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Exercise, healthy eating the cure for obesity

Johnathan Gagnon GAG01002@BYUI.EDU Staff Writer

The United States of America, once a vivacious nation, has become increasingly large and dangerous.

The adult obesity rate in the past year has risen nationally to 24.5 percent, according to Trust for America’s Health, an organization for the betterment of American health.

Obesity and overweight are two common concerns on the BYU-Idaho campus as well, said Dr. Jud Miller, M.D. of the BYU-I Health Center.

“Luckily here [obesity] isn’t terrible. But I would say that roughly 30-35 percent of students are in the overweight category,” Miller said.

Obesity is defined as an excessively high amount of body fat in relation to lean body mass. Overweight is an increase of body weight in relation to height. Both are results of energy imbalances over time.

When the intake of calories surpasses the activity used to burn them, they are stored as fat, and weight gain commences. What people eat and their level of physical activity will determine whether or not weight gain is prevalent.

The TFAH reported that approximately 119 million Americans are either obese or overweigh­t—leading them slowly down the road to major disease and illness.
From cancer to high blood pressure, diabetes and sleep apnea, obesity and overweight can hit all people on the spectrum.

Even heavy mothers can have difficulties in pregnancy, Miller said.

“Overweight women can have significant complications conceiving due to lack of strength,” Miller said.

Exercise and healthy diets are the first remedies to help those suffering from obesity.

“Nothing beats good, healthful living by eating natural foods and regular physical activity or exercise,” Miller said, “In my opinion, get rid of the processed foods like crackers, white bread, white rice and corn chips. They’re empty calories – they go straight to your gut. Replace these things with fruits, vegetables, brown rice and natural grains,” he said.

Miller also warns about the use of so-called “fad diets” that encourage taking carbohydrates and fats out of the average meal cycle or taking pills that repress hunger or cause weight loss.

“Crash-course diets are bogus,” he said. “The idea of taking out all carbs or all fats isn’t smart. Keep the good ones and take out the bad ones. It’s not a good idea to just cut everything out, because you’re cutting out nutrients that your body actually needs.”

As health problems rise, caution should be taken when considering potentially threateninig fad diets. Securing a longer life void of overweight-caused disease will be the result of healthy habitual exercise and a daily dose of nature’s finest foods.