UNDERSTANDING OBESITY

A study in the International Journal of Obesity (vol.10, 1986) showed that too many weight conscious people get most of their dietary information from popular magazines. And worse still, many doctors are told by patients that they are following certain dietary advice in advertisements from TV, radio, magazine, and newspapers. These two sources grossly misinform individuals about the facts of being overweight.

In another study published in the International Journal of Eating Disorders (vol.3, 1984), it was revealed that 75% of the information in articles on dieting was unreliable. Fortunately, certain basic facts about being overweight do exist:

ü Being overweight or obese is not usually due to overeating. Actually, most overweight people eat very little, relative to their thin counterparts. (Actually, it's not unusual for a slim individual to consume in excess of 3,000 calories a day and maintain their weight.)

ü Dieting, through caloric restriction, may temporarily reduce the size of fat cells, but it does not decrease their number.

ü Probably most overweight and many obese individuals have a lowered metabolism which is partly or mostly responsible for their condition. Dietary restriction not only creates the risk of nutritional deficiency, it also typically slows the metabolism further. This is the reason why dieters classically gain back their weight, plus more, following a crash program. And almost all diet plans are of this short term, "quick loss" type.

WHAT YOU CAN DO...

Find out from a reputable professional if your metabolism is low. (Often, a low temperature - below 98.6 degrees F - indicates a sluggish metabolism.)

· Consider easy exercise as a healthy means of raising your metabolism and "burning fat." More intense forms of exercise often will not do this.

· Be sure to eat breakfast as part of a balanced diet. Also, don't be afraid to eat a variety of natural fats, such as butter, cream, vegetable oils, and eggs.

· Learn as much as you can from reliable sources. Ask your nutritionally - oriented doctor for recommendations.

In our next issue, we will discuss "A Healthy Way to Lose Fat."