Obesity Specialists Report

There are many claiming to be obesity specialists and in this series of articles I will try to present the varying views of some of these so called specialists.
The first report comes from a supplement to the Mayo Clinic Health Letter. Many reasons for maintaining healthy weight are sited:

    Even moderate overweight places a constant burden on your back and legs
    Obesity specialists also say being overweight puts you at higher risk for complications following surgery
    Susceptibility to diseases like type 2 diabetes
    More vulnerable to cardiovascular disease and stroke
    High blood pressure
    Increased risk for developing cancer of the breast, prostate, colon and uterus
    More likely to develop gallstones and respiratory problems such as sleep apnea
    And last but not least, it is not uncommon for overweight adults to experience psychological, stress, reduced income and discrimination

Even weight losses as small as 5 to 10 percent can bring significant health benefits according to all obesity specialists. And where you carry your weight – apple shaped where  fat is concentrated around your waist; or pear shaped when weight is concentrated on the hips and thighs is an important factor when considering health risks.
The obesity specialists at Mayo recommend a sensible approach to losing weight by  limiting calories and eating foods from the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid.

Serving sizes count! 

    2 1/2 ounces fish or chicken is the size of a deck of cards; 1 1/2 ounces of beef the size of 1/2 deck.   
    vegetables 1 cup
    small apple-size of a tennis ball                                                                                                        
    1/2 cup of pasta 
    2 ounces of cheese is the size of 4 dice                                                   
    1/2 cup of dry cereal; 1/2 bagel, or 1 slice of bread

Obesity specialists suggest  you look for these five criteria when evaluating a weight management program.

    Safety—adequate nutrition – should provide all the Recommended Dietary Allowances
    Reasonable weight-change goals – slow and steady – rapid weight loss is mostly fluid not fat
    Physician participation—consult your doctor if you go on a very low calorie diet or plan to lose more that 15 to 20 pounds
    Help in changing lifestyle—losing weight does little good if you can’t keep it off. You must learn new habits for eating and for exercise
    Upfront information on fees—know exactly how much a program is going to cost including supplements or foods you will have to purchase

Aim for a healthier lifestyle. Obesity specialists will tell you to make this your goal – not the number of pounds you can lose.