Prevent Obesity Now, Prevent Problems Later

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In a society that is becoming more and more demanding and schedules that allow for less and less time to exercise, the obesity problem in America is likely to only get worse.

According to Johns Hopkins research, "Obesity is a chronic disease affecting increasing numbers of children, teens and adults. About 17% of children aged 2 to 19 are considered obese, a small number compared to more than 35% of adults who are considered obese."

The foremost reason that taking early steps to prevent obesity is so important is because the likelihood of obesity in children persisting into adulthood increases as the child ages without moving away from the obese category, putting them at high risk of many debilitating and dangerous issues such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.

In adults, many of the strategies that produce successful weight loss and maintenance help prevent obesity. According to Johns Hopkins, recommendations for adults include:

• Keep a food diary of what and where you ate, and how you were feeling before and after.
• Eat 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. A vegetable serving is 1 cup of raw vegetables or 1/2 cup of cooked vegetables or vegetable juice. A fruit serving is 1 piece of small to medium fresh fruit, or 1/2 cup of fruit juice.
• Choose whole grain foods, such as brown rice and whole wheat bread. Avoid highly processed foods made with refined white sugar, flour, high-fructose corn syrup and saturated fat.
• Balance the food "checkbook." If you eat more calories than you burn you will gain weight. Weigh yourself on a weekly basis.
• Avoid foods that have a lot of calories in a small amount of food. An average cheeseburger with fries can have as much as 1,000 calories and 30 grams of fat.
• Simply reducing portion sizes and using a smaller plate can help you lose weight.
• Aim for an average of 40 minutes or more of moderate to intense physical activity three to four days each week.

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