Nutrition and Weight Management
Module 4: Nutrition and Weight Management
Reading from Nutrition Now:
Unit 5: Nutrition, Attitudes, and Behaviors (pgs. 5-6 to 5-8)
Unit 9: Obesity to Weight: The Highs and Lows of Weight Status
Unit 10: Weight Control: The Myths and Realities
Unit 11: Disordered Eating: Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia, and Pica
Assignment for Module #4: NONE
Discussion Board:
Have you or anyone that you know tried to lose weight? How successful has it been? Why do you think that it is so hard for people to lose weight? What can be done to help people in the USlose weight?
As your textbook indicates and as you have observed in the world around you, obesity is a hot topic and a growing health concern. Close to 66% of American adults and 1 in 7 children and adolescents are overweight or obese. In addition, according to Table 9.5 there are many health problems that are associated with obesity.
There are two basic body shapes which are accentuated when a person is overweight or obese. Those that carry weight in there hips and thighs are called a pear shape and those that carry fat around the middle are called an apple shape. Which shape is better to be? Look on page 9-7 to see if you are right. Go to page 9-17 and do the "Nutrition Up Close" activity to determine if you are and apple or a pear.
Body Mass Index (or BMI ) is what is used now to determine if people are normal weight, overweight or obese (as well as to determine life expectancy by the insurance industry) . Use Illustration 9.2 to determine your BMI. Be sure to look at Table 9.1 to learn the classification of weight by BMI.
There is a flaw with the BMI for some individuals. The BMI does not take in to consideration individuals with a more athletic or mesotype physique (one with a higher % of muscle and a low % of body fat). Since muscle weighs more than fat, it is possible to weigh more, have a healthy percentage of body fat. For this reason, Body Fat Assessments may be a better guide to your progress than BMI and/or weight (scale).
Body Fat Percentage may be assessed using several methods. Regardless of method, be familiar with the classifications depicted on Table 9.6 (the assessment techniques are more important for the test of life) and role that body fat plays in our lives on pg. 9-9.
According to the National, Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, over 108 million Americans classify as overweight. There are several reasons that contribute to the struggles that many Americans have with weight management. Lack of activity, hormonal irregularities, metabolic differences, genetics, economics, busy schedules, lack of knowledge, fad diets, food choices, and meal sizes (also known as portion control) are all culprits to the weight management challenge, as well. Of these, one of the more interesting and growing problems in our society is the increasing size of meals. To see how much the food environment has changed in the last 20 years, click on the "Portion Distortion Quiz I" and the new "Portion Distortion Quiz II" to test your knowledge. I think you will find it quite a revelation.
Click here for some "Dietary Therapy" information for individuals that may be overweight. This is one part of an 8 part slide show. I recommend looking through Part III – VII for information that may be useful for Test #2, as well as the "Test of Life".
For "Practical Tips" click here.
Take a look at the following Health Action tables in your text book: pg. 10-11 Weight –Loss Maintainers versus Weight Regainers, and pg. 10-12 Small Changes Can Make a Big Difference, as well Table 10.3 for helpful information, suggestions for weight management and portion control.
The weight loss industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, much of which is based on misleading advertising, a lack of valid research, a lack of consumer knowledge, and false hope. By saying the industry, I am referring to books, diets, medications, supplements, and services (including alternative & surgical intervention, as well as fitness).
There are two prescribe medications that are currently approved for weight loss – Meridia (satiety enhancer) & Xenical (fat blocker). Both have side effects that can be detrimental to your health and/or very uncomfortable. Read pgs. 10-6 to 10-13, to become familiar with some of the more current diet trends, surgical procedures, and tips for successful weight management.
The text book does a good job explaining this section. Be sure that you understand the similarities and difference between the different types of eating disorders. Be familiar with Tables 11.1 – 11.6.
