OBESITY AND WEIGHT LOSS DIET

One of three people in the U.S. is overweight. About 20% of the population is even meets the clinical criteria for obesity. Here is some information about obesity and weight loss diet excerpted from an article in www.mothernature.com.

Because excess body weight enhancing the risk for many disorders, including heart disease, diabetes, several cancers, prostate enlargement, female infertility, uterine fibroids, gallstones, gestational hypertension, and various disorders of pregnancy, maintaining a healthy body weight seems prudent. Weight loss can significantly improve physical function and vitality as well as decreased bodily pain. So, weight loss diet is very important for people with obesity.

Conventional weight loss diet plan to overcome obesity includes dietary changes to limit fat and calories, increased exercise, and changes in eating habits or patterns.

Dietary changes in weight loss diet for obesity include limitation of fat intake. Foods with a high proportion of calories from fat should be limited from the weight loss diet; these include red meat, dark poultry meat, poultry skins, fried foods, dairy products, junk foods, and most processed foods. Vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, and avocados should be consumed in moderation while fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and nonfat dairy products (with low-fat fish for non-vegetarians) should be predominated the diet.

Adequate amounts of dietary fiber are believed to be important in weight loss diet to overcome obesity. Fiber contains bulk and tends to produce a sense of fullness, helping people consume fewer calories. Foods containing high amounts of carbohydrate with high Glycemic Index (GI – a numerical value that shows certain food’s ability to raise and sustain blood glucose levels), such as white rice, baked potato, corn flakes, white bread, which promotes a more rapid return of hunger and increases subsequent intake of calories, should be substituted with a lower GI food, such as brown rice, all-bran cereal, oat bran bread, whole grains.

Lifestyle changes in weight loss diet for people with obesity may include shopping from a list, storing foods out of sight, keeping portion sizes under control, and avoiding fast-food restaurants. Attending group sessions aimed at changing eating and exercise patterns, keeping daily records of food intake, and exercising and eating a specific low-calorie diet are much more successful in helping to make this lifestyle changes.

Exercise has been found to enhance the effectiveness of weight loss diets. Studies have shown that exercise alone can promote weight loss in people with obesity. Preliminary research suggests that the most significant contribution by exercise may be in helping to maintain weight loss following a diet.

The most successful weight-loss programs appear to use a combination of moderate caloric restriction, moderate exercise, and behavior modification, including examination and adjustment of eating habits.

Diets that are low in total calories may not contain adequate amounts of various vitamins and minerals. For that reason, taking a multiple vitamin-mineral supplement is advocated by many types of weight loss diet plan for people with obesity.