Statistics compiled by Stanford indicate that as many as 60% of American adults are currently considered overweight or obese. Of course, this disturbing trend has also been found in younger age groups. Much of this may be attributed to the American lifestyle, with high rates of sedentary occupations, an abundance of foods with little nutritional value, and a fundamental misunderstanding of the mechanics of human metabolism. Fortunately, obesity can be fought on individual and cultural levels.
Start Prevention Early
With more than 15% of America’s children between the ages of 6 and 19 being considered overweight, encouraging healthy food choices and an active lifestyle cannot begin too soon. The present statistics can be traced to several roots in food ideologies—how we think about and process our foods. Tactics such as offering four to five servings of fruits and vegetables daily, reducing time in front of the television to two hours or less per day, offering water to drink rather than sugary beverages, and finding high-energy play activities for kids are effective.
If your child does struggle with obesity early in life, there are some programs available. These are typically open to children who fall above the 85th percentile on the body mass index and will sometimes require a recommendation from your child’s physician. Childhood obesity programs are usually several weeks long, are led by registered dieticians and exercise specialists, and focus on making healthier diet choices, implementing regular physical activity, and provide counseling in order to support overall behavior changes.
Consider Your Lifestyle
As a species, we are hardwired to seek out sources of fat, salt, and sugar. That’s because these things are scarce in the natural environment. Today, much of our readily available food is loaded with these substances. However, this does not change human physiology; the reward system in our brains that releases dopamine upon the consumption of any of these remains intact, which makes fat, salt, and sugar a bit like drugs.
Preventing obesity later in life can be traced to what we eat in conjunction with how active of a lifestyle we lead. Try replacing sugary, salty, or fatty foods with nutrient-dense fruits, vegetables, seeds, or nuts. Eat slowly, savoring your food. Seek out opportunities to get exercise at least five times a week. Obesity prevention is as much a process of changing how we think about food and activity as it is actually shifting our diet and exercise patterns themselves.
Prepare for the Long Haul
Prevention of obesity isn’t about the short term or a number on a scale; it’s about overall health. Excess nutrients are stored as fat. The simpler the nutrient, like fat or simple carbohydrates, the easier it is for the body to store it. Once it’s stored, you have to expend energy to “pull it back off the shelf.” Over time, your body becomes entrenched in hormonal and metabolic patterns that store that energy. Shifting these patterns is why losing accumulated weight is so difficult. Save yourself the trouble and create positive habits that keep weight off to begin with. Your life will not only be longer, but the quality of that life will be better.
