more than just how people look. Weight problems can put people at risk for many

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1 Studies about Weight Problems Easy Read Volume # 18 Issue # 2 March/April 2008 Translated into plain language by Helen Osborne of Health Literacy Consulting Original article by Élan Young It may not sound so bad when people have weight problems. But it is. Weight problems range from being overweight to obese. They affect more than just how people look. Weight problems can put people at risk for many serious health concerns. How do people know if they are obese? One way is with the Body Mass Index (BMI). This estimates a person s body fat based on his or her height and weight. For most women, a BMI of 30 or more is thought of as obese. For most men, a BMI of 25 and over is thought of as obese. Here are some recent studies about weight problems along with ideas about what to do about them. Weight problems and health concerns People who are obese are at increased risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer and other serious and costly health concerns. Page 1 of 6

2 Sometimes it is hard to know which came first the health or weight problem. For instance: When people are morbidly obese (weigh at least twice as much as they should) they may be thought of as having a disability. The Americans with Disabilities Act looks at obesity on a case-by-case basis and can decide that a person s physical impairments are so severe that they are a disability. People with disabilities are more likely to be obese. One reason is that it can be harder for people to exercise when they have trouble walking or other lowerextremity problem (Journal of the American Medical Association, September 11, 2002). People with lower-extremity amputations are advised to maintain a healthy weight. While there is little research about obesity among adults with amputations, being a healthy weight helps people heal after surgery or other traumas. Amputees at healthy weights also have more choices when it comes to prostheses. To learn more, read Prosthetic Problems When Amputees Are Overweight or Obese by Kahle and Highsmith. Page 2 of 6

3 SAD state of American diets Standard American diet (SAD) is a term used to describe what average Americans eat. SAD seems like a fitting term given the many problems with food that people eat today. Some studies suggest that high-fructose corn syrup in soft drinks is one factor in today s high rates of obesity. A second factor is that people eat a lot of fats and carbohydrates rather than more healthy vegetables and whole grains. Most experts agree that SAD problems are made worse when people choose foods based on taste, cost and convenience. Exercise Many studies look at weight problems and exercise. Here are some of their findings: Many health experts believe that increased rates of obesity in the U.S. have to do with lack of exercise and physical activity. One study looked at obesity rates when people work at desk jobs and sit down most of the day. Another study looked at obesity in terms of how much time people Page 3 of 6

4 spend driving their cars, not walking (American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2004). Another study suggests that older adults live longer when they are physically fit and get even a small amount of exercise each day. Being fit matters more than how much people weigh. (JAMA, December 5, 2007). One project looked at how often people ride bikes and walk. It found increased rates of obesity when people do little of this exercise. The project recommends that cities and suburbs help by finding ways to be more friendly for people who walk and bike. Until then, people can go to gyms and athletic clubs but this can be a problem because of access, price, and motivation (Thunderhead Alliance Benchmarking Project, 2007). The message is clear: Starting an exercise program at any age and at any weight is one of the best ways to improve health right away. Weight loss and sleep Some studies look at sleep and weight loss. One found that obesity in children and adults is linked to sleep deprivation (lack of sleep). This may be due to how sleep affects those hormones that make people feel hungry. It may be that sleeping at Page 4 of 6

5 least 20 minutes each night helps people better manage their health and weight. Sleeping at least hours each night is ideal (University of Warwick Medical School in England, 2006). Friends A new study suggests that friends and family can affect people s weight. One reason may be that people share the same daily patterns. It can also be that being obese becomes the norm in a person s social setting. This research is helping health professionals figure out the best way to communicate health messages, such as at work or in the grocery store. (New England Journal of Medicine, July 26, 2007). Family genes Studies are also looking at obesity in terms of family genes (how genes from parents and grandparents affect a person s health). These studies are complex because many factors are involved. What is learned so far is that people store energy as fat at different rates. This means that even though other people in your family are obese, you do not have to be. The habits we learn as children (such as Page 5 of 6

6 what to eat or how often to exercise) often matter more than genes when it comes to weight. Ways to fight obesity The World Health Organization reports that more people in this world are now obese than undernourished. In fact, they refer to this as globesity (global obesity epidemic). Some experts believe that the best way to fight obesity is to create policies about food. For instance, these could be to: Increase government aid for programs to prevent obesity. Start taxing the price of sodas. Teach people about obesity, why it happens, and how they can help. Create support systems to help people take charge of their own health. Translated from The Obesity Epidemic a Patchwork of Predictors Page 6 of 6