OK, we have to get serious about obesity. More than 35 percent of men and 40 percent of women in the U.S. are now considered obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Earlier this week, the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force released new recommendations in the Journal of the American Medical Association that tell us if we're obese, we need to do something about it. Even a weight loss of 5 percent can make a huge difference.
But there's not a quick or easy solution.
Most intensive behavioral weight loss interventions considered by the Task Force last one to two years, and the majority of them have 12 or more sessions in the first year.
It's a journey.
Forget the fad diets and look for lifestyle strategies that are healthy and can help with weight loss — half your plate fruits and vegetables, a quarter whole grains, a quarter lean protein and low-fat dairy.
The Task Force recommends that people get screened for abnormal blood glucose levels, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and aspirin and statin use (for those at risk for cardiovascular disease). It also recommends counseling for tobacco smoking cessation and behavioral counseling interventions.
The Task Force found that people with a body mass index of 30 or higher not only need diet changes but also increased physical activity. Take a walk or hit the gym; move more today than you did yesterday.
"This latest iteration of the USPSTF recommendation reinforces the benefits of comprehensive behavioral treatment for persons with obesity," writes Dr. Susan Yanovski in an accompanying editorial in JAMA. Yanovski is the co-director of the Office of Obesity Research at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. "Given the continued epidemic of obesity in the United States, this recommendation is important to the future health of many individuals.
"Clinicians can do their patients a great service by showing respect for their patients' struggles with weight management, screening for obesity-related comorbidities, and providing treatment for identified conditions regardless of the patient's motivation for, or success with, weight-loss treatment."
Yanovski notes that physicians should monitor other medical conditions and medications "with a goal of minimizing the detrimental influences on weight" and offer treatments "based on shared understanding of the patient's medical and psychosocial needs and goals."
Although the USPSTF recommendations focus on established obesity, Yanovski says that "research to develop effective prevention strategies throughout the life course, including infancy and early childhood, could ultimately decrease the number of adults who must confront the difficult challenge of losing excess weight."
The bottom line: If you need to lose weight, look at it as a train to ride for the next year. Get serious about it. You will reap the benefits.
Q and A
Q: Can weight loss lead to diabetes remission?
A: Weight loss maintained for at least a year may put Type 2 diabetes into remission. In a study that included 298 adults ages 20 to 65 years who were diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in the past six years, researchers found that diabetes went into remission with sustained weight loss. Participants in the study were weaned off antidiabetic medications and put on a low-calorie formula diet for three to five months. Then, they ate food for the next two to eight weeks. Nearly a quarter of the group maintained at least 33 pounds of weight loss after a year, compared to none in the control group. Nearly half of the weight loss group was in diabetic remission, compared to only 4 percent in the control group.
Information courtesy of Environmental Nutrition.
Recipe
It's football season, and with football come game-day tailgates. Here's a recipe for Sheet Pan Turkey and Veggie Nachos that's perfect for game day or a fun weeknight dinner. It's from Today's Dietitian.
SHEET PAN TURKEY AND VEGGIE NACHOS
1 (12-ounce) bag baked tortilla chips
1 pound precooked lean ground turkey
1/2 cup diced red or white onion
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 cup diced zucchini
1/2 cup diced poblano pepper
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup sliced green or black olives
1/2 cup cooked black beans
2 cups low-fat shredded pepper jack or cheddar cheese
Sour cream or yogurt, sliced avocado and fresh chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place a layer of tortilla chips on a large baking sheet. Top with the precooked turkey meat and add onions, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, olives and beans. Add a thick layer of cheese and bake for about 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted. Then top with sour cream or yogurt, avocado slices and fresh cilantro if desired. Serves 8.
Per serving: 367 calories, 22 grams protein, 37 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams sugars, 14 grams fat (4 grams sat fat), 63 milligrams cholesterol, 4 grams fiber, 590 milligrams sodium.
Charlyn Fargo is a registered dietitian at Hy-Vee in Springfield, Illinois, and the media representative for the Illinois Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For comments or questions, contact her at charfarg@aol.com or follow her on Twitter @NutritionRD. To find out more about Charlyn Fargo and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators website at www.creators.com.
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