Childhood Obesity: Physical Effects

Obesity can be a problem as early as kindergarten for some children. Children who suffer from obesity will most likely endure a lifelong struggle with physical and emotional consequences.
Physical effects of obesity in children include difficulty keeping up with physical activities, problems sleeping, and trouble with breathing. Not only are obese children more often affected by asthma, they also have problems with sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is being recognized with more frequency as the incidence of pediatric obesity rises. Clinically significant effects on learning and memory function have been documented in children with obstructive sleep apnea as a consequence of obesity. (Must, Aviva, Ph.D., ET AL, 2003 "Effects of Obesity on Morbidity in Children and Adolescents" Nutrition in Clinical Care, p. 8).

Childhood obesity clearly impacts the health of the growing child. Furthermore, it is considered an important disease because of its link to long-term health problems including type II diabetes, hypertension, some forms of cancer, lack of energy and asthma. The incidence of type II diabetes in children is expected to grow in parallel with the rise in obesity. Onset diabetes in childhood is a predictor of early onset of diabetes complications including cardiovascular disease, kidney failure and amputations (Must, p. 131). Approximately 60% of overweight five to ten year old children experience at least one associated biochemical or clinical cardiovascular risk factor, such as hyperlipidemia, elevated blood pressure, or increased insulin levels, and 25% have two or more (Koplan, JP, Deitz WH., "Calorie Imbalance and Public Health Policy" The
Journal of the American Medical Association, 1999. p 1579).

Children from lower income families are at a greater disadvantage because the majority of this population resides in neighborhoods with intimidating playgrounds. Concerned with street safety, children are often kept inside by parents and they tend to spend more time in front of the television or playing video games.

Playgrounds in lower income neighborhoods tend to be filthy, with broken bottles, trash and graffiti covering the park. Although the playground has basketball courts, swings and jungle gyms, they are generally not child friendly. The parks are usually populated with young adults hanging out, intimidating the younger children. This is not a safe environment for children to play in and not one in which children could safely play unsupervised.

Schools are contributing to childhood obesity by failing to make physical education an important part of the curriculum. Children don't get enough exercise at school. Time allotted for gym is inadequate and infrequent. Teachers can try to compensate by providing their classes with additional outside play time. The physical education program is extremely vital and deserving of more attention.

Implementation of after school programs that emphasize physical activities such as kickball and basketball should be a priority. There is a need for an after school athletic program at the elementary level to augment the physical education program and provide a safe, healthy environment for lower income children as well. This would be a benefit for children as well as parents, and an important factor in reducing obesity in children.
Copyright (c) 2007 Gurion Blattman

The Heaviest Man On Earth

Manuel Uribe, born in Monterrey, Mexico is not just any other ordinary man on the street. He holds the distinction of being the heaviest man on earth. He weights 560 kg (over 1200 pounds.)

To get a feel of exactly how heavy he is, you need imagine an adult male, and another, and another, and another (this can go on for a little while more)… He is almost as heavy as seven adult men.

Manuel Uribe, “I take one day at a time. The doctors told me I had a choice. To choose life or to choose death. I chose life.”

According to Duncan Kennedy, a BBC reporter, Manuel Uribe is surprisingly not depressed, rather he's happy,

“At his peak, he weighed 560kg, or 1234lb, or 88st. That's half a ton. Small Japanese cars come in lighter.

I got a shock when I first met Manuel. He'd agreed to meet us at his home in Monterrey, northern Mexico.

I had expected him to be closeted in an upstairs bedroom, out of sight. But no. These days you could not meet a more engaging, funny and contented man.
And the cause of his new found happiness? His weight loss. “
In the past year, Manuel has shed 180kg/400lbs off his body, that’s almost equivalent to two full grown man climbing out of his body!

Lack of Discipline or a Genetic Problem The question here boils down to this, is it even possible to eat till a state where you end up weighing 1200 pounds? This man here is not a kid like 400 Pounds Jessica, he's a grown man who is aware of his doings and even has a supportive mother who cooks his meals daily for this bed-ridden soul.

Doctors think that there might be a fault in his genes which triggered the inflammation of his molecular structure, therefore causing him to gain weight uncontrollably.

‘We Don’t Have an Explanation’ Dr. Jaime Gonzalez makes house calls to Uribe once a week. His goal: to help his patient lose 1,000 pounds. Uribe's legs and lower body are massaged daily to improve blood circulation. Amazingly, Manuel is perfect health despite his massive weight!
He has no high blood pressure, no high cholesterol, no triglycerides, and no diabetes. Simply put, he's a healthy man who is just, well, overweight.

The Zone Diet Everything Manuel eats now is calculated down to the last detail, literally. His nutritionist says that the diet focuses on controlling his hormones.

"It's about controlling his hormones," says Alejandra Garcia, one of Manuel's nutritionists.
A sample of Manuel’s meal right now includes a sumptuous bowl of fish soup, complete with large chunks of fish. Followed by this is a grapefruit, half an apple and ending it off with 18 peanuts. Yes, 18 peanuts.

