Diet, Weight Loss And The Risks Of Obesity Risks

It REALLY Does Matter What The Fat Is In You!

It's not just important to
know how MUCH fat a person has, but also where that fat
is located on the body. The pattern of body fat distribution tends to differ in men
and women.

It
is most common for women to collect bodyfat in their hips and buttocks, giving their
figures a "pear" shape. More often than not, men collect fat around the belly, giving them more of an "apple" shape.But this is a generality,
not a rule, some men are pear
- shaped and some women become apple-shaped, particularly after menopause).

Those that are
apple shaped' with fat collected in the 'central gut-area' are more likely to develop many of the health problems associated with obesity. They
are at increased health risk because of their fat distribution. Obesity is a health risk, PERIOD. But initially, it is better to be
a pear than an apple.

In order to sort the types of fruit, doctors have developed
a simple way to determine whether someone is an apple or a pear. To determine what is called thewaist-to-hip ratio,
measure the waist at its narrowest point, and then measure the hips at the widest point. Divide the waist measurement by the hip measurement. For example, a woman with a 35 inch waist and 46-inch hips would have a waist-to-hip ratio of 0.76 (35 divided by 46
0.76). Women with waist-to-hip ratios of more than 0.8 and men with waist-to-hip ratios of
more than 1.0 are "apples."

Another method used to find out the amount of a person's abdominal fat is by
measuring the waist circumference. Men whose waist is40 inches or greater as well as women whose waist measure 35 inches or
more are considered to
have increased health risks related to obesity.

What Can Be Done About Obesity?

Most of the time, obesity
causes most obese people to go overboard in dieting with all
of the effort driven to reach a 'rapid weight loss' and the "ideal body weight." Some
amount of weight loss may be accomplished, but the lost weight usually quickly returns.Mostof those - actually
over 95% - who lose weight regain the weight within five years. It's important that a sound, realistic,sustainable, long-lasting treatment for obesity must be found or nothing will ever work.

We need to learn more about the causes of obesity,and
then we need to change the ways we treat it. If you approach obesity as a chronic disease, it will be treated
like other chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure. The treatment of
obesity cannot be a short-term "fix," but
has to be an ongoing life-long process.

Instead of staring nearsightedly at the goal of attaining an "ideal weight," obesity treatment must keep in mind thatweight loss can be beneficial. A weight loss of 5 to 10% of the initial weight
and long-term maintenance of that weight loss can bring significant health gains,
including:

- Lowered blood pressure
- Reduced blood levels of cholesterol
- Reduced risk of type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes. Women who lost 11 pounds of weight
reduced their risk of diabetes by 50% or more.
- Decreased chance of stroke
- Decreased complications of heart disease
- Decreased overall mortality

It's important to be reminded that you need not achieve an 'ideal weight' to
to acheive a healthier
lifestyle from obesity treatment. Instead, the intent should be to reach and hold to a "healthier
weight". The emphasis of treatment should be to
commit to the process of life-long healthy living including eating more wisely and
increasing physical activity.

In the end, the
goal in dealing with obesity is to achieve and maintain a "healthier weight".

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