Obesity Paradox: Excess Body Fat Helps in Heart Failure Recovery

We have all known for a fact, and for some time now that obesity is one of the risk factors for developing heart disease and heart failure. We have also in the last few decades been very upbeat, to say the least, in encouraging weight loss.

Particularly, BMI or Body Mass Index has been used to show increasing risk for heart condition as it increases. BMI is a number that indicates the extent of body fat in an individual. A higher BMI has often, if not always, been associated with adverse outcome; until now.

Evidently, the excess body fat may cause heart failure, but it also helps one recover better. There are indications that the obese fare better after heart failure compared to their healthy counterparts. This is according to a study by Dr. Gregg C. Fonarow of the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California at Los Angeles U.S.A and colleagues. This study has been backed up by another led by Dr. Jeptha P. Curtis of Department of Medicine section of cardiovascular medicine, Yale University School of Medicine.

Both studies came to the counter-institute conclusion that higher BMI is well associated with lower mortality risk. Overweight and obese patients had lower risks of death in case of a heart failure compared to healthy and underweight individuals.

Fonarow tries to explain this unusual finding, "the study suggest that overweight and obese patents may have greater metabolic reserves to call upon during an accuse heart failure episode which may lessen in-hospital mortality risks"

The studies found that in-hospital mortality rate in patients that had heart failure reduced as their BMI increased. Mortality rate in the hospital was highest at 6.3 percent for underweight 4.6 percent for healthy weight, 3.4 percent for the overweight and only 2.4 percent for obese patients.

The studies seem to point to the existence of what has now come to be know as the "obesity paradox". Many researchers and doctors are stumped y the phenomena, but not everyone is buying into the paradox. A. Habbu and colleagues at the University of Texas School of Public health Huston think the obesity paradox may be a bunch of baloney. They comment on one of the studies, "closer examination of these studies raises important questions on the validity of the paradox". They have issue with the quality of data used in the studies implying they could be inherently skewed.

But whether the obesity paradox exists or not, these is not doubt you still need to lose excess weight. Remember although excess weight may help you recover from heart failure; it is the one that increased your chances of the heart failure in the first place. So having to make a choice between successful recovery from a heart failure and not having any heart failure, we suggest you choose the latter.

The Obesity Epidemic and Juvenile Diabetes

The increasing obesity epidemic among children today is thought to be a leading cause in the increase in juvenile diabetes in this country today. While not everyone agrees on the causes and affects it is hard to argue with the continuing increase of children with Type 2 diabetes who are also overweight. In fact as the percentages of obese children raises so does the percentage of those affected with juvenile diabetes at nearly the same rate.

There appear to be two main reasons for this increase in Type 2 diabetes among children. Most children these days have a sedentary lifestyle that revolves around watching TV, playing video games, or using their computer to chat with and email their friends. The second issue for many kids is their poor eating habits and nutrition. Living the fast food life style or eating a bag a chips while playing video games is one of the major reasons for the preponderance of overweight kids we see today.

For many years Type 2 diabetes was something that overweight adults had to contend with, mainly because children weren't having the weight issues they have today. Type 2 diabetes in an adult is also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes. The primary treatment for this type of this disease is lifestyle changes involving diet and exercise for both children and adults.

One of the main concerns with type 2 juvenile diabetes is the affects it can have later on in a child's life. Children with type 2 diabetes have been found to have more life threatening complications than type 1 diabetics. Some of the major problems juveniles with this type of diabetes face include heart disease, damage to the nervous system, renal failure, blindness, and limb amputations, particularly of the feet and lower legs.

The first line of defense against juvenile type 2 diabetes is probably the most obvious. Maintain a healthy body weight through proper diet and exercise thus preventing the onset of the disease. For children already diagnosed this same treatment applies if they are to avoid the complications to their health later in life.

For the juvenile diabetic a healthy diet is the cornerstone of their treatment. A well balanced diet low in sugar, saturated fats, and salt is the way to go. High fiber foods such as fruits and vegetables, along with complex carbohydrates are best for the diabetic. Even then foods high in carbs should be eaten throughout the day to help prevent large rises in blood glucose levels. Regular physical activity or exercise is also recommended to help insulin move glucose out of the blood and into the cells.

Childhood obesity is an epidemic all parents should take seriously. The long term health affects of all children are at stake, particularly with an increased risk of juvenile diabetes, a disease that will affect any child for their life time. By making easy lifestyle changes centered on a healthy diet and physical activity the onset of type 2 diabetes can be prevented, or even delayed in children at high risk.

Five Hundred Million Dollars Pledged To Fight Childhood Obesity Nationally, Including Texas

The New York Times reported, in an April 2007 article, that the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation plans to spend more than $500 million over the next five years to reverse the increase in childhood obesity nationally, including Texas. It is one of the largest public health initiatives ever tried by a private philanthropy.

"This is an epidemic that is going to cost the country in terms of morbidity and mortality and economically," said Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, the foundation's president and chief executive. "The younger generation is going to live sicker and die younger than their parents because of obesity."

The foundation estimates that roughly 25 million children 17 and under are obese or overweight, nearly a third of the 74 million in that age group, according to Census Bureau data and a 2006 study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association.

Many of those children are poor and live in neighborhoods where outdoor play is unsafe and access to fresh fruits and vegetables is limited. "In many cases, the environment makes it almost impossible for them to choose healthy lifestyles," Dr. Lavizzo-Mourey said. "We're going to try to change that."

The foundation plans to invest in programs to improve access to healthy food, encourage the development of safe play spaces, increase research to enhance understanding of obesity and prod governments into adopting policies to address the problem, among other things.

Experts on childhood obesity welcomed the foundation's plans.

"Government grants for biomedical research in general, including obesity research, are being funded at the lowest levels I've seen in my career," said Dr. David Ludwig, director of the Optimal Weight for Life Clinic at Children's Hospital Boston and author of a new book, "Ending the Food Fight." "So we are especially dependent on philanthropic support."

Philanthropy has long fueled improvements in health, from John D. Rockefeller, whose money produced a yellow fever vaccine, to Bill and Melinda Gates, who are underwriting new health technologies and vaccines to address a variety of global problems.

Robert Wood Johnson, who built Johnson & Johnson into one of the world's largest health and medical care products companies, established his foundation at his death in 1968 with 10,204,377 shares of the company's stock. He committed it to improving the health of Americans.

The foundation played a major role in curbing tobacco use in this country, spending $446 million from 1991 to 2003 toward that goal, and it plans to use those experiences to shape its attack on childhood fat.

Since 1995, the number of adult and teenage smokers has declined 12.6 percent and 18 percent, respectively.

"It was a very carefully thought-out strategic initiative," said Joel L. Fleishman, a professor of law and public policy at Duke University. The foundation underwrote research, prevention and smoking-cessation programs, and increased awareness of smoking's dangers.

Over the last few years, the foundation has pledged $80 million to childhood obesity programs, like grants to the Food Trust to persuade supermarket operators to return to poor neighborhoods.

Its new effort intends to capitalize on and enhance efforts by the food industry and school districts and governments to address the problem, Dr. Lavizzo-Mourey said. Several snack food producers are making changes in their packaging and ingredients, and three soft-drink companies said they would no longer supply sweetened drinks to school cafeterias and vending machines.

Several states have mandated changes in school menus, increased physical education requirements and begun reporting students' body mass index scores to parents.

In Arkansas, which has one of the most comprehensive programs aimed at the problem, obesity among the 450,000 children in 1,300 public schools has plateaued.

Obesity is a growing American epidemic that takes root early in life. It imposes a variety of health risks that can appear at any phase in life. As you'll discover, what affects your health also will eventually affect your bank account.

Kids Yoga: A Solution to Global Obesity in Children

Two topics that most people are tired of hearing about are obesity and childhood obesity. The problem is we will not find solutions for these problems if we "bury our heads in the sand." Kids Yoga is a viable solution to obesity in children, but this requires schools and parents to take action now.

Obesity has crept up on all age groups quickly; children in some countries need to change their lifestyles immediately. If not, there will be serious health repercussions that will shake our health systems and fragile economies.

How did massive numbers of obesity get here? How can less physical activity in children be acceptable? How could Kids Yoga be a solution?

Parents today have less buying power than our parents had. Many children are shifted from school to day care, while both parents are working extra hours to support the family. Many of today's meals are composed of processed foods -whether they are store-bought, or bought for takeout, from a restaurant.

Physical education has suffered serious cutbacks since the "Cold War" ended. Back in the 1970's, and before, children ran and played outside more often.

