Moving Toward a Healthy Weight

Lesson 2

Obesity is defined as having too much body fat.

Body Mass Index

• Overweight is defined as a BMI of 25.0 to 29.9.

• Obesity is defined as a BMI of 30.0 or greater

High Risk Waistline

• 35 inches for women

• 40 inches for men

Kentucky ranks 8th in the nation

• 22.3% of Kentucky adults have a BMI of 30.0 or greater

• The national average is 20.3%

The Cost of obesity

• In 2002, obesity among U.S. adults cost $122.9 billion.

• $64.1 billion was for direct medical costs.

• 17% of direct medical costs for cardiovascular disease were related to overweight and obesity.

Obesity Increases the risk of

• High Blood Pressure• High Blood cholesterol• Type 2 Diabetes• Stroke• Gallbladder disease• Certain Cancers• Cardiovascular Disease

• The more weight you gain, the greater your risk of coronary heart disease.

Risk Factors for Obesity

The leading causes of obesity are:

• Poor Nutrition

• Physical Inactivity

Controlling Your Weight

• Losing 10-20 pounds can help to lower your risk of heart disease.

• Ideal weight loss rate is 1-2 pounds per week.

• Include changes that can be a part of your daily lifestyle.

Unhealthy Ways to Lose Weight

• Fad diets, diet pills, laxatives and water pills have only short term effects.

• Yo-yo dieting is linked to certain health risks.

Heart Healthy Eating Plan

• Watch your calories• Take smaller portions• Avoid foods that are

high in fat and sugar• Read food labels• Don’t fry foods• Don’t skip meals

• Include at least 5 fruits & vegetables per day

• Eat slowly

Tips for Eating Out

You can eat out and eat healthy, too. Here’s how:

• Ask how the food is prepared• Ask about alternative low-fat choices• Avoid high sodium selections

Take Charge

• Weight is a heart disease risk factor that you can change

Increased Physical Activity

• Burns calories• Takes off excess

weight• Should be included

most days of the week