The Nation Newspaper

Tag: obesity

  • How we defeated obesity, by Port Harcourt residents

    Edmark Direct Marketing, a network product marketing company in Nigeria, last week gathered at the Arena Hall in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, to celebrate its victory against obesity.

    The event also offered customers who were suffering from obesity the opportunity to give testimony.

    Mrs. Chioma Obiageri said she had always wanted to lose weight.

    She described her former size as a serious problem.

    Obiageri said:  ”In 2014, Edmark Nigeria kicked off the weight loss challenge, giving people like us and other Nigerians the opportunity and platform to regain their health through weight loss and to fight obesity which is a disease of its own.

    ”I was unhappy about  myself each time I look at myself at the mirror. At a point, I started thinking on what to do to fight this disease of obesity. It is on the process of searching for solution that I met someone who introduced me to Edmark product.  I stand here today to tell you that I’m now a free person because I got my confidence back.”

    Another customer, Ogechi Okorie, said her experience  showed that excess fat in human system was not only bad but dangerous to health.

    She said the fat in her system wanted to kill her.

    Okorie said:  ”I want to thank the almighty God that He made me to come in contact with this company. I was dying before now. I was looking for solution; I wanted to be free from my previous size. Today I’m here to give my testimony and I would say that I’m glad that everything is now history.

    “I had excess fat in my body and when you have excess fat, it would cause serious damage if you didn’t discover it on time. So, when I got the opportunity from the company, I made a lot of efforts to ensure that the fats in my body were burned off using Edmark product.”

    Edmark Senior Crown Manager Mrs. Gift Emelle said obesity “is a growing global epidemic penetrating every walk of life around the world”.

    She said Edmark  would help  combat obesity, not just with healthy food supplements, but by creating awareness and educating the people.

    Mrs. Emelle said:“ Edmark Nigeria  has since helped over 950 individuals lose over 6.925 kilogramme of excess weight collectively. The weight loss challenge rewards participants for their discipline in achieving their healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) within 90 days.

    “With the weight loss initiative, distributors are encouraged to turn their weight loss journeys into a business opportunity and tool to be a product of the product. Following the initial success   of the product expo in Port Harcourt the company decided to bring it back for an encore.

    “The expo is a concept of exhibiting the opportunity that the company offers to all the Nigerian. It is a way to reclaim and maintained their health. It is a path towards financial freedom, and a means to better their lives. The expo is also one of the many ways the company seeks to assist its independent distributors with their efforts in expanding their business teams.”

  • Eating mushrooms can avert diseases, says Nutritionist

    Eating mushrooms can avert diseases, says Nutritionist

    An Ibadan-based nutritionist, Ms Dayo Olawunmi, said eating mushrooms regularly could help to lower risk of contracting diseases, including diabetes, cancer and obesity.

    Olawunmi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Ibadan that mushrooms were rich in antioxidants and many disease fighting nutrients like vitamin D known to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

    “Studies have shown that mushrooms are naturally low in sodium, fat, cholesterol and calories. In addition to providing basic nutrition, they help prevent chronic diseases due to the presence of antioxidants.”

    She said that mushrooms were also rich in potassium and sodium which worked together to regulate blood pressure to promote a healthy heart.

    “Consuming mushrooms, which are rich in potassium and low in sodium helps to lower blood pressure and decrease the risk of high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases.

    “Mushrooms also contain choline, an important nutrient that helps with sleep, muscle movement, learning and memory,” she said.

    Olawunmi, however, cautioned that not all mushrooms were edible and that eating some could lead to serious illness and even death.

    “It is best to consume mushrooms that have been cultivated under appropriate conditions; not all the varieties of the plant are edible.

    “Eating wild mushrooms that are toxic to humans can cause severe illness, and sometimes, even death,” she stated.

    Edible mushrooms, like the cauliflower mushrooms, are the fleshy and edible fruit bodies of several species of macro fungi (fungi which bear fruiting structures that are large enough to be seen with the naked eye).

    They can appear either below ground or above ground where they may be picked by hand.