The Yoga lifestyle helps parents and children manage diet in a very busy and stressful world. If you are conscious of it, there are wiser food choices, even from restaurants. When children practice Yoga, they become much more aware of their diet, posture, activities, and daily exercise routine.

Educators, doctors, Yoga teachers, and parents cannot afford to wait until the next study on childhood obesity is completed to take action. Children are bigger than ever, due to inactivity and a high fat / carbohydrate diet. Large numbers of big children will become even bigger adults, who are at risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, various forms of cancer, and much more.

Therefore, educators, doctors, Yoga teachers, and parents must be proactive. Do not expect grant money, government assistance, or any help from "big brother." Look at the reaction to global warming by the world's governments and you see how long it takes to get a reaction.

For parents with school-aged children, there has never been a better time for them to attend Yoga classes. Children consider Yoga an extension of other games and exercises they would normally do. Children will naturally jump, roll on the ground, run, and spin around, in the course of playing with their friends.

With proper supervision from a certified Yoga teacher, children learn what they can and cannot do. Kids Yoga classes teach safe Hatha Yoga techniques for flexibility, strength and muscle tone.

If a child is obese, parents should not expect instant miracles with weight loss, and parents would do well to learn the practice of Hatha Yoga. In this way, parents and children will both be aware of proper dieting and a much healthier lifestyle.

Thyroid Problem: A Major Cause Of Obesity

Thyroid problem is basically a hormonal problem but affects the body's metabolic factor to a great extent. One of the major causes of obesity is the thyroid dysfunction. The secretion of thyroxin hormone in the body is very vital in different functioning processes. When the level of this hormone goes wrong, several problems start making shelter in your body.

The instant symbols of thyroid problem are fatigue, restlessness, irritation, skin problems, agony and tremendous weight gain. Sometimes the process of weight gain takes place in leaps and bounds.

Two types of thyroid problem

Normally the thyroid problem is divided as hypothyroid and hyperthyroid. In one the function of the thyroid gland and the secretion of the hormones is high and in the other the same function goes low. But both are dangerous to your health.

Women suffering from the thyroid problems also have disturbances with their menstrual cycles and face troubles with childbirth.

Overcoming overweight

If you are a chronic thyroid patient and gaining weight very fast you must bring down the level of TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone). Two other supporting hormones like T3 and T4 also play important role. Their levels are also to be regulated and brought at a balanced level for proper maintenance of your health.

Steps you must immediately take once it has been tested and diagnosed that you are suffering from thyroid problem:

* Consult an endocrinologist. He is the particular doctor dealing with the hormonal problems in human body. Thus his advice has to be sincerely followed to combat any such situation.

* Find out what type of deficiencies you had that has created this problem in your body. Try to get rid of them. Mainly there are nutritional shortcomings followed by entry of toxin elements in your body. They have to be eliminated through proper diet and medicine.

* Thyroid and lethargy is best friend. Following trail obesity makes friend with lethargy. So if you have to keep obesity away you will have to fight back thyroid. In between lethargy has to be kicked out. Practice yoga regularly and take help of some good breathing exercises. They are very important to stimulate the thyroid hormone inside your body.

* Selenium and zinc are the key minerals regulating thyroid hormone. These inputs must be given to your body. Have lots of vitamins A and D and incorporate fish oil in your diet. It's low cal and thyroid regulator at the same time.

Helping Children With Obesity Problems

Obesity in school aged kids is out of control. It is the parent responsibility to establish limits and control the amount of food the child eat, children lack this ability.

Here are some tips that will help you keep track of your child's food and eating regimen and help him fight childhood obesity. By eating poorly and not having good eating habits will effect the eating habits of your child and will lead to being lazy and becoming heavier and unhealthy. Your entire family will benefit from eating healthy eating and physical activity. As a parent you need to take a role in trying to create good habits and help your children establish healthy eating and exercising rituals, this will help in the long run.

Child obesity has lead to a number of other health related issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease from the combination of improper nutrition and lack of exercise. For the sake of her child's health both as a child and throughout his or her life, breastfeeding is the very best possible thing you can do when your child is young. A recent study in obesity suggests that children who are breastfed by their mothers during the first year of life are less likely to develop obesity as they get older.

If you are concerned about your child possibly being overweight then you need to decide whether the excess weight is part of a growth pattern that may change over time or whether there is a weight problem. Forget all the drugs and diets, feed your children healthy food and monitor what they eat, this will help your child in the long run.

It is important as parents that we take more responsibility to ensure healthy living for our children and to ensure they eat enough so they are healthy and they grow up eating healthy foods, we must understand what is healthy weight and what is weight that is leading to becoming obese. Yes they need to eat enough to be healthy and to grow properly, but we must know where to draw the line between what is a healthy weight and what is excessive weight. As parents, we can not take the stand that it is healthy for our children to be round and plump.

One reason: children have increased the amount of calories they eat each day by as many as 300. Did you know that more than 60% of American youth eat too many fatty foods, and less than 20% eat the recommended five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day. A journal is just a tool for you to help your child eat better.

Many of the foods children are eating today are fried or fast food type. To keep your children healthy and at an acceptable weight make the meals yourself so you know what you are putting into the food, you are able to control the portions of food and include healthy types of food like vegetables, fruit and many other types of food.

Obesity and Your Life!

People who are overweight, or worse obese, face consequences which have the ability to become a daily nightmare. For some it is their lifestyle choices which has led them to become obese, others perhaps have gathered the extra weight through no fault of their own.

To live this overweight and obese life can be difficult, people have to face every new day with the fear of prejudice from others making it hard to live in the world which demands perfection and looks down upon them. It's a sad reality that many people have to face, a reality which comes at a great personal cost.

A persons self image and their self esteem depends almost entirely on how other people perceive them, or perhaps how other people perceive them. It is very hard to totally ignore the criticism and not care about the opinions of others. With excess weight, of course, the more you weight the harder it will get. People will stare at you no matter where you go, not to mention the snickering and jokes are a surefire way of helping to lower you self esteem.

Unfortunately this can often led to a self destructive circle leading people to become depressed and complacent with their weight which can lead to more weight gain. Obese people may stop going out doors, therefore they receive less exercise, which leads to weight gain, which lead to less exercise and so forth. This low self esteem has the ability to manifest itself in a way which makes it increasingly difficult for a person to motivate themselves in order to make an improvement in their life.

Relationships can be very difficult for obese people to enjoy when they are overweight. Sex can be become awkward with couples becoming self conscious about their bodies. The extra weight in the bedroom can make performing very difficult and excessive sweating is probably not the sexiest thing either. If they don't already have a partner it can be difficult for obese people to find a lover. The fact that they do not go out to social events as often as they should coupled with their low self esteem often results in many people giving up.

If you want to deal with your obesity problem you need to motivate yourself. But even then motivation may not be enough, outside support is mandatory. Other people helping you can make the difference between succeeding and failing, these people also often stop you from eating that extra food you should be avoiding.

Food addiction can be a very difficult thing to overcome; when someone who eats a lot first cuts back the body can have withdrawal symptoms from sugars and fats, often leading to depression. The extra support around for this week or two can make a world of difference.

Becoming obese is the easiest part but now you have to lose those pounds and this is the hard part. It will be a struggle at first, but you need to stay strong, the health, social and emotional benefits of the new you will be unbelievable. A life of less food and more exercise sounds scary to a lot of people but it doesn't have to be, if you make sure you have good support it will be easier to achieve this goal. Just think how good you will feel when you look into the mirror and walk down the street with your new body and new confidence.

More than 1 in 4 people will become overweight in their lifetime, don't let this be you.

Organic Pill That Kills the Appetite and Attacks Obesity

As Reported by most prominent reporter Tom Mangold at BBC Two's Correspondent, these are the findings and citations, it is interesting to learn that:

Imagine this: an organic pill that kills the appetite and attacks obesity. It has no known side-effects, and contains a molecule that fools your brain into believing you are full.

Deep inside the African Kalahari desert, grows an ugly cactus called the Hoodia. It thrives in extremely high temperatures, and takes years to mature.

The San Bushmen of the Kalahari, one of the world's oldest and most primitive tribes, had been eating the Hoodia for thousands of years, to stave off hunger during long hunting trips.

When South African scientists were routinely testing it, they discovered the plant contained a previously unknown molecule, which has since been christened P 57.

The license was sold to a Cambridgeshire bio-pharmaceutical company, Phytopharm, who in turn sold the development and marketing rights to the giant Pfizer Corporation.

