by
Carl Hampton
09/11/2006
The World Health Organization says,
“more than 1 billion adults [this means
one in six of the world's population] are
overweight of which 300 million are now
classed as obese.” If these numbers are
correct, this would mean that the overweight
population now out numbers the
under-nourished population of the world by
some 800 million people.
“Does this make me look fat?”
Unfortunately for many women that question
may have become more and more relevant.
Research has shown women have a much higher
chance of suffering from obesity than men.
The most obvious difference and main reason
for higher obesity levels in women is the
female metabolism which is much slower than
their male counterparts.
Recent studies have also indicated that
obese women seem to face a lot more job
discrimination and earned less than women of
normal weight with a similar education and
job. Socially, obesity can create a lot of
personal discomfort for women sufferers.
Family members along with teachers and
healthcare professionals seem to be more
biased against obese girls and women than
boys and men. Shopping for clothes becomes a
real hassle. Not being able to participate
in activities such as sports or amusements
parks because you cannot fit on the rides
means always having to miss out on the fun.
After time, all these social situations
begin to take a toll at a mental level,
creating very low self-esteem.
Obesity has now become an economic problem -
a pandemic problem that effects the whole of
our medical system. From a health-wise point
of view, obesity increases the risk of type
2 diabetes in women by twice the rate in
men, as well as heart problems (which is the
number one killer amongst women), high blood
pressure, stroke, and possibly cancer. In
addition, the constant need for doctor's
visit, testing and medication can lead to
many thousands of dollars in bills that
healthcare plans barely cover, if at all.
Professor Donald Laymen, whose 2005 study
was published by the Journal of Nutrition,
reported that higher protein diets, when
combined with exercise, meant dieters tended
to lose fat rather than muscle. But how much
can a study really influence our personal
life? Can these studies serve as a
motivational platform for us to start on
that long road to a better life?
With what seems like thousands of weight
loss programs out there, picking which one
is best for you is a job in itself. Most
doctors agree that the real secret to a
successful long term program is to cut down
the size of the meals we eat. Stay away from
“Super Size” meals, eat early in the
evening before 7:00 pm, exercise at least 4
to 5 times a week for 30 minutes and so
forth and so on. Real weight loss is a
lifestyle change. Something many of us find
too hard to stay with for any amount of
time. The facts are all there, we choose to
ignore them at our peril.
Have an opinion or a question you would like
me to answer, then write me!
http://www.CarlHampton.com
