Obesity: East meets West
Obesity- a word we’ve all become familiar with in recent years.
Not only does it affect adults but also children to a great extent.
It has become a problem in the east as well as the west. We often relate
obesity merely to appearance. But it is much more than that. It is a
health issue with considerable serious consequences.
Obesity is defined and based on the Body Mass Index (BMI). It is calculated by weight in kilograms divided by height in meters to the power of two.
The public is often confused by the difference between the American body mass index standard and the Asian standard. “Asians have a smaller frame size and require a different BMI standard”, says Winsy Leung, Registered Dietician of the Canossa Hospital.
Below
is a table that shows the difference between the American BMI and the
Asian BMI.
|
American Body Mass Index Overweight 25 - 29.9 Class I 30 – 34.9 Class II 35 – 39.9 Class III 40 > |
Asian
Body Mass Index |
The
overweight category is an alarm signal. At this point, it is important
to learn about the causes of obesity and how to change your lifestyle
to avoid becoming obese.
Causes
Fast food, too much eating and lack of activities/sports are some of the crucial reasons for the rise of obesity in Hong Kong and the rest of Asia.
“Over the past few years, there has been a change in diet. People don’t have much time to prepare their meals, so they buy fast food, which are usually fried and high in fat ratio” says Leung. “A poor concept of healthy eating is another reason. People tend to overeat in one meal and skip meals or eat much less in another meal. They are eating simply to fill their stomach”.
With the increase of McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken and alike, many busy HongKongers are rushing to these chains to “grab a bite” before heading back to work. It’s fast, it’s tasty and it fills the stomach. But we forget – it’s fatty and can cause obesity for both adults and children.
The increase of working parents in Hong Kong is on the rise and a lack of parental attention could be a reason for the increase in child obesity, according to Leung. “Parents don’t have as much time and so for safety reasons, children stay home while their parents are at work. They play fewer sports and spend more time indoors watching television, playing computer games and surfing on the Internet, resulting in inactive lifestyles”.
Risks
Obesity is not just an issue of being “fat”. It has serious consequences on our health.
•
High cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Gout
• Sleep apnea
• Blood lipid increases
• Heart disease
• Stroke
• Certain types of cancers
Tips on how to avoid obesity
• Keep active. If you see an escalator and a staircase side by side, use the stairs.
• Don’t rush when you are eating. If you rush, you’ll overeat before you realize that you are already full.
• Don’t let yourself get so hungry that you gobble up large portions of food all at once. Keep healthy snacks with you to keep yourself from eating too much at one time.
• Exercise. Not only will you lose weight and reduce your body mass index but exercise also releases endorphins in the brain, making you happier and less stressful.
• Learn how to read nutrition labels so you are aware of what you are eating.
-Anisha
Mulchand