Fortune cactus

A molecule in the cactus makes you feel full. When I traveled to the Kalahari, I met families of the San bushmen. It is a sad, impoverished and displaced tribe, still unaware they are sitting on top of a goldmine. But if the Hoodia works, the 100,000 San strung along the edge of the Kalahari will become overnight millionaires on royalties negotiated by their South African lawyer Roger Chennells.

And they will need all the help they can to secure the money. Currently, many bushmen smoke large quantities of marijuana, suffer from alcoholism, and have neither possessions nor any sense of the value of money.
The truth is no-one has fully grasped what the magic molecule means for their counterparts in the developed world.

Blood sugar

According to the British Heart Foundation 17% of men and 21% of women are obese, while 46% of men and 32% of women are overweight.

So the drug's marketing potential speaks for itself.
Phytopharm's Dr Richard Dixey explained how P.57 actually works: "There is a part of your brain, the hypothalamus. Within that mid-brain there are nerve cells that sense glucose sugar.

"When you eat, blood sugar goes up because of the food, these cells start firing and now you are full. "What the Hoodia seems to contain is a molecule that is about 10,000 times as active as glucose. "It goes to the mid-brain and actually makes those nerve cells fire as if you were full. But you have not eaten. Nor do you want to."

Clinical trials

Dixey organized the first animal trials for Hoodia. Rats, a species that will eat literally anything, stopped eating completely. When the first human clinical trial was conducted, a morbidly obese group of people were placed in a "phase 1 unit", a place as close to prison as it gets.

All the volunteers could do all day was read papers, watch television, and eat. Half were given Hoodia, half placebo. Fifteen days later, the Hoodia group had reduced their calorie intake by 1000 a day.

It was a stunning success.

The cactus test

In order to see for ourselves, we drove into the desert, four hours north of Capetown in search of the cactus. Once there, we found an unattractive plant which sprouts about 10 tentacles, and is the size of a long cucumber.

Each tentacle is covered in spikes which need to be carefully peeled. The San will finally throw off thousands of years of oppression, poverty, social isolation and discrimination

Roger Chennells, lawyer
Inside is a slightly unpleasant-tasting, fleshy plant.
At about 1800hrs I ate about half a banana size - and later so did my cameraman.

Soon after, we began the four hour drive back to Capetown. The plant is said to have a feel-good almost aphrodisiac quality, and I have to say, we felt good.

But more significantly, we did not even think about food. Our brains really were telling us we were full. It was a magnificent deception. Dinner time came and went. We reached our hotel at about midnight and went to bed without food. And the next day, neither of us wanted nor ate breakfast.

I ate lunch but without appetite and very little pleasure. Partial then full appetite returned slowly after 24 hours.

The future Mr Chennells is ecstatic:

"The San will finally throw off thousands of years of oppression, poverty, social isolation and discrimination. "We will create trust funds with their Hoodia royalties and the children will join South Africa's middle classes in our lifetime.

"I envisage Hoodia cafes in London and New York, salads will be served and the Hoodia cut like cucumber on to the salad. "It will need flavoring to counter its unpleasant taste, but if it has no side effects and no cumulative side-effects."

ABC Guide to Avoiding Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity has become a major health epidemic, with approximately 15% of children considered to be obese the world over. The main reason for the childhood obesity epidemic is a shift in eating habits, away from fresh food, whole grains and vegetables to convenience food high in fat, sugar and additives. Another major factor is a decline in activity for both children and adults, who now spend more time in sedentary activities like watching TV and playing computer games that participating in exercise.

In addition, children who have obese or overweight parents have a high risk of becoming obese themselves as a result of poor family eating habits and unhealthy food choices. Parents today are spending less time with their kids and giving less parental advice about healthy food and activity choices. In the USA, UK and Australia 25% of children are considered overweight or obese. The health risks associated with obesity in childhood are great including low self esteem, depression, hormonal imbalances, diabetes and joint problems.

Worse still, the obese child who remains overweight into adulthood has the potential to develop more serious health risks later in their life, including arthritis, stroke and heart attack, high blood pressure, diabetes, and bowel cancer.

Fast food marketing giants spending billions of dollars in advertising to target children and teens, selling them cheap and high-calorie low nutrition value foods, such as crisps, soft drink, hamburgers and confectionery, coupled with lack of control of parents, is the major cause of incorrect eating habits and obesity.

Research shows that even drinking soft drink or soda regularly increases a child's chance of becoming overweight or obese by 60%. Worse still, even moderate exercise is no longer a regular daily activity for children and teens. Most children do not play any sport or even walk or cycle to school. This is compounded by the fact that busy parents have less time than ever to supervise their children and take them out to play in local parks or on the street.

A fear of stranger danger and abduction has added to the value of allowing kids to watch TV or play computer games rather than be outside without parental supervision.

Doctors and nutritionists recommend that most overweight children should be encouraged to lose weight through long lasting positive lifestyle changes in eating habits and activity, rather than be put on a weight-loss diet. It is better that children begin to moderate unhealthy choices, eat smaller portion sizes, and begin moderate exercise three to four days a week for thirty to forty five minutes, building on this over a longer period rather than staging a crash course diet.

The main parenting strategies aim to encourage children to gradually change their (1) eating habits towards well-balanced, healthy, varieties of freshly cooked and nutritious foods, with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, and introducing more healthy recipes and nutritious lunch box ideas; (2) become more active , and (3) monitor their own progress and weight loss - until they are able to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. It is often easier to facilitate a change in habits for children compared to adults. Importantly, parents need to talk to their ids and provide healthy choices at home, and healthy lunch box offerings for school.

For parents needing support, internet Parent 's Forums and Parenting Blogs offer support and community exchange of ideas and tips to help address issues relating to childhood obesity. Other advice includes getting kids involved in shopping and meal preparation to help teach them better nutrition and food choice, and assigning chores as another way to get kids up and active.

Avoid stocking high-fat, high-sugar snack in home, provide fruit and healthy alternatives like fat free pretzels and popcorn. Dilute fruit juice and avoid soft drinks, water is always best. Try to make good choices when going out for dinner, and avoid using food as a reward/comfort. Instead, give kids the attention they deserve by listening, providing encouraging words and hugs and treating the family out to the cinema or local bowling alley to celebrate small successes.

Physical inactivity includes pastimes such as watching TV or playing computer games, should be reduced to no more than two hours a day. Gradual increase in physical activity, such as walking, bike riding, swimming, dancing and ball sports is suggested three to four times a week to begin. Importantly, remember the time you spend together as a family being active is also a great way to reconnect and bond and should be a fun experience for all new fitness plan can mean a whole lot more than simply losing weight.

The Many Causes of Obesity

There is a big difference between being a bit overweight and being obese. Obesity is "an over-accumulation of fat that interferes with the function of our bodies." Obesity is defined as having excessive fat in body tissues. Obesity increases the risk for many health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute defines being overweight as having a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 29.9 and obese as having a BMI of 30 or greater.

Obesity can be caused by many different factors. The most significant are:

Genetics or Heredity

Genetics are what your forefathers (and mothers) bequeathed to you in the form of your genes. There is a perception that very obese people are lazy and greedy. Not all obese people have reached that state because they eat everything in sight. If both of a person's parents were heavy, that person has a 70% probability that he or she will also be heavy. That percentage drops to 40-50% if only one parent was thin.

Metabolic

Metabolism is the amount of energy (calories) your body burns to maintain itself. Metabolism is the process in which nutrients are acquired, transported, used and disposed of by the body.

Every person is unique and they all have their own unique metabolism. The terms "slow metabolism" and "fast metabolism" refer to how easily our bodies convert food into fuel (energy) and nutrients. A person's metabolism is affected by genetics, hormone levels, thyroid conditions, food allergies, amount of body fat, age and insulin levels. Since there are so many factors that contribute to a person's metabolism, it is difficult to specify and special "diet" or "metabolic diet" for a specific person. An entire medical and psychological history would have to be determined.

Psychological

A person's mental state can contribute to a person's obesity. But the person's state of mind is usually caused because he/she is obese, not the obesity being caused by the person's state of mind.

Societal

Everywhere around us there are ads, pictures, and other people who urge us to eat more. Almost all social activity is based on food and drink. Dinners, luncheons and barbecues.

Even some religions have a type of food that should or should not be eaten at certain times. All of these little nudges to eat contribute to the obesity in our population.

Sedentary Lifestyle

A sedentary lifestyle is one of the major causes of obesity. Physical activity is one of the best ways to lose those pounds.

