Obesity and Health Promotion Flashcards
BMI and Obesity
People with a BMI = or greater than 30kg/m2 are considered obese.
Ratio of weight to height to categorize people’s weight status
BMI is considered most useful for individuals aged 20-65, and has a number of constraining factors
What are the constraining factors for BMI?
Not considered useful for babies, children, teenagers, pregnant women, and very muscular people such as athletes.
BMI Formula
mass (kg)/height (m2)
BMI Classifications
Underweight = less than 18.5
Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
Overweight = 25-29.9
Obesity = equal to or greater than 30
Obesity trends among Canadian adults…
From 1985 to present, obesity has continued to increase.
What is the expected trend of obesity in Canada?
By 2040, according to current trends, expected that 70% of adult Canadians aged 40 years will be either overweight or obese.
What’s the big deal about obesity and sedentary behavior?
In the past, serious illnesses were mainly infectious disease such as tuberculosis, polio, influenza, meningitis, etc.
And now, it is mainly degenerative diseases such as hypertension, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, etc.
Chronic/Degenerative Diseases
Chronic disease is a disease of long duration and generally slow progression.
Account for 89% of all deaths in Canada.
Leading cause of avoidable illness, health care system utilization, and premature deaths.
How do we contract degenerative diseases?
We let out bodies degenerate due to poor diet, lack of physical activity, smoking, etc.
Chronic Diseases and Physical Inactivity
Conditions/diseases that can stem from physical inactivity are very concerning.
Including cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, stroke, etc.
Global report - obesity bigger health crisis than hunger
How do we combat obesity?
Healthy Diet
Exercise/Physical Activity
-depresses appetite (suppresses hormones that control hunger)
-maximizes fat loss and minimizes loss of lean muscle tissue
-burns high number of calories and increases metabolic rate
-allows your body to use more calories for energy than storing them as fat
What’s the good news about obesity and chronic conditions?
Many of the chronic conditions associated with physical inactivity can be reduced by healthy lifestyle choices.
Examples include eating healthy, increasing physical activity.
Many researchers and health care providers advocate for starting young, and instilling physical activity habits in children and youth.
Interventions for Promoting Physical Activity
Determine the goal of the physical activity intervention…
-usually to help people change their behaviour and replace sedentary pursuits with active ones
Effective interventions are required to promote the adoption and maintenance of active lifestyles.
Levels of Intervention
1) Downstream
2) Midstream
3) Upstream
Downstream Intervention
Individual-level interventions for those who possess the risk factor or suffer from risk-related diseases/conditions.
Emphasis on changing rather than preventing health-damaging behaviours.
Examples include physician counselling for patients with diabetes, and health education for cardiac patient.
