| What is Obesity? |
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Picture in your head what you think qualifies as an obese person. You have probably pictured someone very overweight. However, to health professionals obesity is a term that refers to an excess amount of body weight. A body percentage of over 30% or a BMI of 30 or higher has been labeled in the obese category. While many people think they are not obese, the numbers may tell them differently. It is important to know that status of your health for future medical reasons. Causes of Obesity in Canada:
Body Mass Index (BMI) BMI is a height to weight ratio. While it is fairly easy to calculate it is not the most accurate method. Combined with the Waist circumference it can give a good idea of what your body composition may be. Adults with a high amount of fat free mass, adults with a naturally lean body, adults who have not reached full growth and adults over the age of 65 may find the BMI to be inaccurate. Be sure to keep this in mind! It is determined through the following equation: BMI = weight (kg) / height (m)² This chart can be found on the Health Canada website: Health Risk Classification According to Body Mass Index (BMI)
NOTE: For persons 65 years and older the 'normal' range may begin slightly above BMI 18.5 and extend into the 'overweight' range. SOURCE: Health Canada. Canadian Guidelines for Body Weight Classification in Adults. Ottawa: Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada; 2003. Waist Circumference: Waist circumference gives an idea as to the amount of abdominal body fat one has. The more a person carries fat around their abdomen area the higher risk they are at for certain illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Typically, a male should be below 40 inches and a female below 35 inches. These numbers are approximate. Therefore if you are close to the cut-off range you should be careful and work to decrease your waist circumference. Apple vs. Pear: If your body resembles that of a pear you carry your body fat in your lower body, for example, your thighs and butt. If your body resembles that of an apple you carry more of your fat in your upper body and/or abdomen area. As stated above, your risk of certain medical conditions increases with an increase waist girth or apple shape. Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA): This test is more accurate that the previous two. This test consists of running a small electrical current through the body that is conducted by bodily fluids. The more fluids (water) in the body, the easier the current will pass through. The less water, the more difficult it is. Muscle is comprised of 70-75% water while fat contains about 10-15% water. Fat, therefore, does not conduct the current as easily as muscle. When the amount of water in a person is known, certain conclusions can be made as to the lean and fat amounts. One limitation to this test is that it is the responsibility of the testee to ensure they are fully hydrated. If not, their body does not contain the maximum amount of water they require and therefore the results will be skewed. For more information about the BIA talk to a Fitness Specialist in the Fitness Centre at RAC. Overcoming Obesity: The first step in overcoming obesity is learning what is causing the problem. If you have been battling obesity for years perhaps it is a medical condition. If this is the case, diet and exercise may not make a difference in your body composition. The first and best place to start is with your family physician. Find out exactly where the problem lies. Once this has been determined the doctor can help you to overcome your medical condition. If this is not the case, your doctor can refer you to other health professionals that can help. Here is a list of health professionals that can potentially help you with your lifestyle change:
It does not take that much exercise to make small changes in your life. Take the proper route to help you achieve your goals. Try not to fall into the ideals of yet another fad diet. Take it one step at a time and remember, if it took you two years to put on the weight, it should take you two years to take it off! Goal Setting: When setting goals think SMART! S = specific M = measurable A = attainable R = realistic T = tangible
Interesting Statistics from Health Canada: The amount of physically inactive people increases from 25 years and up. As we age we have more responsibilities and may find it difficult to find time for purposeful exercise. However, it is imperative that we make the time. Every age group beginning at 25-34 years has at the minimum 50% of people who are physically inactive. According to Health Canada, being physically active does not require that much time. See below for a reference to the Physical Activity Guide. Notice that the top 2 causes of death, which accounts for 53% of the total deaths, in 1997, are cancer and diseases of the heart. Both of these can result from obesity. Diabetes mellitus and disease of the arteries, arterioles and capillaries are also in the top 10 causes. These can both result from obesity. There is clearly a rise in the percentage each individual person spends on medical care and health services. A rise is this number can only mean a rise in health problems. Since obesity leads to so many different medical conditions it could be a leading cause in the increase in spending on health care. The Canadian Institute for Health Information and the Canadian Population Health Initiative completed a research paper called Overweight and Obesity in Canada: A Population Health Perspective August 2004. Here they stated that $1.8 billion or 2.4% of the total health care expenditures are spent on obesity and co-morbidities, such as postmenopausal breast cancer, colorectal cancer, coronary artery disease, endometrial cancer, gallbladder disease, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, pulmonary embolism, stroke and type 2 diabetes. The three largest contributors were hypertension (656.6 million), Type 2 diabetes (423.2 million) and coronary artery disease (346.0 million). Using a statistical method called population attributable fraction (PAF), the study further calculated what percentage of these illnesses were a result of obesity. The result was 50.7% of the costs of Type 2 diabetes, 31.6% of the cost of hypertension and 29.8% of the cost of pulmonary embolism and 26.6% of the cost of endometrial cancer were all attributed to obesity. Studies from the Canadian Institute for Health Information: Studies have shown that if a child experiences obesity young in life it is much harder for them to decrease their body fat percentage later in life. They have already increased the size and number of fat cells and therefore results in a larger barrier in overcoming adult obesity problems. RESOURCES: |
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