Prescriptions

Some prescriptions, especially antidepressants, have been shown to increase appetite, and therefore increase obesity.

Overeating

Taking in more calories than our bodies need is the most significant factor in obesity. The combination of overeating and under-activity can be the death knell to successful weight loss.

Most obese people have reached that state through multiple causes. In fact, all obese people have at least two or three of the contributing factors. That is why it is so difficult for some people to lose weight. If there is an underlying medical condition, all the diets in the world may not be enough.

Now that you've seen all the causes of being overweight, how can you overcome them?

Start simple. In weight loss, the basics are quite simple: Eat protein from the best sources you can find; vegetables in mostly unlimited amounts; high-fiber, low-sugar fruit in moderation; and eat less of fats like butter, mayonnaise and the like.

Always check with a doctor and ask for advice before starting on a stringent diet and exercise program. It's best to unearth any medical problems before doing something that will make them worse.

First, know yourself. Keep a food diary that records not only what you eat, but why you are eating and your mood at the time you are eating.

Second, be committed. Not to your spouse, your children, or your friends, but to yourself. Do it for YOU.

Third, cut down on portion sizes and reduce your fat intake. Healthy food choices are extremely important for weight loss and for health.

Fourth, increase your activity. Go for walks, go swimming or find another physical activity that suits you. My stepson lost 96 pounds by increasing his exercise level. He didn't change his eating habits at all!

Diets came into being to help people to structure their eating habits. Very stringent diets are very hard to follow and a lot of people don't have the self discipline to follow through. I believe that eating healthy foods - lean meats, vegetables and fruits - in moderate portions will be easier for most people to follow. Having some flexibility will help combat those feelings of deprivation.

Changing the eating habits of a lifetime is difficult. Start with one thing such as reducing portion sizes, and keep at it until it becomes a habit. It is said that it takes 21 days to form a habit. Don't try to take on too much at a time. Baby-step your way to healthy weight loss and better health. Persistence and patience wins the day.

Youth Obesity Rages Out of Control

Years ago, it was rare to see an obese adult and almost unheard of to see an obese young person. Don't believe it? Just watch old movies or television shows. Even in crowd scenes, at sporting events, etc. Americans were almost uniformly of average weight. All that has changed. Americans seemed to be divided into two groups, the overly thin, bordering on eating disorder crowd, imitating their favorite actress, or the overweight, moving in the direction of obese.

It's truly amazing when you think about it. In just the past 30 years, obesity amongst young people has more than doubled, and the percentage of those who are overweight has sometimes tripled! According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, Among young people, the prevalence of overweight increased from 5.0% to 13.9% for those aged 2-5 years, 6.5% to 18.8% for those aged 6-11 years, and 5.0% to 17.4% for those aged 12-19 years.

If the above trend continues, and it will continue unless something is changed, overweight and obesity rates will continue to rise. Concurrently, adult rates will rise as well, especially troubling when you consider the fact that heart disease is already the Number One Killer in America. In addition to Heart Disease, other dangers include:

Hypertension
Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)
Type 2 diabetes
Coronary heart disease
Stroke
Gallbladder disease
Osteoarthritis
Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
Some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)

It is quite possible that all of the above to be exacerbated by poor diet. Fried foods, fast food, candy and other junk foods are taking Americans on a short road to an early grave.
You may think, "It's impossible, look how readily available these types of junk food, fast food and candy are available. There's no way our society and government would allow it. Well, for readers who are a bit older, just think back to cigarettes. They used to have athletes doing commercials saying Lucky Strikes helped them play better. Doctors used to prescribe cigarettes to women for nerves. So it's possible our society is at that same crossroads where junk food, fast food and candy are concerned.

What can be done? Simply put, there needs to be a change in this country and it start with our nations schoolchildren. There needs to be more emphasis on exercise and nutrition. This means less junk food, less fast food, and more Healthy Solutions. One of the healthy objectives of the CDC is to reduce the prevalence of obesity amongst adults to less than 15%. The problem is the trend is not going in the right direction, as the situation is worsening. Only time will tell whether America can let go of junk food and fast food addiction and embrace Healthy Solutions.

Obesity in America, Proactol Can Repel The Attack

Obesity in America is the number one health threat. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have already warned the public about the looming threat. Clocking in at a staggering $122.9 billion in costs; obesity also sends nearly 400,000 Americans to an early grave.

There is a noticeable reduction in the quality of life of obese persons. The condition impacts lifestyle and leads to lower self esteem, depression and discomfort in social situations.

More serious diseases such as diabetes and hypertension generally enter through the door of obesity in America. A phenomenal two thirds are overweight. A common disease in America is high blood pressure, and it is touted that stress is a prevalent health problem here as well.

There are many reasons for the overweight statistics. Much of these statistics come from overeating and poor eating habits. The total cost of overweight and obesity in America was $99.2 billion in 1995. The cost of obesity had ballooned to about $117 billion in 2000.

High blood pressure has increased from 25 to 28% throughout 1991 to 2000. In numbers, the movement was from 50 million to 58 million. This silent disease has proven to be the leading cause of strokes and heart attacks. To make matters worse, a whopping 30% of Americans with high blood pressure are unaware that they have it!

Meanwhile, a staggering 75 to 90% of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress related problems. More than 20 million Americans between the ages of eighteen to fifty have anxiety disorders. Stress goes on the attack from all directions. It affects everything we do. Recognizing the causes of stress is half the battle. Avoiding it is the other half.

We need help! That help today is Proactol. It is a licensed medical product that has been recommended by doctors for the treatment of obesity and weight management. It is also proven to decrease food cravings and lower blood cholesterol levels. We have finally found a product to help the millions of Americans fight obesity.

The psychological effects of obesity are profound and deeply rooted. As soon as you begin to believe more and more in success for yourself then will your ups and downs begin to level out.

When you decide to take success into your bosom, remember also to take responsibility for your decisions. You will gain more control of your life as soon as you take more responsibility for what happens in your life.

Keep a firm hold on the reins of your life from this day forward. Always believe that you will get the mastery over your appetite and one day you will. Remember, when you can visualize your end result, it is then that you will know when you have arrived.

Obesity Statistics Can Be Held In Check By Proactol

Obesity statistics indicate that it is the biggest health threat that confronts America today. This warning comes from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity currently results in an estimated 400,000 deaths annually. It also costs the nation a crippling $122.9 billion.

This disease significantly reduces the quality of life among adults in our nation. This disease creeps right into the fabric of our lifestyle and can cause us to become a nation of social misfits. Other serious health diseases like hypertension and diabetes can result sooner or later when obesity is present.

February is Heart Month. This is a good time to remember that cardiovascular diseases are still the leading cause of death in the United States and Canada. Cardiovascular diseases include heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, heart failure and congenital cardiovascular defects.

How do you reduce the risk of heart disease? Physical activity, healthy eating, maintaining or losing weight and not smoking are the answers. These lifestyle choices are free, attainable and fend off heart disease as well as obesity.

An unbelievable one third of American adults between the ages of 45 to 54 have cardiovascular disease. Those who are 65 and older account for more than 83% of deaths from cardiovascular disease. When we age, gain weight, stop moving and allow obesity to take over, the risk of becoming on of the obesity statistics steadily increases.

In the US alone 30% of the population is classed as being obese. That stands at over 60 million people. Another 50 million people go on a diet each year. Sadly, only 5% of these individuals will keep the weight off long term.

Are you one of those dieters? Are you still unhappy with the way you look and feel? Are you aware that Proactol can help you achieve a much healthier lifestyle? The confidence you will gain from feeling healthy is priceless.

People who become obesity statistics are usually affected in all areas of their life. But we can come to grips with this problem. We must begin to embrace the belief that we can do it. With consistent application, things will slowly begin to turn around for us.

As soon as we decide to walk hand in hand with success, and embrace responsibility for our decisions, positive things will begin to happen. By taking responsibility for everything in your life, you will begin to gain more control. Stay in control of your life from here on in. Seek at all times the mastery of your cravings, and you will eventually conquer it.

New Canine Obesity Drug Launched!

The FDA in the USA approved a drug on 5th January 2007 that claims to be a useful weapon in the fight against canine obesity. Slentrol (dirlotapide), manufactured by Pfizer, is aimed at dogs that are clinically obese rather than those that are just slightly overweight. Could your dog be a candidate for this new drug? Here we look at what Slentrol is and how it works.