  • WHO raises alarm over childhood obesity

    WHO raises alarm over childhood obesity

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) has blamed childhood obesity, especially in developing countries, on the marketing of sugar-rich non-alcoholic beverages and ultra-processed, energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods.

    “Childhood obesity can erode the benefits that arrive with social and economic progress,” WHO Director-General Margaret Chan told the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity, which is meeting in Hong Kong.

    “Childhood obesity must be accepted as a significant and urgent threat to health that is relevant in all countries. Governments must take the lead,” she said Tuesday.

    Chan praised the interim report on the work carried out thus far by the Commission and commended the group’s warning that `voluntary initiatives are not likely to be sufficient’.

    “To be successful, efforts aimed at reducing the marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages need support from regulatory and statutory approaches.

    “Perhaps most importantly, you defined a moral responsibility and stated where it must lie. None of the factors that cause obesity are under the control of the child,” she said.

    According to WHO, the number of overweight or obese infants and young children increased from 32 million globally in 1990 to 42 million in 2013.
    In Africa alone, the number of overweight or obese children increased from 4 to 9 million over the same period.

    The WHO fact sheet on childhood obesity also said the vast majority of overweight or obese children live in developing countries.

    It said if the current trends continue the number of overweight or obese infants and young children globally will increase to 70 million by 2025.

    WHO governing body, the World Health Assembly, in 2014 approved the Global Action Plan for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases 2013-2020.

    It aims to achieve the commitments of the UN Political Declaration on non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

    The action plan is expected to contribute to progress on nine global NCD targets to be attained by 2025. These targets include halting global obesity rates in school-aged children, adolescents and adults.

  • How to prevent hypertension, obesity, by US don

    How to prevent hypertension, obesity, by US don

    •Okosun
    •Okosun

    A United States-based Associate Professor of Public Health, Solomon Okosun, has advocated the need to step up efforts to control and manage the growing cases of diabetes and hypertension in the country.

    Okosun made the call at a public lecture he delivered at Obong University in Etim Ekpo, Akwa Ibom State, on the topic: The epidemiology of metabolic syndrome in populations of African descent.

    Okosun, a lecturer at Georgia State University in United States, defined metabolic syndrome as a cluster of conditions that result in manifest increased blood pressure, high blood sugar level, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels, which occur together and increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

    He traced the medical problem to unhealthy lifestyles among the people, especially those living in the urban areas.

    The lecturer said apart from an unfortunate situation where people deliberately reduce physical activities and exercise from their daily routine, it has become common among the people to use obesity as an index to measuring affluence, stressing that the notion has continued to act as a catalyst for the rising cases of diabetes, hypertension and stroke among Africans.

    He said: “It is common to see Nigerians living in urban areas showing off affluence by going for junk foods, which have serious health implications. People who eat these foods try as much as possible to avoid all forms of physical activities like walking, cycling and jogging, which would have helped in the prevention of obesity, which in turn leads to metabolic syndrome.”

    To stem the rising cases, Okusun said it was imperative for individuals to pay attention to dietary habits by avoiding food that increases risk to becoming obese, while also engaging in more physical activities.

    He said his reason for visiting the university was to initiate discussions with the management on areas of collaboration, especially on research, staff and students exchanges between the host institution and Georgia State University.

    He said he would give scholarships at the Post-graduate level to graduates of the school wishing to study Public Health in the United States.

    Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor (VC), Prof Udoudo Ekanemesang, remarked that the institution is passionate about research and development, reiterating the management’s willingness to collaborate on research that will proffer solutions to pressing societal problems.

    He expressed optimism that the proposed collaboration between Georgia State University and Obong University in the area of Public Health would be mutually beneficial to both school.

  • Child Obesity: A growing cause for concern

    Child Obesity: A growing cause for concern

    As we usher in the New Year, Gboyega Alaka brings to the front burner, the growing cases of child obesity in our society, highlighting the health and psychological effects on the youngsters.

