Never in the history of human existence has the rate of obesity increased more than it has over just the past two decades. Of course, the obvious question is - Why? Well, the correct answer is that there is no single reason. I’d like to point out some of the major causes. And I’d like to start with the Government and our schools.
In the September 2007 edition of Scientific American, NYU professor Marion Nestle pointed to a political cause of obesity. She noted that in 1980 the Reagan administration’s deregulation of industry freed up agricultural production. This encouraged farmers to grow more food. The calories available per capita in the U.S. increased from 3,200 a day in 1980 to 3,900 a day two decades later. That is a difference of 700 calories available in the U.S. food supply per person per day.
Let’s put this in perspective. With everything else staying constant, if you eat 500 less calories per day, you will lose one pound of fat every week. Based on this, if you consumed 700 extra calories per day for a year you would gain 73 […]
Full Article At: KnowHow-Now.com Articles
Body Mass Index (BMI) a good way for individuals to assess their overall body picture, as it provides a reasonably sound measure of a healthy weight range. Body Mass Index (BMI) is the ratio of body weight (in kilograms) to height (in meters) squared (i.e. BMI = wt [kg] [m)2.
Don0t worry about calculating your Body Mass Index (BMI) using the formula above, instead, go to www.alfitness.com.au where you will see a link to have it done automatically, with healthy weight ranges shown.
The current Body Mass Index standards that have been adopted worldwide include:
Underweight <18.5
Normal, health 18.5-24.9
Overweight 25.0-29.9
Obese >30.0 (with different classes above 30.0)
This Body Mass Index can give you a quick snapshot of your body0s condition. If you are carrying a lot of fat, your BMI will be in the overweight or obese range. Being in this range will increase the likelihood of becoming ill with things like heart disease or diabetes. Several studies have shown that people who live the longest have a BMI of 22.5 to 23.5, although obviously other factors such as smoking and other lifestyle factors affect this.
Some allowances to BMI might be made for age (higher values) in special cases, but the above values are […]
Full Article At: KnowHow-Now.com Articles
Ultimately, all diets need to provide you with the essential amino acids, carbohydrates, fats and vitamins you need to remain healthy. There are a huge number of diets out there; unfortunately many of them are based on emotion rather than science. Diets must contain a mix of grains, vegetables (especially beans), fruits, dairy (or substitutes), meat (or substitutes) and of course you must include exercise.
The reason that diets require a cross section of these things is because your body cannot synthesize all of the proteins it needs for building tissues, enzymes and hormones- some things you must eat! The food pyramid is always a good starting point for assessing various diets. We have outlined three popular healthy diets here, the Low GI diet, the vegetarian diet, the high protein diet.
The Ultimately, all diets need to provide you with the essential amino acids, carbohydrates, fats and vitamins you need to remain healthy. There are a huge number of diets out there; unfortunately many of them are based on emotion rather than science. Diets must contain a mix of grains, vegetables (especially beans), fruits, dairy (or substitutes), meat (or substitutes) and of course you must include exercise.
The reason that diets […]
Full Article At: KnowHow-Now.com Articles
