Obesity’snot something that has one simple “cause.” It’s influenced by a numberof factors, from the foods you eat to the type and amount of exerciseyou do to your family’s genetic makeup. Beyond food, fitness and yourgenes, here are a few of the major culprits in weight gain and loss:
- Stress: People who are chronically stressed outincluding kidstend tosecrete more of a hormone called cortisol, which encourages abdominalfat to build up. Chronic stress is also associated with insulinresistance and “emotional eating”in other words, snacking when nothungry to deal with anxiety.
- Sleep: The research is prettyclear: Kids and adults who sleep more tend to weigh less. Those whosleep less than seven hours per night tend to be the heaviest, as dothose who wake up during the middle of the night.
- Safety:According to a recent article in Psychology Today, people who perceivetheir neighborhoods as dangerous are 1.5 times more likely than averageto be overweight, most likely because they’re nervous about spendingmuch time outside.
- Socioeconomic status: Researchers at Oklahoma State Universityrecently foundas many studies before them have that there’s a stronglink between poverty and obesity. People who have lots of lifestressors, particularly worries about making ends meet, are less likelyto focus on fitness and nutrition goals if they don’t get much supportfrom their community.
Weight-control Tips
Thekeys to losing weight are, for the most part, similar whether you’re akid or an adult. Nearly everyone knows that exercising regularly andlimiting calories and fat can go a long way. However, there are tons ofother simple tricks you can use to eat and exercise more effectively.Here are a few tips you may not have heard yet, culled from MedicalCollege researchers, TOPS Regional Director Ruth Gielow and theNational Weight Control Registry (NWCR):
- Eat breakfast every day.Research has shown that people who do thisespecially kidsfeel fullerand eat less throughout the day.
- Ditch the sweets. Putting healthyfoods like apples, carrots, yogurt or even a relish tray at eye levelin the fridge and stowing sweets in the produce bin helps you snacksmarter.
- Add small bursts of exercise to your routine. Studieshave shown that the pounds start to fall off when people increase theirexercise levels to a total of 60 minutes per day. It may not seem thathelpful, but adding a few sets of jumping jacks during TV commercialsor taking a 10-minute walk after each meal can go a long way towardweight-loss and fitness goals.
- Buddy up. You’re less likely toreplace a workout with a nap or a snack if you’ve promised one or twoother people you’ll do it with them.
- Have a fast-food strategy. Prepareat least a few meals per week at home, which tends to curb calories andoffers a great opportunity to get kids interested in nutrition. Whenyou’re on the go, read the nutritional information at fast-foodrestaurants and try to choose high-protein items and limit starchy andsugary add-ons like french fries and ice cream.
- Turn off theTV. Limit sedentary activities such as TV-watching and Internet surfing.Whip out Wii Fit or Dance Dance Revolution, go ice skating or sledding,or snowshoe down a local trail. It’ll hardly feel like exercise.
Weight-loss Resources
The National Weight Control Registry: 1-800-606-NWCR, www.nwcr.ws
TOPS: 414-482-4620, www.tops.org
Medical College of Wisconsin’s Metabolic Syndrome Clinic: 414-805-6242, www.mcw.edu/endocrinology/centers/MetabolicCenter.htm