Indications

Slentrol Oral Solution is indicated for the management of canine obesity. With canine obesity on the increase globally, many veterinarians see it as the most important health issue facing pets today. Though the approval of this drug has been welcomed by the veterinary community, they are also stressing that it must be used together with an appropriate weight loss diet and exercise program to be effective. It is not a cure for obesity, once the dog stops taking the medication, the obesity will return unless lifestyle changes are enforced.

Presentation

Slentrol is a solution formulated at a concentration of 5 mg/ml of dirlotapide for oral administration to dogs. It can be administered directly into the dogs mouth or on a small amount of food, with a meal or at a different time of the day.

Slentrol is available in 20, 50 and 150 ml bottles.

Slentrol should be stored in its original container at room temperature, 15 to 30 degrees centigrade.

How it works

Dirlotapide is a selective microsomal triglyceride transfer protein inhibitor that blocks the assembly and release of lipoprotein particles into the bloodstream (via the lymphatic system).

The exact mechanism for producing weight loss is not completely understood, according to the FDA, but seems to result from reduced fat absorption and sending a feeling to the dogs brain of being full.
If used correctly, Slentrol helps to achieve weight loss of at least 2.8% body weight per month.

Dosage

Slentrol is given dosed in 2 phases:
1) Weight loss phase
2) Weight management phase

Weight loss phase

The initial dosage of Slentrol is 0.01 ml/kg (0.0045 ml/lb) body weight, administered once daily orally for the first 14 days.

After the first 14 days of treatment, the dose should be doubled to 0.02 ml/kg (0.009 ml/lb) body weight, administered once daily for the next 14 days.
In subsequent months of therapy, the recommended dose varies for each individual dog and the dose volume must be specifically calculated each month, based on percent of weight lost during the previous month of therapy.

Dogs should be weighed monthly on accurate weighing scales at your veterinary clinic and the dose volume adjusted every month, as necessary, to maintain a target percent weight loss of at least 0.7% per week.

Weight management phase

A 3 month weight management phase is recommended to successfully maintain the weight loss achieved. During the weight management phase, the veterinarian and the pet owner should together establish the optimal level of food intake and physical exercise required.

When Slentrol is discontinued, the daily amount of food offered and physical activity should be continued as established during the weight management phase. Reverting to previous food intake or exercise levels at this point can contribute to a regain of some or all of the weight loss that has been achieved.

What if my dog is not losing any weight despite after 1 month of therapy?

The dose volume (number of ml administered each day) should be increased by 100%, resulting in an increase of the dose volume to 2 times the dose administered during the previous month. Only perform a 100% dose increase once during treatment after day 14.

What if my dog is still not losing weight after increasing the dose?

If additional dose increases are necessary in the following months, the dose volume should be increased by 50%, resulting in an increase of the dose volume to
1.5 times the dose administered the previous month of dosing.

The dose should not exceed a maximum daily dose of 0.2 mL/kg (0.09 mL/lb), based on the dogs current body weight, during any part of treatment.

Precautions

Prior to starting treatment with Slentrol, all dogs should undergo a thorough history and physical examination by a veterinarian. This should include laboratory tests to screen for underlying conditions that can cause weight gain, such as Cushings syndrome and hypothyroidism.

The safety of Slentrol use in dogs has not been evaluated beyond 1 year.

Safety in breeding, pregnant or lactating dogs has not been established.

Slentrol has not been evaluated in dogs less than 1 year of age.

Slentrol is not recommended for dogs receiving long term corticosteroid therapy or dogs with liver disease.

Slentrol must not be used in cats due to the risk of causing hepatic lipidosis in obese cats.

Slentrol causes serious adverse reactions in humans such as abdominal distention, abdominal pain, diarrhea, flatulence, headache, nausea and vomiting. Keep well out of reach of children.

Adverse Effects

Vomiting / Diarrhea.

Almost 1 in 4 of dogs placed on Slentrol therapy experience occasional episodes of vomiting and diarrhea. In most cases these episodes lasted for one or two days before clearing up. Vomiting occurs most often during the first month of treatment or within a week of a dose increase. If vomiting is severe or lasts longer than 2 days, consult your veterinarian and have your dog examined.

Inappetance

Of course this is the aim of the therapy to an extent, but if during therapy a dogs food consumption is excessively reduced for several consecutive days, stop giving Slentrol until the appetite returns (usually 1-2 days) and then resume dosing at the same volume as before.

Lethargy

Further information for the pet owner

Achieving your weight loss target for your pet requires a great deal of motivation. It is important to maintain an active and on-going line of communication with your veterinarian for the duration of therapy, until the medication has been discontinued and beyond. Above all else, veterinary weighing scales are likely to be far more accurate than your average human bathroom scales, and it is important to get your measurements correct so you can chart your progress and adjust the dose as necessary.

Remember that successful long-term weight management requires changes that extend beyond the period of drug therapy. To maintain the weight lost when treated with Slentrol, the adjustments in dietary management as well as exercise that were begun as part of the overall weight loss program must be continued by the owner after drug therapy is discontinued. The appetite suppression caused by Slentrol only lasts for 1 to 2 days after stopping treatment, so unless food is limited the dog will gain weight again.

Obesity And A Poor Diet Can Be Harmful In More Ways Than One

Obesity has been actively argued as being derived from poor diet and then others state it is mostly caused by genetics and a persons DNA can make them much more likely to have obesity. Regardless which school of thought you choose to believe in, obesity will cause undue stress on the body everywhere from the circulatory system to the skeletal system. If left unchecked, obesity will cause weakness, breakdown, cardiac arrest and death.

Obesity is defined as an unhealthy increase in body weight. This increase in body weight can be due to stress, poor eating habits, lack in activity or fitness, etc. This extra body weight places added stress to the heart and circulatory system as it must not only work to feed and fuel more cells, but it must also work harder as the body is pushed harder to carry this additional weight.

Depending on how obese one is can really multiply this cardiovascular stress. According to a recent Oprah show obesity is defined as more than 35 inches at the waste for men and 30 for women. If you are over this measurement at your waste you are at greater risk of developing COPD, heart disease, cholesterol driven coronary blockages, even kidney and renal failure.

On a recent show on TLC they showed the short life of a 750 pound morbidly obese man named John Keitz. The hour long episode chronicled the last few years of his life and the toll that morbid obesity can take on ones body. He lived to be 39 years old and died from an infection that grew out of his body and its weakened condition after years of this uncontrolled morbid obesity. His body had basically given up.

He did, however embark on a rehabilitation program after having been bed ridden for 7 years, which showed good intentions and was a good start. Its just the stress and damage caused by being morbidly obese for so long had already greatly weakened his body and it was just a matter of time. How can this happen? How does one become obese or morbidly obese? Is it by personal choice and eating habits or is it solely genetic?

Is it their fault or is it genetics. It is probably a combination of the two as there are some people that are naturally obese and there are those that are naturally skinny or even anorexic. Regardless, diet and exercise (especially aerobic exercise) does play a major role. John Dietz loved fried chicken, potato chips and junk food. He continued to eat these items even after starting his rehabilitation program at the nursing home or facility he was taken to.

Its hard to say that if he had replaced that with health food that he would not have been obese, but he probably would have been less obese and even mobile. His extreme weight caused his legs to literally unbuckle or give out. People with lesser cases of obesity may not have their legs giving out, but they will have similar health problems developing from the extra weight. Skeletal problems like bad hips, deformed and malformed bones, bad joints, necessary hip and knee replacements, and other injuries associated with obesity, along with heart and even breathing difficulties and problems.

There are several things that work for treating obesity, but it is basically a change of lifestyle that is needed to make a permanent change to a healthier body. Yes, diet does play a major role. A healthy diet consisting of the major food groups and high in protein and low in carbohydrates like the South Beach Diet is very helpful in weight loss. The South Beach Diet is a realistic diet and can be achieved. Do not pay attention to unrealistic diet ads like lose 20 pounds in one week. This is impossible and if it were it would be a crash diet and very unhealthy or even risky (just like morbid obesity, crash diets can also cause serious health problems).

For a good idea of what it takes to lose weight for all kinds of people and all kinds of body shapes and ages watch the TV show The Greatest Loser. It shows two groups of B rated stars trying to see which can lose more weight and features a workout guru, psychologist and renowned doctor. There are people of all sorts and sizes on this show and one is bound to be similar in stature and composition to you. You can learn a lot about dieting, fitness, and even trials, tribulations and hardships they go through.

Why Obesity In Your Pet Is Just As Dangerous As It Is For You

The issue of human obesity is the focus of many people thanks to all of the media campaigns and advertisements that constantly warn of the dangers of being overweight. Obesity can lead to diabetes, heart attacks and a myriad of other problems. A healthy diet and regular exercise will combat the problem and bring a person's risk of disease down appreciably.

