Prevention of obesity

Overweight and obesity-the result of the formation of abnormal or excessive fat deposits, which can be harmful to health. According to WHO, the diagnosis of "overweight " or" obese " in adults is made in the following cases:

• BMI greater than or equal to 25 — overweight;
• BMI greater than or equal to 30 — obese.

BMI (body mass index) is the most convenient measure for assessing the level of obesity and overweight in the population, since it is the same for both sexes and for all age categories of adults. The main cause of obesity and overweight is an energy imbalance, in which the caloric content of the diet exceeds the energy needs of the body. The following trends are observed worldwide: increased consumption of foods with high energy density and high fat content, and a decrease in physical activity due to the increasingly sedentary nature of many activities, changes in the way of movement, and increasing urbanization.

Increased BMI is one of the main risk factors for non-communicable diseases such as:

• cardiovascular diseases (mainly heart disease and stroke);
• diabetes mellitus;
• disorders of the musculoskeletal system (especially osteoarthritis — an extremely disabling degenerative joint disease);
• some oncological diseases (including cancer of the endometrium, breast, ovary, prostate, liver, gallbladder, kidney, and colon).

The most dangerous for health is the so-called abdominal obesity, in which adipose tissue accumulates mainly in the abdominal area. This type of obesity is associated with a large percentage of cardiovascular diseases and high mortality. Abdominal obesity is quite easy to assess by measuring the waist circumference. This indicator should be less than 94 cm in men and less than 80 cm in women.

To reduce body weight, you need to consume fewer calories than your body has used so far. In general, food consists of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, mineral salts and water. The main sources of energy necessary for the vital activity of the body are carbohydrates, fats and proteins. The daily requirement for protein is on average 1 g per kilogram of body weight, or 80-120 g, 1 g of protein gives 4 kcal.

From foods rich in protein, preferably:

• low-fat varieties of meat, fish;
• white poultry meat, especially turkey;
• low-fat varieties of milk, kefir, cottage cheese, cheeses (Ossetian, Adyghe, cumin cheese, camembert, etc.), where the fat is less than 30%);
• legumes and mushrooms.

 Carbohydrates are the main source of energy, as they release it faster than other components of the diet. Carbohydrates that come from food are used to cover the energy costs of the body, and a small part of them is stored in reserve in the muscles and liver. Note: 1 g of carbohydrates contains 4 kcal. With a properly formulated diet, 60% of the body's energy needs should be provided by carbohydrates. Give preference to hard-to-digest carbohydrates; avoid fast-to-digest carbohydrates if possible! It is better to eat carbohydrate-containing foods with the highest fiber content: wheat and rye bran, bread made from coarse flour; cereals (buckwheat, oatmeal, pearl barley, millet, rice, barley); beets, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, turnips, melons and other vegetables; almost all fruits (except bananas, grapes, dates).

Start each meal with a vegetable salad: this will help you control your weight!

Avoid fatty foods, eat foods that are low in fat! When burning 1 g of fat, the body gets 9 kcal! The less fat you consume, the more stable your body weight, the easier it is to lose weight! Avoid or minimize the use of the following products: butter and ghee, lard; mayonnaise, cream; fat cheeses (more than 30% fat content); nuts (50-75% fat), seeds; cakes, pastries, homemade pastries; fatty meats (pork, lamb), fish (sturgeon, halibut), poultry; fatty boiled and smoked sausages, ham, bacon, ham, brisket; canned fish in oil. Use low-fat products; remove fat from meat and remove the skin from poultry; use less oil when cooking, try not to fry food, but to stew; use a grill, microwave, oven; fill salads with low-calorie seasonings: lemon juice, herbs, garlic, mustard, tomato ketchup; buy canned fish in its own juice or with vegetable seasonings.  Do not forget to drink a glass of water before eating; drinking liquid before eating a little quenches hunger and saves from overeating; for drinking, use spring, well, mineral water, purified or at least distilled tap water; drink water in small sips; make the water delicious: add ice cubes and lemon juice to it.

Avoid drinking alcohol!

The most reliable way to lose weight is a rational diet, taking into account your personal tastes. You can eat whatever you like, but in moderation. Gradually eliminate from the diet all the foods from which you get better. Try to find a replacement for them. By giving up useless products, you become the master of the situation and completely control the situation! Before you eat something, think about whether you are hungry. This will help you avoid unconsciously overeating, and, consequently, extra pounds. If you really don't want to eat that much, stop! Never be afraid to leave food on the plate if there is more than you need. Next time, prepare exactly as much as you need. Eat regularly: it's better than eating too much twice a day. Never promise yourself food as a reward. Don't eat to cheer yourself up. This habit is easy to acquire, but it is difficult to get rid of it. Do not taste food when cooking: it makes you fat. Eat slowly, chewing your food thoroughly. If you are used to absorbing food too quickly, then you continue to eat mechanically even when your stomach is already full. And this leads to systematic overeating. Control yourself at parties, at receptions, during outdoor recreation - in short, in all situations when you are tempted to overeat. Restrain yourself when the table is full of food! Still, it's easier than dropping pounds for a long time afterwards. When you feel unbearable hunger, eat something low-calorie, such as an apple, or drink tea with lemon, or even better-a glass of water. In any case, you have temporarily deceived hunger,

When buying food in the store, learn how to read labels, choose food. Pay attention to the amount of fat, calorie content of food. In order for your weight loss program to be successful, you need to increase your physical activity. The most effective for weight loss and overall health are outdoor sports activities: walking, running, swimming, cycling, aerobics, rowing, jumping rope, cross-country skiing. Start practicing a little (5-10 minutes a day) and gradually increase the duration of classes to 20-30 minutes three times a week.

Remember that obesity is a serious disease! Therefore, you need to seek help from specialists!

Endocrinologist,
GUZ " Lipetsk Regional Clinical Hospital»,
Angelika Vasilyevna Yudina