Summary for Chapter 9 – Weight Management: Overweight, Obesity, and Underweight
Fat cells develop by increasing in number and size. Prevention of excess weight gain depends on maintaining a reasonable number of fat cells. With weight gains or losses, the body adjusts in an attempt to return to its previous status.
Obesity has many causes and different combinations of causes in different people. Some causes, such as overeating and physical inactivity, may be within a person’s control, and some, such as genetics, may be beyond it.
The question of whether a person should lose weight depends on many factors: among them are the extent of overweight, age, health, and genetic makeup. Not all obesity will cause disease or shorten life expectancy. Just as there are unhealthy, normal-weight people, there are healthy, obese people. Some people may risk more in the process of losing weight than in remaining overweight. Fad diets and weight-loss supplements can be physically and psychologically damaging.
Obese people with high risks of medical problems may need aggressive treatment, including drugs or surgery. Others may benefit most from improving eating and exercise habits.
A person who adopts a lifelong “eating plan for good health” rather than a “diet for weight loss” will be more likely to keep the lost weight off. Table 9-5 provides several tips for successful weight management.
Physical activity should be an integral part of a weight-control program. Physical activity can increase energy expenditure, improve body composition, help control appetite, reduce stress and stress eating, and enhance physical and psychological well-being.
A surefire remedy for obesity has yet to be found, although many people find a combination of the approaches just described to be most effective. Diet and exercise shift energy balance so that more energy is being expended than is taken in. Physical activity increases energy expenditure, builds lean tissue, and improves health. Energy intake should be reduced by 500 to 1000 kcalories per day, depending on starting body weight and usual food intake. Behavior modification retrains habits to support a healthy eating and exercise plan. This treatment package requires time, individualization, and sometimes the assistance of a registered dietitian.
Preventing weight gains and maintaining weight losses require vigilant attention to diet and physical activity. Taking care of oneself is a lifelong responsibility.
Both the incidence of underweight and the health problems associated with it are less prevalent than overweight and its associated problems. To gain weight, a person must train physically and increase energy intake by selecting energy-dense foods, eating regular meals, taking larger portions, and consuming extra snacks and beverages. Table 9-5 (p. 299) includes a summary of weight-gain strategies.