    Eight-year-old Modupe (not real name) got the biggest embarrassment of her young life recently, when she was shooed off the stage mid-way into a children dance contest. It was the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the popular radio programme, Lunch Hour Show and Modupe had gone up stage with high hopes of clinching the winning prize money, apparently trusting in her dancing skills. In addition to bags of goodies, the organisers had earmarked a part of its N1.5million winning money of the day for the best child dancer, and Modupe, from the audience position danced really well and deserved to go all the way. She was therefore surprised when a larger chunk of the audience voted her to go off the stage with the elimination slang ‘waka’ (meaning walk away).

    From the audience’s point of view, which is about forty meters from the elevated stage, where the kids danced, Modupe appeared a much bigger girl, giving the impression that  she shouldn’t even be competing with the kids in the first place. And that, more than her performance on stage, determined the audience’s decision to eliminate her from the competition.

    On descending the stage and approaching her father at a section of the audience’s section however, a good number of the crowd suddenly discovered that they had misjudged Modupe’s age and indeed been unfair to the young girl. “Oh she’s actually a little girl,” somebody whispered.”

    “And we thought she is too old,” another replied; while one who couldn’t care less retorted, “why she self go fat like old mama.”

    Somehow, they all agreed, on seeing her up-close, that they had committed a grave error of judgment, which unfortunately, they could not reverse

    Overwhelmed, Modupe snuggled close to her dad while complaining tearfully about how, “they told me to go away… and I was dancing well daddy.”

    Khafilat’s story is not much different. But while information about Modupe’s background and history may not be known; that of events leading to Khafilat’s obesity problem is available, as told by a close family member. Born into a nouveau riche Lagos middle-class family, Khafilat’s mother took delight in feeding her with meals from fast food joints, even though she was literally a fulltime housewife and could have nurtured her with healthy home-made meals. To her, it was a thing of pride, and it was actually common to hear her flaunt the fact that “My daughter doesn’t eat anything cooked at home,” and “Oh she has to eat meat pie and a cup of ice cream before going to sleep, otherwise….”

    Her father, a top manager at a defunct government parastatal, wasn’t left out, as he always branched at a fast food eatery to do mother and daughter’s bidding.

    Gradually, in their ignorance, they fed little Khafilat with junk, until she began to blow up. Unwittingly, they also reveled in her chubbiness. She was the teddy of the family and they were simply loving it. Somehow, it never occurred to them what harm they were doing to the little girl. By the time Khafilat was clocked 9, she already looked like a 16-year old, big and over-blown. Suddenly, both parents realised the problem on their hands, but alas, it seemed a bit too late, as they all (Kafilat inclusive) lost control of her body. The fact that she inherited her father’s height also means that she now looks quite imposing. Now at 14, the poor girl could pass easily for a 30-year-old woman, looking fat and matronly. And wait for this: men old enough to be her father now make passes at her, apparently misjudging her age.

    To make matters worse, she is also facing issues of self esteem, as she gets jibes such as ‘orobo, mummy and fatty,’ from friends and strangers, who find her size amusing. The embarrassment has also got to a stage where she hardly goes out, except to school.

    Her helpless mother now complains of her increasing recluse lifestyle, trying hard to get her to ignore the negative remarks on her size. On her part, Khafilat is trying hard to avoid those foods she has been used to, to no avail.

    And the question persists:  how does she lose her excess weight?

    Little Modupe and Khafilat’s stories are just two of the thousands unpalatable experiences children suffering from obesity and overweight problems are facing in our world.

    Unfortunately however, these may just be tips out of the iceberg, considering the health complications they might be facing in the future, if their conditions are not quickly reversed.

    Mrs. Iwalola Akin Jimoh, nutritionist and member of the Ovie Brume Foundation explains that obesity is actually a situation that predisposes somebody to certain other conditions and diseases. “For example,” she said, “if you are obese, you’re susceptible to high blood pressure, hypertension, cardiac diseases, and diabetes mellitus, particularly in adults.”

    She disagrees with opinions in some quarters that obesity in itself is a disease, saying it is “more like a dangerous condition that predisposes one to other diseases.”

