It’s March already, how time flies! This month, we’ll talk about a silent epidemic happening right now that threatens us all. And no, it’s not Corvid 19 or Cancer, it’s obesity. This silent killer has become a key concern especially right now because of sedentary lifestyles and consuming fast foods.
The World Health Organization (WHO) states that at least ‘2.8 million adults die every year due to being overweight or obese. In addition, 44% of diabetes cases, 23% of heart diseases, and 7-41% of particular instances of cancer are attributable to being overweight or being obese.’
A person who is obese, carries too much weight, specifically fat around their body. Most times obesity arises because of a sedentary lifestyle and consumption of high-energy foods. Being overweight and obese
leads to excess fat accumulation that may impair your health which then means that you are accumulating more calories than you are burning.
Once considered a high-income country problem, being overweight and obese is now on the rise in low- and middle-income countries. In 2019, an estimated 38.2 million children under the age of 5 years were overweight or obese. In Africa, the number of overweight children under 5 has increased to 24% since 2000.
What can you and I do to combat obesity?
Healthy Diet
· Cook at home – use healthy cooking oils like Rinsun that are trans-fat free and contain no cholesterol
· Avoid Chipo mwitu, eat in moderation and not every week
· Avoid sugary and high processed foods, like white bread as they are a source of empty calories which tend to add up quickly.
· Eat more fruits and vegetables
· Avoid energy drinks that contain an overwhelming amount of added sugar
Exercise
· It is recommended that the average adult needs at least 150 minutes of moderate walking per week – that’s 30 minutes per day, 5 times a week
· Keep active throughout the day, stretch, and take breaks
Relax
· Chronic stress raises levels of the stress hormone cortisol and leads to weight gain. It can also result in poor dietary choices, as cortisol and other stress hormones can increase “carb cravings”
Sleep
· According to very well health, ‘studies have linked later bedtimes to weight gain over time. One study of nearly 3,500 adolescents who were followed between 1994 and 2009 found that a “later average bedtime during the workweek, in hours, from adolescence to adulthood was associated with an increase in BMI over time.’
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