Obesity in Ohio: 5 factors doctors say contribute to obesity in adults
.jpg "Doctor’s office FILE")
Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, director of the Ohio Department of Health, is focusing on tackling the state’s obesity problems.
He reminded Ohioans ahead of Thanksgiving to be mindful of what’s going on their plates and how much exercise they’re getting.
“Thanksgiving Day is a week away,” he said. “Like most of us, I enjoy this holiday and we all should. It’s a wonderful time of gathering with family and friends and being thankful for what we have. But I’m also mindful that the Ohio Department of Health’s mission statement is to advance the health and well-being of all Ohioans. The honest truth is that too many of us are struggling with obesity and excess weight.”
Obesity in Ohio: 7th in the U.S.
The World Health Organization defines obesity as having a body mass index of over 30 percent; the national average is 33 percent.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 38 percent of Ohioans have obesity.
“Sadly, this ranks our state seventh in the nation in adult obesity prevalence. It’s a national problem. A decade ago, no states had a prevalence that high...Ohio, in so many ways, is reflective of the nation as a whole,” said Dr. Vanderhoff.
When someone is obese, they’re at a greater risk for chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some types of cancer.
5 factors for tackling obesity
Dr. Vanderhoff said obesity also is associated with poor mental health outcomes and an overall reduced quality of life.
Dr. Bartolome Burguera is the Endocrinology and Metabolism Institute chairman at Cleveland Clinic.
He laid out the five different factors he goes over with patients with obesity wanting to improve their general health:
- Nutrition: “Not everyone likes to follow a Mediterranean diet,” Dr. Burguera said, “but number one is we improve the diet. We want to get rid of empty calories, trying to really drink water...eliminating sweeteners and making sure that we eat more plants, more vegetables, hopefully, a very balanced diet, but we need to understand that everybody eats different.”
- Physical Activity: Dr. Burguera said to start increasing your level of physical activity, you don’t have to be a massive runner. “But hopefully, during the day, you can find time to walk and hopefully even more than that,” he said. “I’d recommend going to a more specialized place like a gym or the YMCA where you can exercise twice, three times per week for about 30 minutes.”
- Appetite: Dr. Burgera said the hypothalamus has a sophisticated system regulating the body’s appetite. He explained this is why it’s difficult to lose weight and keep weight off. That’s why it’s essential to start talking to a healthcare provider directly about your eating habits, appetite and psychology.
- Sleep: “Lack of sleep is a major health problem,” said Dr. Burgera. If you’re not getting enough sleep or working late shift hours, that can affect your appetite and weight loss.
- Mental health: “Stress, anxiety depression...when you are under stress, in a hurry to get things done, you eat more.”
Dr. Burguera said it’s essential to look at your routines and identify any stressors impacting your weight.
CONNECT WITH US
WEB SITE ► https://www.mahoningmatters.com
DAILY NEWS EMAIL ► https://www.mahoningmatters.com/customer-service/newsletter-signup/
FACEBOOK ► https://www.facebook.com/mahoningmatters
TWITTER ► https://twitter.com/mahoningmatters
YOUTUBE ► https://www.youtube.com/@mahoningmatters2814
INSTAGRAM ► https://www.instagram.com/mahoningmatters
SUPPORT US ► https://givebutter.com/vNfzEW