    And while current statistics may be hard to come by, one will most certainly find pockets of children with obesity problems in the exclusive private schools across the country, somehow suggesting that it is a condition preponderant amongst the rich and upper-class. Cursory investigations however suggest that there are cases in public schools and even amongst the lower class, indicating that it cuts across all economic strata.

    A study conducted by the Paediatric and Child Health department of the Igbinedion University, Edo State, at the turn of this decade revealed that Nigeria has a prevalence of 18% obese cases among school age children. This of course indicates that a sizable number of the country’s emerging youth might be facing challenges of obesity and its attending health conditions in the near future.

    It also carpets the opinion in some quarters that the problem has not yet reached an alarming rate.

    Akin-Jimoh lends her voice to this controversy, when she said “to say that it is not yet at an alarming rate is something I won’t agree with. It’s quite alarming at this point in time.”

    Even though statistics may be scanty, she says the problem cuts across board and requires urgent attention.

    She revealed that the problem of obesity actually takes roots from the way mothers feed their infant, when the child is born, right through the type of diet that the child is weaned on. She also said that the reason it might be more preponderant amongst children of the upper class may not be unconnected with their parents’ busy schedule, especially in a city like Lagos.

    “For this reason, they don’t pay extra attention to diet and you find that their kids in the morning take cereal, sausage and chips, which is very high in calories; in the afternoon, they go for rice and maybe a quarter of a chicken, which again is way too much. And in the evening, they go for maybe white bread, egg and sausage. So the diet that a lot of kids in the upper-class take might actually contain a lot of fat, a lot of sugar and very high carbohydrate diet. Sometimes it’s also very high in protein, way beyond what a child needs; and when you take too much carbohydrate and protein, it is converted and stored under your skin.”

    To be on the safe side, she advised that once your diet provides enough for you to meet your energy needs, then it is excellent; as against consuming way more than you need and having it work against you.

    While raising an alarm over the growing rate of obesity amongst young children at the 2nd Federation of African Nutrition Societies (FANUS) meeting held  in collaboration with the Nutrition Society of Nigeria and other stakeholders a few years back, Dr Maria Pilar Riobo Servan, Vice President of the Society of Endocrinology, Nutrition & Diabetes in Madrid, Spain, said changing food habits, declining physical activities in the home and in schools, increasing sedentary habits- where children sit for long periods watching TV or playing video games, and changing physical environment are some of the major factors parents need to address. Except something urgent is done to address this growing trend, Servan warned that the situation will attain a pandemic proportion, leading to the continent’s first generation of less healthy adults with shorter life expectancy than their parents.

    For the records, an adult with a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese. Extreme obesity, also called severe obesity or morbid obesity, occurs with a BMI of 40 or more. With morbid obesity, one is especially likely to have serious health problems.

    Servan also stated expressly that the biological cause of obesity is simply “an imbalance between the number of calories in and the number of calories out. In other words, consistently eating more calories than you burn off could make you obese.”

    Once regarded as a problem of economically advanced countries of the world, the condition seems to be taking roots in Africa. A conservative figure actually suggests that 15 million Nigerians are obese, while two to three times more people are probably overweight.

  • ‘Obesity exposes a child to dangerous health conditions’

    ‘Obesity exposes a child to dangerous health conditions’

    Mrs. Iwalola Akin-Jimoh, a nutritionist and member, advisory board of the Ovie Brume Foundation speaks on the growing spate of child obesity in Nigeria and its health and psychological implications; even as she urges early preventive measures.

    While it might be said that Obesity in children in Nigeria has not reached an alarming stage, it nevertheless calls for concern seeing that cases liter our exclusive private schools; can you give us a current statistics?

    I cannot give you any statistics at this point in time, but to say that it is not yet at an alarming rate is something I won’t agree with. It’s quite alarming at this point in time, and the problem of obesity actually takes roots from the way you feed your infant, when the child is born right through the type of diet that the child is weaned on. I mean you can talk about private schools, where it seems to be obvious, but I really think the situation in which we’ve found ourselves needs urgent attention.

