With The Hot Months Approaching What Steps Can You Take
To Lose Weight And Stay In Shape?
Last week we caught up with up and coming Strength & Conditioning Coach Sharieff “Doctor Workout” Fisher, who is also a student at Queens College and the Assistant Director of the Hip-Hop 4 Better Health Program. Throughout the years he has worked with many celebrities and will now be providing “WEEKLY TIPS” to help children, youth and young adults lose weight and stay in shape. Here is what he has to say.
“Staying in shape at a young age has become a priority in my life and I want to share my wisdom and experience with all those that are looking for answers because they are having a hard time losing weight. Today, about one in three US children and teens is overweight or obese, nearly triple the rate in 1963. It is sad to say but childhood obesity is now the No. 1 health concern among parents in the US, topping drug abuse and smoking. Childhood obesity is so severe in the US that in 2009, the government declared it a national epidemic. Let’s look at the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and others that I have researched to help you in your struggle to lose weight.”
Kid Ink and Sharieff.
From 2009-2012 there were 35.7% of Americans 20 to 74 years old who were diagnosed as obese. That’s up from 31.1% a decade earlier and 13.3% in 1960-1962. The CDC considers adults obese when their body mass index, which takes into account weight and height, is 30 or higher. We will show you at the end of this report how to find out about your “Body Mass”.
Obesity has hit some groups harder than others. Non-Hispanic blacks have the highest age-adjusted rates of obesity (49.5%) compared with Mexican Americans (40.4%), all Hispanics (39.1%) and Non-Hispanic whites (34.3%).
What’s the cause for being obese and/or overweight?
The causes of obesity include a variety of health and economic issues, but it is also important to note that family trends and environmental factors also play a role. Minority women are responsible for the health of their children. According to the CDC and Office of Minority Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:
The fundamental cause of obesity and being overweight is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended. Globally, there has been: an increased intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat; and an increase in physical inactivity due to the increasingly sedentary nature of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation, and increasing urbanization.
Changes in dietary and physical activity patterns are often the result of environmental and societal changes associated with development and lack of supportive policies in sectors such as health, agriculture, transport, urban planning, environment, food processing, distribution, marketing and education.
How can you reduce being overweight and/or obese?
Overweight and obesity, as well as their related noncommunicable diseases, are largely preventable. Supportive environments and communities are fundamental in shaping people’s choices, making the healthier choice of foods and regular physical activity the easiest choice (accessible, available and affordable), and therefore preventing obesity.
At the individual level, people can:
- Limit energy intake from total fats and sugars;
- Increase consumption of fruit and vegetables, as well as legumes, whole grains and nuts;
- Engage in regular physical activity (60 minutes a day for children and 150 minutes per week for adults).
Individual responsibility can only have its full effect where people have access to a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, at the societal level it is important to:
- Support individuals in following the recommendations above through sustained political commitment and the collaboration of many public and private stakeholders;
- Make regular physical activity and healthier dietary choices available, affordable and easily accessible to all – especially the poorest individuals.
The food industry can play a significant role in promoting healthy diets by:
- Reducing the fat, sugar and salt content of processed foods;
- Ensuring that healthy and nutritious choices are available and affordable to all consumers;
- Practicing responsible marketing especially those aimed at children and teenagers;
- Ensuring the availability of healthy food choices and supporting regular physical activity practice in the workplace.
In conclusion, obese children and teenagers face a slew of potential health problems as they get older, including an increased risk of diabetes, heart attacks, cancer, strokes, asthma, high blood pressure, liver and gallbladder disease, sleep apnea, respiratory problems, dyslipidemia, osteoarthritis, gynecological problems (abnormal menses and infertility) and depression. As if that weren’t enough, obesity may harm young people’s long-term college and career prospects.
I hope this knowledge has helped you in your personal “War on Obesity” and for you to better understand “Your Health is Your Wealth”, so stay tuned for the next report. If you want information on how to measure your Body Mass, OPERATION D.E.E.P (Diet, Exercise, Education & Prevention), or some hot new tips on losing weight so you can look your best for the summer months contact me at: Instagram @Coralreaf; Twitter @XReaf.