‘I Choose Life’ Manuel Uribe, “I take one day at a time. The doctors told me I had a choice. To choose life or to choose death. I chose life.”

With his life getting back on track, Manuel now has a girlfriend and even wants to have children. He has his own website and has started a Foundation to spread the word that weigh loss for obese people is possible. He has also bought himself a giant massage machine to maintain the circulation in the legs as he can no longer close or move them.
Manuel says his aim is to get down to 120kg/264lbs.

Show your support to Manuel Uribe by dropping words of encouragement for him in our comments panel just below.

His battle to be normal has touched us and in time, we hope he will motivate you too!
By Darcy Dal

Atkins Diet Food List

Though the Atkins diet is not as popular as it once was, there are still plenty of people who are on it, and plenty more who still want to try to do it. There are some specific things you have to do to follow this diet, and you will need to know the Atkins diet food list before you can begin. Unlike other diets, this one is extremely restrictive in the first phase, but broadens after just two weeks. Though it can be tough, there are many who claim it is very much worth a try.

When you first start, your Atkins diet food list will be very small. You will be restricted to some different types of meat, and a short list of vegetables. This induction phase has very little of any type of carbohydrates and is meant to kick your body into a different way of dealing with calories. It should start your body thinking it needs to burn its food stores. You should start to feel better within a few days, and you might be surprised at how much you lose in the first week.

After the first two weeks, you will be able to slowly introduce some limited carbs. You are probably still avoiding bread and other processed and complex carbohydrates. By now your weight loss should slow down a bit, but this is how it is supposed to go. Your body should be settled into a new way of processing your foods, and as long as you limit the carbs as you should be, you should be doing just fine. Many can’t follow this because they love bread so much, and many other favorites are not included on the Atkins diet food list.

When you go on this diet, there are a few things that are more important than the Atkins diet food list, however. You have to remember that you should still keep your portions down to a decent size, and that you should cut out fats. There are some who go on this diet thinking they can eat whatever they want as long as they are not having carbohydrates, and that is just not true. You should also talk to your doctor before you begin if you have ever had any type of heart or cholesterol problem in your past. Though this diet can be great to get your weight down, and to make you feel better, it can be hard on the heart if you have had problems.

Losing Weight Is Very Hard - I Am Giving Up!

Trying to lose weight and keeping up with a strict diet regime is really a challenge for most of us. Staying fit and healthy has its positive advantages. You will have a better quality of life, higher self-esteem, lower health risks and sometimes a better career path.

Recently, I made a promise to my family that I will cut my weight down by another 20% and will maintain a healthy BMI. I have been looking around for the best approach to losing weight. I then came across an interesting diet strategy that encourages people to take smaller meals several times a day.

I did a further research and was surprised to find out that even the Singapore Minister Mentor has been practising it for many years.

In fact, it has proven that by taking smaller meals several times a day, our metabolism will be higher and we will burn fat at a faster rate.

So to lose weight effectively, you must be determined to change your diet pattern:
- decide what you eat
- how you will eat
- your behaviour, and
- your activity level.

For a start, you shouldn’t set your target too high. Losing too much weight at a short time will do you more harm than good. You should set a small goal (e.g. 3 pounds; 5 percent of your current weight) that is attainable and easier to stay focus on.

To conclude, there is no magical pill or a quick solution for weight loss. It’s going to take a lot of discipline and hard work.
By Alan Ten

Are Your Kids Getting Fat This Summer?

More and more schools are addressing the problem of childhood obesity with increased activity and better food choices, but here's the problem. What happens when kids leave the structure of school for the summer?

They gain weight according to a recent study conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Gone are the days of our childhood, when we were sent out of the house in the morning to play in the neighborhood and returned for meals. We live in a different world -- yet, our kids need to be active.

Here are some tips to keep your kids healthy this summer:

Skip the soda. Kids need water, and lots of it. Soda, powdered drink mixes, and juices add calories your kids don't need and have trouble burning off. If your kids don't like water, try adding a splash of 100% juice or juice flavored ice cubes. If your kids are active outside on days warmer than 90 degrees you might consider giving them a sports drink -- but they don't need the added calories or sodium otherwise.

Structure when they eat. Eat at the table for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Limit snacking to once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Snacks should be small and include fresh fruits and vegetables when possible.

Limit TV time. One or two hours of television or computer/video game time per day is plenty.

Plan something active. Everyday make sure your kids are moving for about an hour. This can be split into two 30 minute sessions or three 15 minute sessions. Walking the dog, mowing the lawn, cleaning up around the house are all good ways the kids can help and be active at the same time. Don't forget about fun games like tag or even playing in the sprinkler. Simply playing at the playground or shooting baskets can get them moving.

Keep out the junk. If the chips aren't in the house, the kids won't eat them. Fill your cupboards and fridge with healthy snack choices.

Of course, all of these tricks will help parent stay healthy this summer too!
By Eliz Greene

Teenage Obesity Results In Premature Death

Obesity has been growing rapidly in the adult population of many western nations for some years now and is officially at epidemic proportions. This is worrying enough in itself, but of much more concern perhaps should be the increasing incidence of obesity in adolescents and even younger children. In the United States today obesity is seen in more than 15 percent of teenagers and this figure is rising steadily.