The same principle applies to pets. It may seem cute to see an overweight cat waddle by or a pudgy dog breathing hard just when it walks into a room. Their obesity is just as dangerous to them as it is to humans. Dogs and cats can both get diabetes and heart disease so it's important to make sure that they eat a healthy diet and receive plenty of exercise.

One of the causes for animals to become overweight is due to them being fed table food along with their regular pet food. It's hard to say no to an animal that approaches you with big pleading eyes, begging for some of your steak or pizza and it may seem harmless to give them some just so that they won't look so sad. Another mistake that people make in this regard is to scoop up the leftovers after a meal and give them to the animal. This can easily contribute not only to the pet's obesity but other health problems as well.

Pet food contains all of the nutrients that an animal needs but human food does not and can also cause digestive problems with an animal. Some people think its ok to give their dogs lots of bones but these bones can chip off and stick in the intestines of the dogs, especially hollow bones such as chicken bones.

Lack of exercise is another problem for pets especially if they are inside pets. Animals that have a yard to run around in are able to get lots of exercise as they explore their territory. Inside pets don't have this privilege but that can be remedied by taking them for long walks and allowing them to run around in a park that allows animals to be unleashed.

Cats are exceptionally lazy creatures that prefer a good nap to actually getting exercise. This is especially true for inside cats. However, you can provide your cat with exercise by buying one of the many toys that are designed with cat exercise in mind.

Many of these toys have a string with a fake mouse or a feather attached to it. You can dangle it in front of the cat to get its attention and they will invariably start to swipe at it with their paws. Drag it around the floor and they will give chase as though it were a real animal. Do this regularly and soon your cat will be the slim and healthy animal it was meant to be.

How to Conquer Obesity through Balanced Choices

Excess fat storage in the body is the result of consuming a greater quantity of acid and toxic calories than the body can properly metabolize and eliminate. When this occurs, the body has no alternative but to store the toxins, along with the excess calories, as fat.

People who have a different genetic makeup, and who eat basically the same diet but do not have a weight problem, tend to burn the excess calories and store the toxins in their organs.

Obese people have a greater risk of becoming ill or of dying from most diseases. They are more apt to become injured or have accidents.

Fat storage around the mid-section, or abdominal obesity, is associated with a high risk of coronary artery disease, which can include high blood pressure, adult onset diabetes, and high levels of fats in the blood.

An overweight problem can be due to eating too many calories, liver congestion, glandular malfunction, and the fluid that the body retains to dilute toxins. The most offending foods are trans fats and sugars. People who eat as little as others but seem to gain weight in spite of this are often deficient in the digestive enzyme lipase, and the food-form minerals chromium, zinc, and selenium.

Lipase is required by the body to digest fat in order to utilize it as energy. Chromium is required for insulin to work efficiently in controlling hunger, regulating energy production, and utilizing fat. The secretion of healthy bile is essential for dissolving and eliminating fat.

In addition to the physical contributors of an overweight problem, there is usually an emotional component that needs to be addressed to achieve a permanent return to the body's ideal weight. "Within every big person is a big emotional issue begging for attention and resolution."

Weight problems are corrected by detoxifying the body through cleansing the colon and liver, and changing to a healthy lifestyle. The body must be made less acid. The best foods that help to do this are fresh vegetable juices made from carrots, celery, spinach, beets, parsley, and a little ginger.

A healthy lifestyle includes adequate regular exercise to activate the lymph system and help burn stored calories, as well as a diet that supplies all the required nutrients and live enzymes. Supplements to clean the colon, plus enzymes and complete protein products are very helpful.

An overweight body is actually starving for wholesome alkaline nutrition. A person with an acidic body cannot lose weight and keep it off. It doesn't matter what diet is tried, the results will only be temporary unless acid/alkaline balance is restored.

How To Avoid The Fast Food Overload That's Creating The Obesity Epidemic

Your family is not alone if most of your meals consist of pizza, burgers, and chicken purchased at fast food chains. You can't drive down a street without seeing a fast food place, and it's that convenience they rely on. With our fast-paced lives, it is easy to make a stop at a drive-thru window, as opposed to going home at the end of the day and making a meal. With this mindset, it's no wonder that obesity is a huge problem facing a great deal of families these days, as fast food is usually full of fat and salt, not to mention lacking in vitamins and minerals.

There are many alternatives, however, which are much healthier and are still as convenient as going through a drive-thru window at your favorite fast food restaurant. More and more food companies are making ready to eat meals, or at least ready to heat meals, which are much healthier and provide more variety than relying on that burger place down the road when you're short on time. Check out your grocer's freezer section, and make sure to go down the prepared food aisle. By making one trip to the grocery store, rather than several trips to the local fast food establishment, you can save money on gas as well. Your budget and your family, and perhaps your waistline, will thank you for choosing this route.

Sometimes, though, there really is no choice but to eat out. Thankfully, restaurants are attempting to provide more healthful choices besides the standard burger and French fries. It is not uncommon to have a choice of a side salad, baked potato, or even baked potato chips to replace your fries. They also offer full-size salads, which are definitely more healthful, as long as you don't go overboard on the toppings! If you're tired of burgers, you could always try the grilled chicken sandwiches, wraps, or deli style sandwiches, which are often lower in fat. But it's still a good idea to limit your fast food meals to special treats, as nothing really replaces the nutrition of a home cooked meal.

By choosing to prepare a home cooked meal for your family, not only will you be doing something to stem the obesity epidemic in this country, you will also be getting to spend valuable time with them. Think of how much more fun it is to sit around a table and talk about your day, rather than standing in line or waiting in your car at a fast food place. By being more proactive in your approach to meals, you will be able to provide more healthful choices, and possibly get in some valuable together time you might miss out on. It's really a win-win situation all around, so it can't hurt to stop by your local grocer and see what they have to offer.

Understanding Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity begins in the home. Many parents today want to lay blame on television, McDonalds and game systems for their children being overweight and many to the point of obesity. However, you cannot blame the television, a fast food restaurant, or Sony for your child being overweight. The only person you can really blame is yourself.

You must learn what can be done to prevent obesity and start making changes in the way you eat at home and the amount of time you and your children sit on the couch.

What type of eating environment do you have at home? Do you allow your child to sit in front of the television or his game system with a big bag of potato chips and a 2-liter bottle of soda? If so, then you are watching your child develop unhealthy eating habits that can cause obesity.

How many times do you take your child to fast food restaurants? Your kids cannot drive themselves to McDonalds and order a Big Mac. If you have the desire to have a healthy child, then you must first show them how to eat healthy by eating healthy yourself. Plan healthy meals; only allow food, snacks, and drinks at the table, not in front of TV or in their rooms. If you confine the areas, they can eat to the dining room table or kitchen table the desire to snack on junk food will be pretty much eliminated since they cannot munch out while watching cartoons. If you allow foods other areas of the house, then be specific about what types of food they eat in front of the TV.
As examples:
Chocolate is a no no, it can stain the couch and carpet
Ice cream is a no no, it can also stain
Potato chips is a no no, they crumble and make a mess on the furniture and floor
No drinks except water in carpeted areas
Types of food they can enjoy:
Carrots will not stain or leave a mess
Yogurt
Apples
Bananas
Peanuts

See what I mean, if they are not allowed to eat certain foods in front of the TV or while playing games they will soon be eating healthier snacks or at least not eating junk food.

This will only work, if you and your spouse do not eat in front of the TV except for the items you place on the Okay foods for TV watching.

Only eat at fast food restaurants once or twice per month. If you have to work outside the home and you do not have time to prepare healthy meals. Cook more than one meal on your day off and freeze it. Then you will not have to order pizza or run out to McDonalds

Obesity And A Poor Diet Can Hurt In More Ways Than One

Obesity has been actively argued as being derived from poor diet and then others state it is mostly caused by genetics and a persons DNA will make them more likely to have obesity. Regardless which school of thought you choose to believe in, obesity causes undue stress on the body from the circulatory system to the skeletal system. If left unchecked, obesity will cause weakness, breakdown, cardiac arrest and death.

Obesity is an unhealthy increase in body weight. This body weight places added stress to the heart and circulatory system as it must not only work to feed and fuel more cells, but it must also work harder as the body is pushed harder to carry this additional weight. Depending on how obese one is can really multiply this cardiovascular stress.

