Know if you are overweight or obese
The body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight. People with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 are considered overweight. People with a BMI of 30 or more are considered obese.
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You can become overweight or obese when you eat and accumulate more calories than you use. A calorie is a unit of energy in the food you eat. Your body needs this energy to function and be active, but if you take in more energy than your body uses, you will gain weight.
Many factors can play a role in one becoming overweight or obese. These factors include:
•Behaviours such as eating too much or not getting enough physical activity
•Environment and culture
•Genes
Overweight or obese women
According to a new research, women who are overweight or obese when diagnosed with breast cancer are more likely to suffer relapse and die from the disease than lean women, say researchers. In the UK, around two-thirds of women are overweight or obese - a similar proportion for the US.
Being overweight or obese can increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, High blood pressure, breathing problems, arthritis, gallbladder disease and some kinds of cancer.
But excess body weight isn't the only health risk. The places where you store your body fat also affect your health. Women with a "pear" shape tend to store fat in their hips and buttocks, while women with an "apple" shape store fat around their waists. If your waist is more than 35 inches, you may have a higher risk of weight-related health problems.
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The best way to lose weight
The best way to lose weight is to use more calories than you take in. You can do this by following a healthy eating plan and being more active. Before you start a weight-loss programme, talk to your doctor.
According to a Ghana News Agency report based on a nutrition study, an estimated 45 per cent of women in Greater Accra are overweight. Out of this, nine per cent are considered extremely overweight or obese.
This was contained in a report released by Mrs Kate Quarshie, Head of Nutrition Department, Ghana Health Service, during the opening of a two-day workshop for stakeholders in the agricultural and the health sectors.
She said children in the Northern and Upper East regions were more likely to be underweight and stunted than children in other regions, ranging from 14 per cent in Greater Accra to 37 per cent in the Northern Region.
She cited lack of iodine as the main cause of preventable mental retardation and brain damage, adding that it could also cause complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
“It can also cause congenital brain damage and mental retardation in babies and make children less brilliant in school”, she said.
She also said large goitres, which also the result of iodine deficiency, make their victims uncomfortable and unattractive and might reduce the person’s chances of marriage or employment.
She intimated that more than one in five children were permanently stunted with 7 in 10 children suffering from vitamin A deficiency.
“It is also estimated that five out of every six children under five are anaemic and also six in every 10 women between the ages of 15 and 49 years are anaemic”, she added.
Care for pregnant women
Mrs Quarshie called on pregnant women to take good care of their health and avoid under-nutrition in order to avoid having difficulty at childbirth and also produce more breast milk with the required nutrients.
Dr Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan, Deputy Minister of Agriculture in charge of Livestock, noted that although Ghana had recorded tremendous success in reducing hunger and undernourishment, it was still plagued with stunted growth levels of 23 per cent and anaemia condition of 60 er cent.
Dr Lamourdia Thiombiano, Food and Agriculture Organisation Representative in Ghana, said Ghana had been recognised for the tremendous progress it had made to reduce hunger and under nutrition, from a prevalence rate of 40.5 per cent in the early 1990s to less than five per cent by 2012.
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“At a special event held at the FAO Headquarters in Rome, Ghana’s progress was celebrated with an award for notable and outstanding progress in fighting hunger”, he said.
Regular activity
Regular activity can help prevent unhealthy weight gain and also help with weight loss, when combined with low calorie intake. Regular physical activity can also improve your cardiorespiratory (heart, lungs and blood vessels) and muscular fitness. For older adults, activity can improve mental function.