So just what are the risks from obese teenagers?

The risks in teenagers are very much the same as those seen in adults and include sleep apnea, high blood pressure and the development of coronary diseases amongst other things. However, most importantly, obesity in your teenage years can actually lead to your premature death.

In 1989 the National Institute for Health funded a study designed to follow the health of a large group of young women over an extended period and to look, amongst other things, at diet and lifestyle risks. More than 100,000 women (employed as nurses across the United States in states including California, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and others) between the ages of 24 and 44 were enrolled into the study.

All of those taking part in the study completed a comprehensive questionnaire at the outset, which included details of their medical history and such things as their weight during their teenage years, and were then closely monitored over a 12 year period.

During the period of the study a total of 710 of the participant died and when the researchers studied these deaths they discovered that there was a connection between obesity in these women in their teenage years and premature death. Indeed, the study showed that women who were obese as teenagers were at three times more risk of premature death than those of normal weight.

Today a great deal of attention is being focused upon finding a solution to the growing problem of obesity and this is quite rightly creating considerable research into the problem itself. As each day passes we are beginning to understand the risks of obesity more and more and the figures being produced by a whole range of studies make quite frightening reading.

Let us hope that it is not too long before we find a solution and reverse this rising trend in obesity.
By Donald Saunders

Easy and Effective Weight Loss Does Not Involve Products, Diets or Foods - It's an Inside Job

It turns out that the best weight loss products may not be products at all! It may simply be a better, healthier use of your time.

The number one reason people overeat is for emotional reasons and the number one emotion is stress. The antidote to stress can’t be purchased; it must be learned. It’s relaxation.

In our world, there seems to be 2 speeds: Pedal to the metal and sleep. We scarcely take the time to go to the bathroom when we need to, much less nourish our bodies and souls. The way to lose weight and keep it off, is to change the underlying issues and not go on another diet! The biggest problem with dieting is that it removes your coping tool—food—and doesn’t replace it. Of course you regain weight after the diet is over. You haven’t learned how to KEEP IT OFF!

Here are ten EASY ways to lose that excess weight and NOT find it again.

1. Eat less. You don’t need separate methods of weight loss and weight maintenance. The tools you use to take the weight off are the same tools you’ll use to keep it off.
2. Eat healthier. Drive by the drive thru.
3. Eat more often. Please don’t be caught by surprise when you get hungry during the day. It has happened to you every day of your life. Plan for it by having healthy food available and take a moment to eat it. Do NOT eat 4-5 small MEALS a day. Eat 5 TIMES a day: An piece of fruit or a small slice of cheese or a few almonds—all qualify as one of the 4-5 times you eat during the day.
4. Go for a walk. If you have no other exercise plan, this is the best, cheapest, easiest way to begin to get into better shape. Walk 10 minutes in a straight line, then turn around and walk back. Twenty minutes is about 1/100th of your day. You have the time. Your job is to make your own health enough of a priority that you take the time.
5. Feel your feelings instead of eat them. When you have the urge to eat quickly ask yourself what you’re feeling. If it’s not hunger, take a moment to feel your emotion, to ask why you’re feeling it and what might you do that will really help the feeling instead of stuffing it down with food.
6. Always leave food on your plate. If you clean your plate, then the food has decided when you quit eating. Do you really want food to have that much power over you? Leaving food on your plate tells your subconscious mind that food is really no big deal anymore.
7. Learn how to “idle.” We do “stop and go” very well. Just sit and listen to music with your eyes closed, learn to meditate, play a hypnosis CD—all of these will help you slow down a bit, which will reduce your stress, which will reduce your stress eating.
8. Try a meat-free day occasionally. Most Americans eat too much meat which is up to 70% fat. Try ordering something vegetarian when dining out. You might just like it.
9. Reduce your sugar and flour intake. White flour foods turn into sugar in your mouth. Unused sugar in your body turns into saturated fat.
10. Don’t take it all too seriously. Laugh more, enjoy life despite your weight, have fun and get interested in something outside of yourself. At least once a day, pretend it’s recess and GO PLAY!

According to author and lecturer, Wayne Dyer, “You can never get enough of what you really don’t want.” For example, if you really want companionship, all the ice cream in the world won’t provide that for you.

Begin to recognize your real needs and fulfill them and you’ll automatically eat less and feel much, much better!

Katie Evans is the founder and CEO of the Living Lite Weight Loss Program, which shows people HOW to create a healthier lifestyle. When you use hypnosis and the incredible power of your subconscious mind, you will never diet again, you will simply learn how to create a new relationship with food. For those who wish to make a living helping people heal their lives so they can lose weight and keep it off, there are now Living Lite Licenses available.This is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to own her own business (we accept men licensees, too!) and still have support and guidance in setting up the systems. Ms. Evans is a published author, lecturer and entrepreneur. She also teaches "The Mental Game of Golf" on cruise ships.
By Katie Evans