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Top 3 Preventable Causes of Death Include Being Overweight

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Apr 29, 2009

A study recently published in PLoS Medicine led by the Harvard School of Public, in conjunction with the University of Toronto and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, is the most comprehensive to date taking into consideration how diet, lifestyle and metabolic chronic disease contribute to mortality in the U.S.

The results found that many of these factors include dietary and lifestyle risk factors that are preventable. The number of deaths that occur in the U.S. annually are attributed to the following risk factors listed below -- all of which were considered premature or preventable.

Smoking: 467,000

High blood pressure: 395,000

Overweight-obesity: 216,000

Inadequate physical activity and inactivity: 191,000

High blood sugar: 190,000

High LDL cholesterol: 113,000

High dietary salt: 102,000

Low dietary omega-3 fatty acids (seafood): 84,000

High dietary trans fatty acids: 82,000

Alcohol use: 64,000 (alcohol use averted a balance of 26,000 deaths from heart disease, stroke and diabetes, because moderate drinking reduces risk of these diseases. But these deaths were outweighed by 90,000 alcohol-related deaths from traffic and other injuries, violence, cancers and a range of other diseases).

Low intake of fruits and vegetables: 58,000

Low dietary poly-unsaturated fatty acids: 15,000

The study was the first of its kind to look at a wide range of contributing risk factors, including diet, lifestyle, smoking, alcohol and metabolic factors of the U.S. population, and to figure how many deaths were a result of each risk factor.

Source: PhysOrg.com; April 28, 2009

Labels: high blood pressure, overweight, smoking, weight loss

Weight Loss Linked to Reduced Incontinence

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Apr 20, 2009

The New England Journal of Medicine earlier this year published a new study showing the connection between losing weight and incontinence relief.

The clinical trial, which was cited in a New York Times article by Roni Caryn Rabin, of 338 overweight and obese women with incontinence problems who took in a six-month weight loss program discovered that they experienced half the amount of leakage incidents compared to before the program.

The women, who lost an average of 17 pounds, experienced a 47 percent reduction in the number of weekly incontinence episodes, compared to women in the control group, whose weekly episodes dropped by 28 percent, the study found. The women in the comparison group didn't participate in a weight loss program but attended four educational sessions that included information about weight loss, physical activity and healthy eating.

“The really lovely thing about this is not only can women treat their incontinence, but there are a myriad of other healthy benefits like improved blood pressure control, lipids, sleep, libido," said Dr. Leslee L. Subak, first author of the paper and an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California, San Francisco.

“Weight loss should be a first-line recommendation for urinary incontinence," she added.

The study supported the hypothesis that excess weight puts extra pressure on the bladder and pelvic floor, and that a loss in weight will put less pressure on the bladder, Dr. Subak told the New York Times.

Source: The New York Times; Feb 3, 2009

Labels: medical, obesity, overweight, weight loss

You regained 5 pounds?

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC Apr 14, 2009

The common response most people have is not to worry too much,make a few simple changes and the weight will come off. Another theory is "It's only 5 pounds, and I can get it off on my own. I am embarrassed to go back to the weight loss center where I lost the weight, because they will think I'm a failure..."

So what is 5 pounds after all? 5 POUNDS IS 17,000 CALORIES. You would have to drink water and take vitamins and eat nothing else for 11 days to lose 5 pounds of fat! It just can't be done on your own, and I would never suggest starvation as an option.

You lost the weight through the help of a weight loss support system. You will need the help of the same place to get the weight back off. They are waiting for you with open arms to help you get back on track. They understand that overweight and obesity are chronic conditions that need ongoing care and attention. You will gain their respect because you accepted you need help to be successful.

Becoming a black belt in weight loss takes one to two years to master. It takes a plan and persistence. Most importantly, it takes a back up strategy when you relapse. Respect 5 pounds.

Labels: overweight, weight loss

If your clothes still fit, you may be gaining weight!

Author: Oksana Aron, MD Source: Weight Loss NYC

We often judge our weight by the size clothes we wear. Unfortunately, the clothing industry has responded to the worsening obesity epidemic by gradually increasing the size of clothing. They do this to make us all feel better about the clothes we buy.

In one study, size 8 clothing increased by 2 1/2"(6.5 cm) between 1984 and 2004. The drift in clothing sizes is also occurring in the UK.

We advocate using your clothing size as a means to feedback weight gain. This works as long as you are using your current clothes.