Obesity in Alabama: A growing problem

The topic of obesity has been making headlines for several days in Alabama and the country as a whole, causing people to wonder what can be done to curb the unhealthy increase in weight. The latest news comes from statements by researchers at Harvard Public School of Public Health about removing some obese children from their homes in the hope of saving them from obesity-related diseases.

With the obesity rates rising for both adults and children in Alabama, there is need for concern. What is causing this increase in weight? Articles addressing this subject for the nation in general cover every area of food and nutrition and more. Some suggestions for lowering weight have included lowering the consumption of various foods or ingredients such as: high fructose corn syrup, white bread, white potatoes and rice, coconut oil, pasta, candy, supersized portions, desserts, cheese, deep fried anything, fast foods, and salads with high fat dressing or too many add-ons. Other ideas that have been discussed include: stress, hormones, poor thyroid function, too much time in front of the television or computer, too little exercise, and lack of motivation. Unfortunately, there are many factors that can affect weight, and the solution is not the same for everyone.

Where does one start if there is a desire to improve eating habits? In order to know what the food-related issues are, it would be beneficial to know what and how much food a person is actually eating. A fat reducing overview can help you construct a clear describe of what you demand to focus on to accomplish your fat loss purpose if you're a novice; or serve as a reminder for those who are at an advanced or more boost step of their weightloss program. Applying are seven steps that can serve as suggestions for your own weight loss program. The first thing that one must understand is that losing weight and losing fat is not the same. Many weight loss courses have tricked people into wondering that it is the same, but most diets and weight loss applications only work by causing a person's body to eliminate more muscle cells and water than actual body fat, more help please visit The Fat Loss Factor. The best way to find this out is to keep a food record. A tablet, spiral notebook or some other type of journal is needed to keep track of everything that is consumed. Or keep a tally on the computer. Whatever is most convenient will work best. Remember, though, that recording means tracking every food or drink that goes into the mouth. Here's how to get started.

Record how much is eaten. Use cups, measuring spoons, ounces, etc., to measure the amount. A hand is useful to estimate some portions. Three ounces of meat is the size of a lady's palm; a woman's fist is about a cup.
Write down when foods are eaten. Does one eat only at mealtimes, or is one a snacker or a stress eater? Or does one eat when bored?
Make note of where eating takes place. Does eating take place at the table or is a quick meal eaten over the sink, or in the car, or at a desk? How about in front of the television or computer? Are other people around? Others can influence one to eat more than usual.
Record every day. See if patterns change day-to-day or on the weekends.

After a few weeks, review the records and look for clues about what could be causing weight gain. A nutrition counselor or registered dietitian could help assess the journal and suggest the next steps toward healthier eating habits. This information can provide a good beginning to changing behaviors. Just the act of keeping a record might make one more mindful of food habits and result in a decreased intake. Give it a try!

The articles written by Andrea Wenger, Birmingham Diets Examiner, are for informational purposes only and are not to be used in the place of medical advice. Please contact a licensed physician or other medical professional before changing any health care routine or before starting any diet, fitness, or exercise program. Although every effort has been made to include the most current information, new information is released daily and may cause some recommendations to change.

CDC - Obesity - Facts - Adolescent and School Health
www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/obesity/facts.htm
Feb 19, 2013 Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years. 1, 2; The percentage of children aged 611 years in ...
Obesity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy ...
Obesity.org
www.obesity.org
The Obesity Society is the leading scientific society dedicated to the study of obesity. Since 1982, The Obesity Society has been committed to encouraging research on ...
Childhood Obesity - ASPE
aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/child_obesity
Overweight and obesity in children are significant public health problems in the United States. The number of adolescents who are overweight has tripled since 1980 ...
Obesity and Overweight for Professionals: Data and Statistics ...
www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
Adult Obesity Facts Obesity is common, serious and costly. More than one-third of U.S. adults (35.7%) are obese. [Read data brief [PDF-528Kb]] Obesity-related ...
Obesity In America
obesityinamerica.org
The Endocrine Society and The Hormone Foundation have developed a handbook with information about obesitys causes, impact, and research into how to reduce it.
Obesity Facts, Statistics, Causes, Symptoms, Treatment -
www.medicinenet.com/obesity_weight_loss/article.htm
Get the facts on obesity and being overweight, including the health risks, causes, reviews of weight-loss diet plans, surgical and nonsurgical treatments, and ...
Abdominal obesity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdominal_obesity
Abdominal obesity, also known as belly fat or clinically as central obesity, is excessive abdominal fat around the stomach and abdomen. It can also occur in both ...
The Spread of Obesity in a Large Social Network over 32 Years
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMsa066082
The prevalence of obesity has increased substantially over the past 30 years. We performed a quantitative analysis of the nature and extent of the person-to-person ...
Obesity statistics - Countries Compared - NationMaster
www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_obe
Wide selection of Health stats. View figures, bar graphs, maps, correlations.