Test Your Knowledge

Maintaining a healthy weight level is challenging for many people. Some recent research has found that the body may even be programmed to resist attempts to lose weight. However, many steps can be taken to achieve a healthy weight and they all revolve around three important concepts:

• Limiting the amount of calories in the diet
• Eating healthy foods
• Getting regular exercise

People maintaining a current healthy weight need to balance calorie consumption with the amount of calories burned through activity. People hoping to lose weight should try to expend more calories than they consume until they lose the amount of weight necessary to bring them to a healthy weight appropriate for their age, gender and body type.

However, individuals should be wary of fad diets and miracle cures. These “quick-fix” schemes rarely work for long. People are encouraged to avoid crash diets and fasting. Crash diets that suddenly and dramatically reduce calorie intake deprive the body of important nutrients that can cause health problems. Meanwhile, fasting tends to cause weight loss that is mostly water-based and also deprives the body of important nutrients.

People are urged to take inventory of eating habits and activity patterns and set realistic goals for achieving a healthy weight. This usually should be done in consultation with a physician or dietitian. In identifying a healthy weight for an individual person, certain factors will be taken into account, including:

• Body mass index (BMI). Weight in relation to height that does not directly measure body fat. A BMI of between 18.5 and 24.9 is said to be in the healthy range. Anything above that range may indicate increased risk for heart disease, diabetes and certain forms of cancer. Anything below that range may indicate increased risk for menstrual irregularity, infertility and osteoporosis.
  
  
• Waist-to-hip-ratio. The location and amount of body fat. Some people are said to be shaped like an apple, while others are shaped more like a pear. People shaped like an apple carry more abdominal and upper-body fat and may be at greater health risk than those who are shaped like a pear and who have greater excess weight in the hips, buttocks and thighs. Waist circumference measurement also can help determine whether a person has a healthy weight or not. A waist measurement of 40 inches (102 centimeters) or more in men and 35 inches (89 centimeters) or more in women signifies increased health risk, particularly in people who have a BMI of 25 to 35.
  
  
• Risk factors. These include weight-related problems such as diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke.

Experts recommend a gradual and systematic program of weight loss for shedding excess pounds. The tried-and-true methods for losing weight include portion control, eating the proper types of foods and regular exercise. Research shows that people who lose weight are more likely to keep it off if the weight loss is gradual and results from making long-term dietary changes and exercising regularly.

In addition, people who try to lose weight too rapidly by dramatically reducing their calorie intake are at risk for excessive loss of lean tissue. Severe calorie restriction is also often the first step in developing an eating disorder.

Experts recommend that women and inactive men consume approximately 2,000 calories a day, while men and very active women consume 2,500 calories a day. Each pound of body fat is equal to 3,500 calories. To lose 1 to 2 pounds per week, a person might consume between 300 and 500 fewer calories a day. Or, a person could divide the calorie loss between eating less and exercising more. For example, eating 250 fewer calories a day and burning an extra 250 calories a day through increased exercise would result in a total reduction of 500 calories a day.

A typical goal for losing weight in a healthy way might be to lose 10 percent of weight within a six-month period. For example, a woman weighing 170 pounds would strive to lose 17 pounds over a six-month period. To lose one-half pound a week, a person has to reduce daily intake by 250 calories. To lose 1 pound a week, reduce caloric intake by 500 calories (and so on).

People should also be wary of “wonder supplements.” Many diet pills have been associated with serious health risks, and people are urged to consult with their physician before taking them. Most of these drugs contain caffeine-like stimulants that can cause serious harm to the cardiovascular system, such as elevating blood pressure and causing abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias). There is no cure or remedy for obesity available in a pill. Weight loss requires a serious commitment to a well-structured program of healthy diet and regular exercise.

Nationally recognized programs are available that offer support and education about healthy eating. Studies continue to show that structured, disciplined weight-loss programs of diet, exercise, support and other strategies successfully help people to slowly lose weight and keep the weight off for five years.

People with a body mass index of 30 or more are at greater risk for heart disease or other serious illnesses and should consult with a physician or dietitian for further guidance on how to lose weight. A medical professional can help develop the best and safest course, based on an individual’s physical condition and realistic objectives.