Healthwise for Guys: Overweight and Obesity

1. True or False: A BMI (body mass index) of 22.7 is considered “overweight.”
2. Which of the following is not one of the ways to lose weight?
   a. Getting a healthy amount of sleep
   b. Getting at least 300 minutes of physical activity per week
   c. Skipping meals to avoid consuming excessive calories
3. A high BMI is an indicator for which of the following diseases?
   a. Heart attack
   b. Diabetes
   c. Kidney cancer
   d. All of the above

Answers: 1. False; 2. c; 3. d

Overweight/obesity refers to a weight for a given height that is higher than recommended for health. Body mass index (BMI) is a tool to measure healthy weight vs. unhealthy weight. A high BMI can mean that body fat is too high. See www.choosemyplate.gov for an online BMI calculator.

A high BMI is linked to greater risk for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoarthritis and certain cancers, including ovarian, gallbladder, prostate, liver, kidney and colon.

About 74% of U.S. adults are overweight according to the 2017-20 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. Nearly 42% of U.S. adults are obese. Men aged 40 to 59 were more likely to be obese than men aged 60 or older. An adult with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or more is considered obese, while an adult with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight. To determine your BMI, see the BMI calculator at cdc.gov.

Source: www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm

Adopting a healthful lifestyle can reduce your risk for becoming overweight. Eat a healthful diet, be physically active regularly and get enough sleep to lower your risk of gaining weight. To lose weight, aim to spend more energy (calories) than you consume.

• Keep a food diary to see what you are eating and when you eat. You can rate your level of hunger during eating and snacking in your journal, too.
• Eat a balanced breakfast that includes at least three of the five food groups.
• Keep high-fiber, low-sugar snacks, such as fresh vegetables and fruits, on hand.
• Consider your drink choices. Drink water instead of sweetened beverages when you are thirsty.
• Get enough sleep. Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep per night.
• Serve yourself smaller serving sizes or take home part of restaurant meals.
• Avoid eating in front of the TV.
• To lose weight, experts recommend 300 minutes of moderate activity per week (60 minutes on five or more days of the week). Walking at a pace of 4 miles per hour can help promote weight loss.
• Set a goal and track your progress. See www.choosemyplate.gov for a “Super Tracker” to track food and fitness, and tips such as these:
  • Vary your veggies. Aim for at least 3 cups of vegetables daily.
  • Focus on whole fruits instead of fruit juices. Aim for at least 2 cups of fruit, especially whole fruit, daily.
  • Make half of your grain choices whole grains. Try whole-wheat bread and pasta, oatmeal and brown rice.
  • Move to low-fat or fat-free dairy.
  • Vary your protein routine. Choose lean proteins of all types.
• See www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management for more weight management tips.

Key to abbreviations:

• c. = cup
• Tbsp. = tablespoon
• tsp. = teaspoon
• lb. = pound
• pkg. = package
• g = gram
• mg = milligram