Obesity and Nutrition

Obesity and Nutrition
What is obesity?

Obesity is defined as an abnormal or excessive increase in fat in the body that will impair health. It is the increase in weight above the required level according to height due to the excessive increase in the amount of fat in the human body compared to the amount of muscle.

How is obesity detected?

One of the most commonly used methods to determine obesity is Body Mass Index (BMI).

BMI is calculated by dividing body weight (in kg) by the square of height (in meters).

BMI: Body weight (kg) / height (m)2

The BMI classification for adults is as follows:

Underweight: BMI less than 18.5 kg/m2
Normal: BMI 18.5-24.9 kg/m2
Slightly Obese: BMI 25-29.9 kg/m2
Obese: BMI 30 kg/m2 and above
1st Degree Obese: BMI 30-34.9 kg/m2
2nd Degree Obese: BMI 35-39.9 kg/m2
3rd Degree Obese: BMI 40 kg/m2 and above

What are the causes of obesity?

In addition to increased access to high-energy foods, a sedentary lifestyle disrupts the balance between energy intake and expenditure, resulting in an increase in body weight.
Factors that increase energy intake:

  • Decreased access to healthy foods as eating outside the home increases
  • Higher consumption of fast food
  • Increased portion sizes
  • Excessive consumption of foods and drinks with added sugar
  • Increased preference for high-energy snacks between meals
Factors that reduce energy consumption:
  • Adopting a sedentary lifestyle
  • Insufficient and irregular physical activity
  • Spending long periods of time in front of a screen (phone, tablet, computer, television, etc.)
What are the health problems caused by obesity?

Being overweight increases the risk of developing chronic diseases and can shorten life expectancy. Obesity poses a risk for diseases such as insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, stroke, sleep apnea, snoring, reflux, fatty liver, gallbladder stones, infertility, menstrual irregularity, and cancer.

What should be done to prevent obesity?

In order to reduce body weight or maintain a healthy body weight, it is very important to have a sufficient and balanced diet along with regular physical activity. The Healthy Food Plate Model (TUBER 2022) showing the food groups that should be consumed at each meal for adequate and balanced nutrition is shown below.

  • Milk and its products group (yoghurt, ayran, cheese etc.) – Should make up 1/6 of the plate. 
  • Meat and its products group [Meat, chicken, fish, eggs and legumes (lentils, beans, chickpeas etc.)] and oil seeds (walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds) – Should make up 1/6 of the plate. 
  • Bread and cereals group (bread, pasta, bulgur, rice etc.) – Should make up 1/4 of the plate. 
  • Fruit group – Should make up 1/6 of the plate. 
  • Vegetable group – Should make up 1/4 of the plate.

The water next to the plate indicates that the recommended amount of water should be drunk daily and that olive oil should be used as the oil of choice. In addition, maintaining an active life is important as a complement to a healthy life.
Nutrition and physical activity recommendations for controlling body weight:

  1. Consume three main meals a day according to the principles of adequate and balanced nutrition and do not skip meals.
  2. Prepare your plates in accordance with the Healthy Food Plate Model.
  3. The most important meal is breakfast. Starting the day with breakfast will help you be more active during the day and control your body weight.
  4. Consume more foods with low energy content (fruit, vegetables, milk, ayran, kefir, etc.) between meals, and avoid foods with high energy content (foods and drinks with added sugar).
  5. Increase your food variety. Each food contains different nutrients that have different benefits for your body. Therefore, avoid consuming a single type of food.
  6. Reduce the frequency of fast food consumption.
  7. Do not do any other work (watching television, reading newspapers, using a mobile phone or tablet, etc.) while eating.
  8. Increase your fiber consumption (whole grain products, bulgur pilaf instead of rice, vegetables and fruits, dried legumes, etc.).
  9. Try to consume all kinds of vegetables and fruits (fresh, dried or frozen). You should consume at least 5 servings of vegetables and fruits daily. At least 2.5-3 servings of these should be vegetables and 2 servings of fruits.
  10. Make sure to consume fish twice a week.
  11. Limit your salt intake. Do not add extra salt to your meals. The maximum amount of salt you should consume per day is 1 teaspoon.
  12. Cook your meals using healthy cooking techniques. Prefer boiling, steaming, baking, avoid frying.
  13. Try to eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly.
  14. Pay attention to water consumption. Darkening of your urine color indicates that you are not drinking enough water. You can calculate your daily water needs as 35 mL x body weight (kg).
  15. Don't go grocery shopping on an empty stomach. When you're hungry, you're more likely to buy energy-dense snacks instead of healthy foods.
  16. Increase your physical activity level. Make sure to walk briskly for at least 30 minutes every day.
  17. Increase your daily walking time as much as possible. You can use the stairs instead of the elevator, get off the bus one stop earlier and get on one stop later to increase your movement.
  18.  Reduce sitting time by standing up every 20-30 minutes of inactivity.

A healthy society consists of healthy individuals. Achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight is a fundamental factor for your overall health. Therefore, you can get professional support from Nutrition and Diet Experts to create personalized nutrition programs for you. This support will be the most important step you will take to become a healthier individual.