do not know they are obese and even ignore the symptoms.

Aribisala says you are considered to be overweight when your body mass index is between 25 and 29.9; while persons with BMI that is higher than 30 are said to be obese.

“Another important number to know is your waist size in inches. Having too much fat around your waist may increase health risks even more than having fat in other parts of your body.

Women with a waist size of more than 35 inches and men with a waist size of more than 40 inches may have higher chances of developing diseases related to obesity,” he adds.

The good news is that you don’t have to spend millions to treat obesity, unlike other health challenges. Physicians note that a weight loss programme which includes daily exercise and change in diet would do the trick.

Aribisala notes that losing as little as five per cent of your body weight through daily exercise may lower your risk for several diseases, including heart disease and type-2 diabetes.

In addition to daily exercise, nutritionist, Dr. Tosin Akinsanya, recommends that persons who are overweight should reduce their food portions and consider a total change in diet to high fibre foods and vegetables and other foods with low calories, but packed with many nutrients.

He says, “Many people are overweight or obese simply because they eat and drink more than their body needs. Many have too much on their plates these days and I don’t mean social problems. I cringe any time I see people ordering three huge chunks of meat or fish with their rice when all what they need is just one. We need to control the portions of food we eat, even when it is good food.

“What you drink is also important. Alcohol and sugary drinks contain a lot of calories. Even fresh fruit juices that you may think are healthy can make up a significant part of your daily calorie intake if you drink too much of them.”

As the experts have said, diet plays a crucial role in healthy living and long life. Here are some dietary changes you can make to dramatically reduce your risk of being obese.

-Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables every time you eat.

-Replace unrefined grains such as white bread, pasta, white rice with whole-grain options such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal.

-Replace red meat with lean sources of protein such as seafood, beans and peas, soy, nuts, and seeds.