Nutrition and Obesity

Obesity is one of the main causes that lead to chronic diseases and death worldwide. The obesity rate is 44% in females, and 28% in males in Saudi Arabia. Obesity can occur when too much fat builds up in the body.

There are different causes for obesity some of them are, overeating, sedentary life (physical inactivity), genetics, and environmental.

We can prevent and treat obesity with good nutrition and exercise that suits your body and needs.

Nutrition for obesity:

Obesity can be prevented and treated when the amount of calories we eat is lower than the amount of calories we burn; this simply means calories in vs. calories out.

What is meant by a good Nutrition? It means eating a variety of foods in a controlled portion with no restrictions.

Foods that help in weight loss: high fiber foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. High fiber foods keep us full for longer because our bodies absorb them slowly. Fruits and vegetables are high in vitamins and minerals and are low in calories, which help in weight loss. It is best to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

Instead of frying your food try grilling it, which requires less fat, hence less calories. You can still eat fatty foods from good fat sources, such as fish, nuts, seeds, olive oil, and avocado.

Eating high protein foods can make us feel full and can help our bodies burn more calories. High protein foods include, poultry, fish, meat, nuts, seeds, lentils and legumes.

Foods to avoid: cut out processed foods like, sugary sweetened beverages, cakes, cookies, candies, and all baked goods. They contain a huge amount of sugar and oils, which will increase your calories intake. These kinds of foods are called empty calories, which means they are high in calories but empty (don’t contain nutrients and health benefits).

You also want to consider cutting fried foods and processed meats from your diet; they add up calories and increase your weight due to their high fats and salt content.

Physical activity for obesity:

Staying active whether by exercising or through your daily activities is very effective in losing weight and treating obesity. Cardio exercises like, walking, running, swimming, cycling, dancing, or hiking will help you lose fats. At least 30 minutes of cardio a day can burn fats and help you lose weight in a few weeks.

Weight lifting exercises build your muscles and increase the rate of metabolism, which means you will burn more calories throughout the day.

Good nutrition and physical activity together will help you lose weight and feel better in your own body. Nutrition alone or physical activity alone will not give you the same result as combining the two together. Find yourself an entertaining activity that you can enjoy and make it part of your daily routine. The same goes with the nutrition part, eat a well balanced diet and give yourself two free meals a week where you can enjoy your favorite foods without any restrictions.

Sources:

Al-Ghamdi, S., Shubair, M., Aldiab, A., Al-Zahrani, J., Aldossari, K., Househ, M., Nooruddin, S., Razzak, H. and El-Metwally, A. (2018). Prevalence of overweight and obesity based on the body mass index; a cross-sectional study in Alkharj, Saudi Arabia. Lipids in Health and Disease, 17(1).

Nutrition Science Webinars Nutrients, s., Nutrients, F., Healthy, s. and events, C. (2019). Obesity and overweight - British Nutrition Foundation. [online] Nutrition.org.uk. Available at: https://www.nutrition.org.uk/nutritionscience/obesityandweightmanagement/obesity-and-overweight.html?limitstart=0.

Stanfordhealthcare.org. (2019). Obesity Prevention. [online] Available at: https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/healthy-living/obesity/prevention.html.

Obesity Prevention Source. (2019). Food and Diet. [online] Available at: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-causes/diet-and-weight/.