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Obesity
and Gender
From eDiets - The premier online diet, fitness, and healthy living
resource Obesity
knows no gender...
In the U.S., an estimated 60 percent of
all adults are overweight, and 20 percent are obese or 100 pounds over their
ideal body weight. More women are obese, but more men are overweight.
Overweight and obese people are more at risk for many chronic and devastating
diseases.
The No. 1 killer of Americans is heart disease,
an affliction closely related to obesity. There is also a strong relationship
between being overweight and suffering from hypertension, arthritis, and most
importantly, diabetes type 2. Obesity figures prominently in the development of
gallbladder disease, sleep apnea and asthma, too.
According to The American Cancer Society, evidence suggests that obesity
increases the risk for developing breast, colorectal and prostate cancer. In
addition, the risk for gallbladder, kidney and endometrial cancer is increased.
Obese men are 30 to 40 percent more likely to die of cancer than normal weight
men are. Obesity also makes cancer tumors more difficult to detect and
diagnose.
Overweight and obese people may develop an
aversion to exercise. It’s more difficult to move so over time, the excess
weight takes a toll on knees and hips. Joint and muscle problems develop and
are aggravated by obesity. Arthritis is often a result. A vicious cycle of
inactivity, weight gain, obesity, decreased activity, and more weight gain is
set in perpetual motion. Studies show that almost 25 percent of the population
never exercises! At least half of us don’t get the minimum recommended and
only 20 percent actually get enough activity to matter.
Your Weight is Just a Number on the Scale
I
always say that your weight is just a number on the scale. What you weigh is
not necessarily the deciding issue when evaluating your health and risks for
disease. You may be muscular! Muscle is a denser tissue and weighs more by
volume than fat. A muscular body is a heavier body, without the risk factors
associated with obesity. However, if you are above the upper range of weight
for height (BMI) and you do have health problems associated with obesity, you
need to revaluate your physique and perhaps create some goals.
Know Your Numbers
Pay attention to your
numbers. Men should get a physical and establish their blood lipid levels as a
baseline. It’s important to determine your levels of cholesterol and
triglycerides, and make sure your blood pressure is within a normal range. High
blood lipids may be a sign of increased risk for a heart attack. High blood
pressure increases risk for stroke.
Diet is not the only
factor in high cholesterol. Lifestyle factors such as smoking, stress and
activity influence your weight and your cholesterol. Uncontrollable factors
such as genetics, gender and age factor in too. Ideally, you want total
cholesterol below 200 milligrams/deciliter (mg/dl), LDL below 100, and HDL or
"healthy" cholesterol over 40. If your total cholesterol is above 240, expect
that your risk for heart disease has doubled.
The Bad
News: Anatomy is Destiny!
For men, it’s important
to pay attention to where the fat accumulates. Men tend to garner weight around
their abdomen, while women store it in their hips and thighs. Research has
shown that apple-shaped men and women have an increased risk of developing
obesity-related health problems.
More women than men
perceive themselves as overweight, regardless of their actual weight. More
women obsess about their weight and more women are on diets than are men, which
may or may not be a good thing! At any time, 45 percent of women and 25 percent
of men are trying to lose weight. A recent study published in the February
edition of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings revealed that almost 66 percent of men
and 48 percent of woman said they were overweight.
However, 73 percent of the men and 85 percent of the women were currently
trying to lose weight or avoid gaining more weight. What’s important is
that only a fraction of these overweight men and women are doing anything
constructive to reach these goals. Only 1/3 of these men and 1/5 of the women
are exercising or changing what they eat!
It’s not
easy to be thin in America! Our workload has increased so that now we spend
more time working than any other society. We’ve moved from an agrarian
society to an urban one, and with the hours spent working sedentary comes an
increase in body weight. On average, Americans weigh 8 pounds more than they
did 10 years ago, obesity has increased over 50 percent since 1980, we eat at
least 6 percent more calories than we did 20 years ago, and we don’t burn
them off!
Americans dine out on average at least five
times a week. Some eat away from home every day... and more than
once!
Portion size counts. A recent study in the American
Journal of Public Health shows that fast food portions are two to five times
larger than their original sizes. Fast food is cheap and restaurants make you
offers that you cannot refuse. For a few cents more, you can "super size"
everything. This trend started 30 years ago with frozen entrées.
Manufacturers complimented men by telling them that they needed "manly"
portions... a real man needs real calories. The reality is that accompanying
the increase in portion size is the increase in obesity.
Men tend to shop and cook less often than women do. Men tend to eat
take-out food more often and have less control over what they’re actually
eating!
For Some Good News!
That’s the BAD news! The good news is that men may have it easier than
women may when it comes to losing weight. Physiologically, muscle is more
metabolically active than fat. Men, who are more muscular than women, are
generally able to lose weight more easily and consistently. Men are very
goal-oriented and may treat a weight loss program as a project with a timeline
and end objective.
Women often complain that if they begin
a weight loss program at the same time as their significant other, the other
always loses weight more quickly and consistently. It may be because the man's
physique is more muscular which makes his body burns calories quicker. Or maybe
it is because men are determined to achieve the goal and do not deviate from
their program as much.
Strategies for
Success
The best strategy is committing to a healthy
lifestyle, without focusing on eliminating any one food. Small changes will
bring large rewards! Perhaps just eating out less often or choosing different
foods can make the difference.
Make some changes! Prioritize your
health. Diet and lifestyle can directly affect your risk for heart disease and
prostate cancer. You can control your risk when you control what you eat and
how much you exercise. Prostate cancer is the second leading type of cancer in
men. In 2001, new prostate cancer cases totaled 198,100 (about one new case
every three minutes). Diet can improve that risk factor. A low-fat, high-fiber
diet and regular exercise can slow prostate cancer cell growth by up to 30
percent, according to a new study by researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Cancer
Center and UCLA's Department of Physiological Science.
Heart disease
kills more Americans than any other condition, and diet is a contributing
factor. Eat a healthy diet, keep your weight within a healthy range for your
height and body type, kick the cigarettes and cigars, and drink moderately.
These key factors will help you avoid heart disease and certain cancers. Youll
feel great!
Did You Know?
There is a relationship
between stomach cancer and eating many preserved foods. The rate of stomach
cancer in American has dropped considerably from the 1930s because were eating
less smoked, pickled, salted and cured foods, especially meats. You may want to
avoid hot dogs, bacon, ham and pickled vegetables. Instead, enjoy fresh foods
and stay healthy!
eDiets Director of Nutrition
Services Susan L. Burke, M.S., R.D., L.D., CDE is a Registered and Licensed
Dietitian, and a Certified Diabetes Educator who specializes in both general
and diabetes-related weight management. . |
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