On a recent show on TLC they showed the short life of an 750 pound man John Keitz. The episode chronicled the last few years of his life and the toll that morbid obesity can take on ones body. He lived to be 39 years old and died from an infection. His body had basically given up. He did, however embark on a rehabilitation program after having been bed ridden for 7 years. Its just the stress and damage caused by being obese for so long had already weakened his body. How can this happen? How does one become obese or morbidly obese?

Is it their fault or is it genetics. It is probably a combination of the two as there are some people that are naturally obese and there are those that are naturally skinny or even anorexic. Regardless, diet does play a role. John Dietz loved fried chicken, potato chips and junk food. Its hard to say that if he had replaced that with health food that he would not have been obese, but he probably would have been less obese and even mobile.

His extreme weight caused his legs to literally unbuckle or give out. People with lesser cases of obesity may not have their legs giving out, but they will have similar problems developing from the extra weight. Skeletal problems like bad hips, deformed and malformed bones, bad joints, necessary hip and knee replacements, and other injuries associated with obesity.

There are several things that work for treating obesity, but it is basically a change of lifestyle that is needed to make a permanent change to a healthier body. Yes, diet does play a major role. A healthy diet consisting of the major food groups and high in protein and low in carbohydrates like the South Beach Diet is very helpful in weight loss. The South Beach Diet is a realistic diet and can be achieved.

Do not pay attention to unrealistic diet ads like lose 20 pounds in one week. This is impossible and if it were it would be a crash diet and very unhealthy or even risky. For a good idea of what it takes to lose weight for all kinds of people and all kinds of body shapes and ages watch the TV show The Greatest Loser. It shows two groups of B rated stars trying to see which can lose more weight and features a workout guru, psychologist and renowned doctor. You can learn a lot about dieting, fitness, and even trials, tribulations and hardships they go through.

Along with a diet like the South Beach Diet, proper exercise is the key. Lack of exercise is not only a constituent of obesity, but just plain unhealthy. Exercise helps everything from weight loss to mental health. It is key to remember that a physician should be seen prior to starting any new diet or physical activity.

For one that does not ordinarily exercise it is best to start slow with walks and other low impact exercise like slow jogging, These are aerobic exercises and will build up the bodies cardiovascular system, increase metabolism, and add to the effectiveness of any weight loss diet.

After ones fitness has been built up gradually, running is a great weight loss activity and there is not anything better. There are all kinds of infomercials on TV about everything from cardio boxing to dance aerobics, etc. These do work and can have great results, but require a lot of motivation to do it every day in front of a TV. Most people that purchase these programs have good intentions, but these intentions become like New Years resolutions and are quickly put off or forgotten.

Running is better as you can constantly change your scenery and explore new roads, parks, terrain, etc. It is even better if you can find some running buddies. Join a local running club. There are thousands of running groups and they are in almost every city. One of the biggest helps to losing weight is to have some friends in the same boat as you. What better way than to run it off than with a local running club?

Conquer Obesity With Determination Today

Obesity is a big problem facing the United States today that some has considered it an epidemic. Approximately, over 58 million Americans today are said to be suffering from obesity - 26 million of these are men, and 32 million of these are women.

Obesity is defined as having an excessive amount of body fat. So a person who is overweight is not necessarily obese if that person's body mass comes not only from fat, but muscles or bone mass.

Some medical experts have assessed that one way to find out if a person is obese is to determine if that person contains more than a certain percentage of body fat. Men who exceed 25 percent body fat are considered to fall into this category. While in women, those who possess body fat that exceeds 30 percent are also considered to have this condition.

It is extremely difficult to measure body fat accurately. Perhaps the best way to get an accurate result is to measure a person underwater, although this can only be done in a professional environment with the supervision of medical experts.

Causes of obesity

Many factors lead to obesity, one of which is genetics. Obese parents are likely to have children who will develop obesity.

Those who are extremely inactive, and live a sedentary lifestyle are also at risk of developing obesity. This is because when the calories that have been consumed are not burned into energy, they turn into stored fat.

An unhealthy diet is one of the leading causes of obesity. A diet rich in foods high in fat, carbohydrates, and sugar is extremely harmful to a person's health. Regularly having foods like donuts, pastries, burgers, fries, and pizza, not to mention snacks that contain a high amount of sugar, are all contributing factors to a person developing obesity.

The problem with obesity

The problem with obesity is that people who are suffering from this condition are at a high risk of developing various illnesses consequently. Almost 70 percent of individuals who have some form of cardiovascular disease attribute this condition to obesity. Also, those who are obese are more likely to suffer from high blood pressure as a result of this condition. Twenty-six percent of individuals who suffer from obesity also suffer from high blood pressure.

Cure for obesity

There are no over-the-counter pills that can make obesity go away overnight. Fortunately, some things can be done to control obesity. Switching to a healthier diet will go a long way in combating obesity.

Those who are suffering from obesity might want to hire the services of a nutritionist. A nutritionist will help guide obese people to a healthier eating plan. They would also be able to devise a dietary plan that will help such obese individuals lose fat, while maintaining their good health through the introduction of properly balanced meals that are high in nutrients but low in fat!

Exercising is good for the body. It promotes good health, and will help individuals lose weight. Increasing one's activity will go a long way in combating obesity. Taking a stroll in the park or around the neighborhood is a good alternative to going to the gyms, for those who have an aversion to gyms.

For those who can't squeeze exercising into their busy schedule - parking their car some distance away from where they have to go will also allow them an opportunity to walk and have some physical activity for the day.

Making some conscious effort to make some lifestyle changes will go a long way in battling obesity. Individuals who suffer from this condition have to dedicate themselves to a healthier lifestyle and eating plan, in order to attain better health.

Controversial Research: Embryonic Stem Cells and Obesity Vaccines

In the field of biomedical research, people are often excited when the results of their research are controversial. It evoked limited attention when Cell, a scientific journal in the US, recently reported that some Japanese scientists at Kyoto University claimed that four genes or factors transformed mouse cells to act like ESCs (Embryonic Stem Cells). In contrast, a lot of excitement was created recently when the US, Massachusetts-based, Advanced Cell Research (ATC), claimed in a paper published in Nature that it had created ESCs without destroying the embryos, as this would seem to remove the principal objection to stem-cell research. It has just been revealed that contrary to previous claims the team did in fact destroy the embryos according to two "clarifications" issued by the journal Nature. This latest controversy comes only months after the blog-based takedown and public trial of South Korean ESC researcher Hwang Woo Suk.

The supporters of ESCs believe that cells from embryos would be used to treat degenerative diseases and injuries of human beings in the future. However, this research has become controversial, since the early-stage embryo is damaged during the process of development. Patrick Goodenough (http://www.CNSNews.com) says that it might be possible to generate ESCs through non-embryonic methods, as shown by the Japanese professors, including, Shinya Yamanaka and Kazutoshi Takahashi. Australasian Bioethics Information, a bioethics clearinghouse, said that making an adult cell revert into ESC would be "one of the great dreams of regenerative medicine." The agency added that, "If this (Japanese) success can be replicated with human cells, it might indeed transform America's stem cell politics."

When The Results of the Research Are Controversial: US and Stem Cell Research

One of the biggest controversies in medical research in the 21st century is whether the human embryos need to be destroyed for creating cells that would be used to cure degenerative disorders and certain diseases. The US government allots limited budget to stem cell research. The US President George W Bush recently vetoed a bill which would have brought more investment into ESC research. There are serious critics within the US Congress of ESC research. According to www.swissinfo.org, Pascale Steck of the Basel Appeal against Genetic Technology, an organization opposing stem cell research, says that people are wondering where these researchers would get the embryos for research purposes and who would decide the usage of the resulting stem cells. Patrick Goodenough says that many people who are opposed to ESC research believe that more funds and attention should be given to research that use adult stem cells that involves non-controversial sources including bone marrow, umbilical chords and lining of the nose.

When The Results of the Research Are Controversial: Vaccines for Obesity

Recently a team of Californian researchers mentioned in the proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) that they have developed a vaccine to combat obesity and weight gain. However, Dr William Colmers, A Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Alberta is not convinced by the Californian researchers. Colmers, while cautious about the finding of this controversial research, believes that there must be some potential dangers attached with it.

When the results of the research are controversial, it draws people's attention. This can lead temptations to exaggerate claims, and finally the field itself, like ESC research, becoming controversial. But controversial results can lead to even more new developments as researchers strive to resolve the controversy with new solutions.