    There are controversies on whether obesity is a disease in itself or a condition; could you please explain obesity in simple terms?

    Obesity is a situation that predisposes somebody to certain other conditions, to certain diseases. For example, if you’re obese, you’re susceptible to high blood pressure, hypertension, cardiac diseases, and diabetes mellitus, particularly in adults. So it’s more like a dangerous condition that predisposes you to other diseases.

    Some people take pride in having their children looking chubby, especially at the early stage. What have you got to say to this?

    It’s good for a child to look healthy, but he doesn’t have to look overweight. When you have your infant, you should take him through a process called Growth Monitoring at a health centre, where they will measure his weight and height and let you know if he is thriving. If the child is overweight or prone to obesity, they would tell you.

    Is there a specific measurement of weight for height for children or even adult?

    Yes we do. For adult, you take your BMI and for a child, there is a standardised Growth Monitoring Chart, which is approved by the Federal Ministry of Health and which is actually used in all government health facilities, and approved private health facilities. The chart gives a range of what height is supposed to be for a particular weight. There is a range that tells you a child is healthy, malnourished, underweight and even overweight.

    What’s the difference between being overweight and being obese?

    When you’re overweight, your Basic Metabolic Index is probably over 25. The Basic Metabolic Index has a formula that you use to calculate it. Many people have questioned the authenticity of the BMI because if you’re familiar with the Nigerian population, you find out that almost everybody is overweight. And when you get to a certain range, you say somebody is obese; and when you get to another range, you say somebody is morbidly obese. The Basic Metabolic Index, which is a relationship between your height and your weight, actually tells if a person falls within any of these ranges. It is important to note here that there are certain tests that are also performed on individuals, because a person may be overweight and his biochemical parameters remain okay. Also, a person may be within the normal weight range, while already showing high cholesterol level. You might also be within the normal weight and already have high blood pressure. It’s just that when you’re obese, it predisposes you to some of these conditions. So once a person is above 40, 45; there is need to continuously check a lot of biochemical parameters in your blood, to see how you’re fairing health-wise.

    Obesity also seems to be more common amongst children of the upper-class and middle-class? Why is this?

    It’s actually related to diet. If you look at Lagos for example, you’d find that a lot of the upper-class parents are very busy. They don’t pay extra attention to diet and you find that their kids in the morning take cereal, sausage and chips, which is very high in calories diet. In the afternoon, they go for rice and maybe a quarter of a chicken, which is way too much. And in the evening, they go for maybe white bread, egg and sausage again. So the diet that a lot of kids in the upper-class take might actually contain a lot of fat, a lot of sugar and very high carbohydrate diet. Sometimes, it is also very high in protein, way beyond what you need. And when you take too much carbohydrate and protein, it is converted and stored under your skin. So your diet provides enough for you to meet your energy needs, it is excellent. Rather than consuming way more than you need and having it works against you.

    Do you then subscribe to the opinion that obesity is more common amongst the rich and upper-class?

    Being overweight has nothing to do with your economic class. It has to do with your diet. If you don’t eat right, you have a tendency to have malnutrition, irrespective of your economic class. Malnutrition can be over-nutrition or under-nutrition. Over-nutrition is a category in which we have the manifestation of obesity, which means you’re over-eating. And whether you’re living in Ajegunle or Mushin, if you fall in this category, you have the tendency to become obese. In children, it might not be very obvious, but in adult, it is quite evident. If you look at the Nigerian population; you’d find that people are overweight, irrespective of their economic class. I’m not saying that people are also not undernourished, but when you look at the trend in the last ten years and also project into the next ten to twenty years; you’d find that Nigeria could actually have a population in which a lot of people will actually be overweight, because they’re not just eating right.

    The general opinion is that obesity is preventable. How so?

