Articles filed under 'OBESITY'
Several decades ago, doctors routinely told their pregnant patients to gain about 25 pounds but no more than 35 pounds. Today, however, more expectant mothers may already be overweight or obese before conceiving. In these instances, weight gain guidelines should be reduced.
According to the March of Dimes, carrying too much weight while pregnant increases risks to mother and baby. These complications can include birth defects, problems with labor and delivery, death of the fetus, or delivery of very large babies. Overweight mothers are also more likely to produce babies who are too heavy as toddlers.
Setting appropriate pregnancy weight gain guidelines can be aided by referring to the woman’s body mass index (BMI) at the time she conceives. BMI is a combination of height and weight. Women with a “normal” body mass index are still encouraged to gain between 25 and 35 pounds. Women who are especially thin may be encouraged to gain up to 40 pounds. For those with a higher BMI (over 26), 15 pounds of weight gain may be more appropriate.
In 2003, about 1 in 4 expectant women in the U.S. gained more than 40 pounds during their pregnancy, up from 1 in 5 in 1990. Many women are putting on 50 or 60 pounds with their pregnancies, which can cause complications such as gestational diabetes. Obstetricians point out that an obese woman already has stored nutrients and does not need much additional weight to provide for her developing baby.
Women would do well to get their weight under control before becoming pregnant. Once conception has occurred, eating a healthy diet and engaging in moderate exercise are important for both mother and developing child.
Source: CNN.com
August 17th, 2007
Xenical is a prescription weight loss drug primarily intended for adults who are obese, with a body mass index of 30 or higher. It can also be used effectively in those who are considered overweight (BMI of 27-29). Persons with other risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease or diabetes can also benefit from taking Xenical (orlistat) for weight loss.
Xenical must be taken in conjunction with a regular exercise program and a nutritionally balanced diet containing no more than 30% calories from fat. Taking a daily multivitamin supplement is also important, as Xenical reduces the absorption of vitamins from food.
This weight-loss drug works differently from other diet drugs, as it does not suppress your appetite. Instead, Xenical blocks the absorption of a portion of your dietary fat intake to produce weight loss. As a result, Xenical produces gastrointestinal side effects that usually occur in the first weeks of treatment. Side effects usually taper off after the first few months. You may experience side effects such as gas with oily discharge, underwear stains, and an increased number of bowel movements. These side effects can be minimized by staying within the 30% dietary fat guidelines.
If side effects become distressing, discuss the symptoms with your prescribing doctor or pharmacist. You should not take Xenical if you are pregnant, nursing, have food absorption problems or reduced bile flow. Children should not be given Xenical for weight loss.
Several clinical studies have shown that after 52 weeks, persons on a reduced fat diet who took Xenical as prescribed lost an average of twice as much weight as those (in the control group) on the diet alone. That is, 13 pounds, compared to about 6 pounds. Within the first three months, those on Xenical had lost 3% of their body weight. There is clear scientific evidence to demonstrate that obese or significantly overweight persons who lose as little as 5% to 10% of their body weight can improve their health.
The clear health benefits of the effects of weight loss with Xenical on other weight-related health problems such as high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure have been assessed in seven studies of 1 to 2 years. These studies involved multicenters, double-blind, and placebo-controlled clinical trials. More than 4,100 patients took part.
Clearly, there is now a weight loss drug that effectively takes weight off and helps improve general health if your excessive pounds put you at risk. The question is, will the side effects be tolerable to you? Will you be motivated to do the following:
- Set realistic, achievable weight-loss goals with your doctor?
- Take Xenical three times daily with meals?
- Record your food intake each day, and eat a reduced-calorie diet with 30% or less calories from fat?
- Take one multi-vitamin daily — 2 hours before or after taking Xenical or at bedtime?
- Maintain a realistic exercise program?
An over-the-counter version of Xenical, a reduced-strength version, is now being sold under the name “alli.” This drug is approximately half-strength of the prescription version. Alli is also intended for use along with diet and exercise programs. Taking the drug without the other components is unlikely to produce the desired results.
The FDA recently approved the sale of alli without prescription. The agency cautioned that people who had organ transplants should not take orlistat (Xenical) or alli because of possible drug interaction side effects. Those taking blood-thinning medications or being treated for diabetes or thyroid disease should also consult a doctor before using alli, according to the agency.
Sources: xenical.com; cnn.com
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February 12th, 2007
Women who are obese may experience longer labors than women of normal weight when their labor is induced. Recent findings of a study at Saint Louis University were presented at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in May.
In research conducted by OB/Gyn physician Erin Brousseau, obese women who elected to have labor induced appeared to be at higher risk of longer labor and may require a Cesarean section.
Dr. Brousseau indicated that obese women needed more medication to activate labor. Of the 195 patients taking part in the study, medication given to those who were obese also took longer to begin working. She recommended that their doctors wait for labor to begin spontaneously.