Obesity And Pain Feed Off Of Each Other

Obesity has become one of the most prevalent medical conditions affecting the US population. The American Obesity Association reports that over 60% of the adult population can be classified as obese. Besides the risks for medical conditions such as high blood pressure, colon cancer and coronary heart disease, back pain is another area that has greatly impacted those who suffer from obesity. The medical conditions that result in back pain that are the most common risks are degenerative disc disease, disc rupture or herniation, and spondylolisthesis or slippage of the lower back. Other risks for obese back pain sufferers are spinal stenosis, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.

The spine carries the body's weight and disperses the weight that we encounter during our daily activities and rest periods. When we carry excess weight due to obesity, the spine absorbs the additional burden. This can lead to damage or structurally compromise the ability of the spine to do its job. Our lower back is the most sensitive to the effects of an overweight condition. The muscles in the lumbar spine region that support the back, thighs and pelvis can become weak and inflexible due to inadequate amounts of exercise and lessened mobility that frequently occur with obesity. With weakened muscles, the possibility of curvature of the spine increases dramatically in the lower back region. The result is poor posture and additional pain, as well as further affecting whatever medical condition the person is experiencing.

A sedentary lifestyle combined with an unbalanced diet can diminish the strength or density of our bones, leading to osteoporosis. The risk of fractures occurs when the actual design of the spinal column has been endangered by the weakened density of the bone structure. Fractures of the vertebrae are not a pleasant experience causing excruciating pain.

Osteoarthritis can be a result of excessive body weight causing a disproportionate amount of pressure and stress on the facet joints in the spine. Unhealthy posture may result in neck and back pain. The spine requires good posture and appropriate physical activity to provide the needed support to keep the spine healthy.

When you are obese, exercising is very difficult. It takes time to get to a level of activity that allows you breath well and not tire as quickly. If you are already experiencing back pain or other pains, exercising is even more difficult because of the very fact that you are exercising. Your body, muscles and joints are not accustomed to the activity and it is readily apparent in the additional pain that you experience. As much as the pain is too much to bear while beginning to exercise, the long term result of not exercising will be more pain that will only become more intense. Start slowly with gentle exercises that stimulate healing by allowing nutrients to flow to the spine. Every little bit of activity that the muscles and joints experience will condition them and strengthen them, so that it becomes easier and less painful over time.

When you add a healthy diet to your exercise program, you are providing additional assistance to your body to help it heal itself. Appropriate vitamins and nutrients are essential to better health. Balance is important, so consult with your doctor or other health care provider to ensure that you get the best results.

Obesity and pain feed off of each other. Once the pain starts, activity decreases so as to not aggravate the pain. The lessened activity results in a more sedentary lifestyle which promotes weight increase. As weight increases, more medical problems occur, bringing with it more pain. Experiencing more pain encourages less activity... It spirals out of control and simply does not stop - unless you take action by exercising and eating healthy.

The Epidemic of Obesity

One of the most serious problems dieticians have to encounter is that of obesity. According to the American Obesity Association (AOA), social structure, general and regional trends, socioeconomic transitions, as well as modernization and urbanization are the primary causes that led to the recent increase in obesity rates. The prevalence of overweight people is reported worldwide, both in developing and developed countries. Recent changes in consumption, culture, economic development and lifestyle have increased the problem of obesity, both in children and adults. Thus, it is of vital importance for people all around the globe to understand the risks associated with being obese and direct their efforts in reducing this alarming trend that is spreading.

The USA obesity rates have reached epidemic proportions and the numbers are socking. As recent statistical data indicate, 58 million people are overweight, 40 million obese and 3 million morbidly obese. These numbers are further supported by the fact that 8 out of 10 people over 25 years of age are overweight. Moreover, 78 percent of Americans do not meet the basic activity level recommendations. Even more alarming are the results that indicate a 76 percent increase since 1990 in Type II diabetes in adults belonging to the 30 to 40 age group.

Consequently, a variety of diseases and health problems appear to be directly related to the obesity trend monitored. As the scientific reports land on the physicians' desks, it is reported that 80 percent of Type II diabetes has to do with the increased levels of obesity in adults, 70 percent of cardiovascular disease is caused by poor eating habits, 42 percent of breast and colon cancers diagnosed belongs to obese individuals, 26 percent of high blood pressure is caused by the excess weight a person carries and 30 percent of gall bladder surgery is performed on a person that suffers from serious obesity problems. Moreover, obesity is also a risk factor in higher rates of certain types of cancer as well as fatty liver disease, vascular disorders, thrombosis, obstructive sleep apnea, musculoskeletal problems and gastro-esophageal reflux. Abdominal obesity is particularly associated with insulin resistance syndrome and cardiovascular disease.

If the numbers above have alarmed you enough to go and weigh out yourself, try to remember that suffering from obesity should not be something you should be ashamed of. You need support and guidance to change your eating and exercise habits, but most importantly you need to maintain your motivation. Eating smaller quantities is not enough. You have to eat right and keep yourself alert of the severe consequences related with poor nutrition and low exercise levels.

Why Is Obesity A Danger To The Heart?

We only have to look at a Titian painting to recognize that at one point in the history of Western culture, fat was considered beautiful. Before the 20th Century, corpulence was touted as a sign of wealth and luxury, largely because most people were barely surviving on a meager existence.

Ironically, now in our era of affluence and plenty, we have to contend with the health and economic problems of obesity. We have a population in North America that is more than 55% overweight. More than 20% of those overweight are considered obese, a situation which proves to be an economic burden on our Health Care system because of the coronary risk factors associated with obesity. In 2004, total national health expenditure in the USA was $1.9 Trillion or $6,280 per person.

Why is obesity a risk factor for heart disease?

Among obese individuals, triglyceride levels are unusually high, while HDL levels tend to be low; both of these situations are risk factors for heart disease. A recent study involving tissues collected from autopsies of 3000 men (15-34 years old) who had died of external causes (not heart related) identified an association between obesity and coronary atherosclerosis.

Abdominal fat which characterizes obese individuals is also an area of concern. A study of 1300 Finnish men (42-60 years old) suggests that abdominal fat is an independent and major risk factor for coronary events. Several reasons have been suggested for this: a) stomach fat is continually released into the bloodstream in the form of artery-clogging fatty acids; b) abdominal fat also releases compounds that facilitate risk factors such as atherosclerosis, metabolic syndrome and inflammation; c) abdominal fat initiates biochemical events that lead to insulin resistance, a precursor of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Obesity is often a precursor to metabolic syndrome, a dangerous health situation that is manifested through a cluster of symptoms--excess body fat, insulin resistance, low HDL cholesterol, high triglyceride levels and high blood pressure--all risk factors for coronary events. People with metabolic syndrome release immune system messengers called "cytokines" into their bloodstream. Cytokines lead to a communication breakdown between body cells and insulin which leads to excessive insulin production by the pancreas, creating a situation that is a literal "time bomb" for heart disease. In addition, this excessive insulin production can raise fibrinogen concentrations in the bloodstream, thus allowing blood to clot more easily, a situation that is a direct risk factor for heart attacks and strokes.

Because of their size, obese individuals are more often than not sedentary in lifestyle. Inactivity in and of itself is also a coronary risk factor. Data from more than 88,000 women in the Nurses' Health Study shows that a lean sedentary woman had 1.48 greater risks for coronary heart disease than a slightly heavier but physically active woman.

However, the same study also showed that obesity alone is a risk factor, in fact, an even greater risk factor than inactivity because coronary disease risk was highest for women who exercised the least and had the greatest waist-to-hip ratio. The conclusion that obesity itself is a risk factor is also supported by a study of 5881 overweight and obese individuals which showed that being overweight increased the risk of heart disease by 34%, while being obese increased the risk to 104%.

What can we do to help someone we know who is obese or dangerously overweight?

Acknowledgement of the problem is the first step. Very often, individuals are in a state of denial about the seriousness of their weight situation. A visit to the doctor or a healthcare professional who deals with the morbidly obese is essential. So are visits to a nutritionist, fitness consultant and body work therapist. Only then can the individual be presented with options viable and necessary for his or her situation.

In severe cases of obesity, surgery would be part of the solution. Lifestyle changes that include exercise and healthy eating are more than essential. Just as critical are bodywork therapies that can uncover some of the real issues behind addictive eating. Learning to read body cues of hunger, depression, stress is equally important for re-mapping a new life and a whole new cartography of food and consciousness, body and mind.

In Titian's day, the corpulent body was an idealized figure on canvass, essentially exiled to the realm of the fantastic or the realm of the unjust in a society where hunger was the norm. In our days, the corpulent body has its own tale to tell: a Quasimodo that is both the scourge and product of a culture addicted to perfection.