The Leptin Made Me Do It

 Well, actually not enough leptin.

A recent newspaper article lamented the well -known fact that most overweight and obese people who lose weight are destined to struggle with weight regain.  A study designed to follow participants after 10% weight loss (30 lbs on average in 10 weeks), showed an average of 12 lb weight regain over the next year.  Several hormone levels known to influence appetite (including leptin) were measured.

The hormone levels measured changed in directions that would stimulate appetite and weight regain.  Leptin levels, which when high reduce the body’s tendency to store calories as fat, actually decreased significantly after weight loss. Read more →

Obesity may be viewed, in part, as due to addictive behaviors with regard to food.  Some clinicians treat overweight patients as a substance abuse disorder.  However, in this regard, it appears that all foods are not created equal.  Almost all overweight people report over eating sweets and starches, both of which are carbohydrate rich foods, as their main problem.

The parallels with other substance abuse problems are intriguing:  people who attempt to reduce their carbohydrate intake often report “withdrawal symptoms”, including irritability, anxiety, and depression as well as intense cravings for sugary or starchy foods. Read more →

Many people may not realize that obesity is a family event, not an individual event.  Some family members may be more susceptible to gaining weight, while others may seem to have no trouble keeping it off.  In order to support a child, the whole family must be involved and change its ways to support the child.  Exercise, healthy eating, and other good habits can bring positive change to everyone.

BMI, or body mass index, is how we figure out if anyone is considered underweight, normal, overweight, or obese.  These measurements are calculated from height and weight measurements.

Over the last 25 years, obesity in ages six to 11 years has doubled and for teens it has tripled!  Ten percent of two to five year olds and 15 percent of six to 19 year olds are overweight.  Overweight teens have a 70 percent chance of being overweight or obese once they reach adulthood.  Childhood obesity has been linked to hypertension, diabetes, sleep apnea, psychosocial, and orthopedic problems.  Many of which can be prevented!

If your child is overweight, or at risk of being overweight, you should take a look at your families routines to start.  Maybe there are a few things there that could be adjusted.  Is your family eating larger portion sizes, eating chips, cookies, or other high-fat foods?  Do you eat at fast food restaurants often?  These questions are great starting places.

Parents are a huge tool in helping steer children in the right direction.  Being a positive role model can be one of the best things for the child.  A few simple things you can do as a parent to help your child are to limit intake of sweetened beverages, limit TVvideo games to 2 hours a day, encourage daily physical activity, provide appropriate portion sizes for the child’s age, prepare and eat meals at home as often as possible, and try to create a healthy eating environment.

On June 2nd, the First Lady helped to unveil the federal government’s new “food icon”, MyPlate, to serve as a reminder to help consumers make healthier food choices. It’s a simple graphic representation of the 2010 Guidelines for Healthy Americans, and the replacement for the Food Guide Pyramid (the USDA’s 1992 food icon) and/or MyPyramid (the USDA’s 2005 food icon).

The Guidelines main messages include:

Balance Calories

• Enjoy your food, but eat less.
• Avoid oversized portions.

Foods to Increase

• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
• Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
• Make at least half your grains whole grains

Foods to Reduce

• Compare sodium (salt) in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals, and choose foods with lower
  numbers.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

To quote the press release, “As Americans are experiencing epidemic rates of overweight and obesity, the online resources and tools [which can be found on ChooseMyPlate.gov] can empower people to make healthier food choices for themselves, their families, and their children.” Additionally, later this year, USDA will unveil an exciting “go-to” online tool that consumers can use to personalize and manage their dietary and physical activity choices – a perfect compliment to any weight loss program!!