Obese women who wish to conceive would be wise to lose significant weight before attempting to get pregnant. They should be carefully checked by their physicians in a pre-pregnancy physical exam.
May 21st, 2006
Recent evidence shows that being overweight in one’s 40s contributes to Alzheimer’s disease and similar brain dementias later in life. Other contributing factors are diabetes and cardiovascular disease, but fat itself appears to play an important role in brain impairment.
This new evidence concerning obesity and brain function was presented in April at the American Academy of Neurology in San Diego, CA. Study author Rachel A. Whitmer, a research scientist at Kaiser Permanente of Northern California, reported on her findings as part of a larger study of 9,000 Kaiser patients who were followed for 30 years.
Study participants submitted to measurements of thickness of skin folds both below the shoulder and at the back of the upper arm. Individuals with the thickest shoulder measurements were found to be almost three times as likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease as those who had less thickness in these areas.
Maria Carrillo of the Alzheimer’s Association suggested that overweight people are often more sedentary. As a result, their arteries can become clogged and restrict blood flow. Healthy eating and exercise can contribute to healthy brain functioning, she indicated.
In 2006, 4.5 million Americans have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Risk rises as people age. By 2050, with longevity increasing, the number is expected to increase to 16 million persons with the brain disease.
Sources: MedicineNet.com; Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente of Northern California
April 11th, 2006
Manufacturers are filling orders for larger car seats due to the increasing obesity epidemic involving young children. A study published in Pediatrics journal reveals that some 280,000 U.S. children between the ages of 1 and 6 are too heavy for weight limits of standard car seats. The most affected category is 3-year-olds who weigh more than 40 pounds.
Using car seats that don’t accommodate the increasing weight and girth of young children can put them at greater risk of injury in car accidents. In addition, older obese children may not fit into booster seats or have attained the height (57 inches) to use an adult seat belt.
Properly restraining toddlers in car seats or older children in booster seats has been shown to reduce risk of fatal injury by more than half. Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death for children in the U.S. Each year about 1.5 million youngsters are involved in crashes.
Sturdier car seats can help cut fatalities and serious injuries of heavier young children, but a price tag of $240 and higher may be more than many families can afford.
National growth charts and the 2000 census indicate that at least 283,305 children ages 1 to 6 are too heavy for standard safety seats. More than 23 percent of U.S. children ages 2 to 5 were overweight and more than 10 percent obese in 2001-2002, according to government data. Statistics are expected to show a continuing upward trend.
Sources: Oakland Tribune; 4/3/06 AP article by reporter Lindsay Tanner, CNN Money.com
April 7th, 2006
Type 2 diabetes is rising so rapidly in young children that many will die younger than their parents. This alarming trend is directly related to the epidemic of overweight or obese children we are seeing in many schoolyards today. Inactivity, overeating, and indulging in foods high in fat and sugar content are major factors in this looming health crisis.
Alice Waters, owner of renowned Chez Panisse Restaurant and Café in Berkeley, California, is working with groups of schoolchildren in a concerted effort to reverse this trend.
“Universal physical education is a start, and it’s a shame that schools have been cutting back on recess and gym,” Waters says. “But in a country where 9 million children over age 6 are obese, we need the diet part of the equation.”
Waters knows from experience that teaching children about food changes their lives. She helped to initiate the gardening and cooking program, the “Edible Schoolyard,” in Berkeley’s Public Schools. “Children’s eating habits stay with them for the rest of their lives,” Waters explains.
“The best way to defeat the obesity epidemic is to teach children about food — and thereby prevent them from ever becoming obese.”
Critical of the hamburgers, chicken nuggets and French fries that dominate school lunch programs, Waters also bemoans the fast disappearing shared family meal. Only a third of married couples with children report having dinner regularly together.
In schools without programs such as hers, it’s all too often that fresh fruit and salad get thrown out from cafeteria meals. Students frequently bring packaged junk food in their lunches or buy fast food after school.
Waters’ program began at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School 10 years ago, with a kitchen classroom and a garden full of fruits, vegetables and herbs. The Edible Schoolyard has become a model for a district-wide school lunch program.
At King School today, 1,000 children now grow, prepare and share fresh food. In addition, teachers incorporate food-related activities into the math, science and history curriculum.
“When a healthy lunch is part of a class that all children have to take, for credit – and when they can follow food from the garden to the kitchen to the table, doing much of the work themselves – something amazing happens.
Students want to taste everything. They get lured in by foods that are beautiful, that taste and smell good… When children grow and prepare good, healthy food themselves, they want to eat it, and what’s more, they like this way of learning.”
Waters calls for a “delicious revolution” that will induce children in a pleasurable way to think critically about what they eat. She advocates food studies as part of a core curriculum for all students from kindergarten through high school.
“It will be costly,” she admits, “but if we don’t pay now, the health care bill later will be astronomical.”
San Francisco Chronicle, 2/24/06; The New York Times; from an op-ed article by Alice Waters
March 26th, 2006
