New Hope for Attaining--and Maintaining--A Healthy Body Weight

The percentage of Americans who are overweight and obese is increasing very rapidly. "Overweight" is defined as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) from 25.0 to 29.9 whereas a BMI of 30 or above is defined as "obese." According to the National Center for health Statistics, 56% of the population was overweight during the reporting period from 1988 through 1994, and 23% was obese. During the period from 1999 through 2002, these percentages had increased to 65% and 30%, respectively.

So obesity has clearly reached epidemic proportions in the U.S., and the healthcare costs associated with it now rival those attributable to smoking. These costs were estimated to be $92.6 billion in 2002--9.1% of all health care costs--and they continue to escalate rapidly. Comparable costs associated with smoking were estimated to be between 6.5% and 14.4% in 2002. The Centers for Disease Control have announced that obesity could become the nation's leading cause of preventable deaths by 2005. According to a recent estimate, obesity accounts for approximately 280,000 deaths each year in the U.S.

This epidemic is not confined to adults but tragically is afflicting children as well. Childhood obesity increased from 5 percent in 1964 to 13 percent in 1994. Today, it is estimated to be about 20 percent--and rising.

Diseases for which obesity is a significant risk factor include: Type 2 Diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart attack, congestive heart failure, cancer, gallstones, gout, osteoarthritis, and sleep apnea, fatty liver disease, pulmonary problems, reproductive problems in women, and Depression.

In this era of skyrocketing healthcare costs, it's urgently clear, then, that more effective methods are needed for preventing and reversing this very major contributor to our escalating healthcare crisis.

The above data are especially astounding in the face of the fact that Americans are spending in excess of $50 billion annually on diet products. In view of the ongoing epidemic summarized above, this investment has obviously been highly unsuccessful. As has been pointed out in one study, for example, the price per pound lost in one well-known weight loss program amounts to $180!

Not only is there overwhelming evidence that diets don't work in the long run, but of even more concern is the strong evidence that they can actually contribute to further weight gain and decline in health. There is recent evidence, for example, that yo-yo dieting weakens the immune system by as much as 30%.

A search of the research literature on weight loss strongly supports the general conclusion that key lifestyle and dietary changes are absolutely necessary to long-term success. Here is a fairly comprehensive listing of these essential changes:

1. Eat a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits.

2. Boost protein intake to build and preserve lean muscle tissue.

3. Use fiber-rich foods, which are more filling and promote health.

4. Boost calcium and other minerals to help shed unwanted fat.

5. Increase intake of omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids by eating fish, flax, and nuts.

6. Eat only minimal amounts of "junk" carbs, containing sugar and white flour.

7. Greatly reduce--or eliminate--saturated and trans fats that are loaded with harmful fatty acids.

8. Reduce or eliminate alcohol.

9. Reduce the amount of food eaten gradually to avoid the adverse effects of sudden dieting.

10. Eat frequent, small snacks, instead of large meals, to maximize calories burned for energy.

11. Be sure to eat a healthy breakfast to avoid difficulty in controlling appetite later in the day.

12. Be sure to exercise for a half-hour, at least 3 times a week.

13. Gradually boost exercise frequency and intensity for even greater effects.

14. Practice stress reduction to reduce the over-production of cortisol, which promotes weight gain.

15. Expose yourself to the sun for at least 15 minutes each day and get adequate sleep.

16. Incorporate all o