    You can actually start preventing obesity right from infancy by breastfeeding your child exclusively for six months; all breast, no water. At least ensure that you do this for the first three months of your maternity leave. Even when you have to go to work, you can still manage by breast feeding them when you are at home; and by extracting and storing when you know you would be at work. Also, you can use weaning milk, peradventure you cannot give your child exclusive breast feeding, and stick to the instruction on the can. Do not give four level spoons, when the instruction says three, just because you can afford it. In any case, no health worker will encourage a mother to raise her child on infant milk, except in health cases such as when the mother is HIV positive etc.

    How do you reverse obesity in a child?

    To reverse obesity, you need to place the child on a diet, because the truth is your weight is almost 70 per cent of what you put in your mouth and 30 per cent of your physical activities. But you shouldn’t cut back too much on the protein because the child needs protein, but you’re reducing the fat. You shouldn’t cut back too much on the milk because the child needs calcium; you should not cut back on things like legumes, beans and all that, because the child is still growing. And then you want to increase the child’s physical activities. If you can afford it, swimming is actually a very good sport that engages the whole parts of the body and even strengthens the back. You might want to enroll the child in aerobics, dance class and generally increase his/her physical activities. So the child is exercising and also enjoying himself. Even simple exercises like brisk walking will go a long way. So you can use increased physical activities and diet modification to help a child lose weight. Another thing: if your child is used to ice cream, chicken and the likes, you don’t cut it out totally; simply reduce the portion size, otherwise when you turn your back, he goes back and binge on it. For a more effective approach, parents who can afford it should also see a dietician or nutritionist. Virtually all teaching hospitals has departments designated for them. The sooner the issue of a child showing signs of obesity is addressed, the better.

    Aside the health implications, there are psychological issues, which seems to even assail obese children much earlier. Do you have experiences to share in this regard?

    Of course it affects them psychologically and leads to issues of self-esteem because in a case where they are just one or two looking like that in a class, the tendency is for their mates to call them names such as orobo, facto and all of that. And it cuts through even the public schools, because we do a lot of work with public schools. It might even affect their studies in the long run, because they become too self-conscious. And then during sports there is the issue of performance, in which you might not be able to run as fast as your colleagues or compete generally in physical exercise. This does not necessarily apply academically though. Talking about the female gender, the image that is posted out there  whether on the internet or on the television; is the idea that an attractive lady is one who is slim and shapely. And if you’re obese, you don’t tend to fit into this image and it affects the way you look at yourself. And so parents really need to pay a lot of attention to this, so that when their children are obese, they help them get through the difficult period of self worth. The fact that you have only one body and cannot get a spare one in the markets, means that you need to strive to keep it as healthy as possible. Obesity is a condition that you don’t even want to find yourself. You should also cultivate the habit of taking fruits and vegetables. It is bad enough that children don’t like vegetables and fruits; but to now let them perpetrate a diet that is devoid of them means that you’re setting them up for something that will not benefit them in the future. Besides, if you don’t bring them up to take fruits and vegetable, how do they in turn transfer this healthy health habit to their children? Exercise is also key. A lot of parents lay too much emphasis on academic success, such that the child hardly pays any attention to physical exercise of any sort. And that is extremely harmful to a child because a child has a lot of energy. They need to learn how to multi-task and manage their time effectively. An active sports life will also help them avoid sedentary life and help then burn up extra calories and energy even when they over-eat. It is important for a child to start laying the foundation for healthy muscles rather than fatty tissues.

  • OBESITY

    OBESITY

    ONCE, it was considered a sign of beauty, wealth as well as fecundity. Looking plump, well-rounded with rolls of fat evenly spread all over the body was a much coveted look loved by women of old in several parts of the country. Infact, among the Efik tribe of Calabar, Cross River State, young girls preparing for marriage were taken to the fattening room where they were kept in seclusion for several months. While there, they would be fed large amounts of rich, fatty foods daily so they can gain excess weight and become fat. For in that culture, an obese woman symbolised wealth, good fortune, beauty and fertility.

    Today, with changing attitudes and perceptions of beauty and wellness, obesity is no longer as desirable as before and even frowned upon in certain circles. A fat person now is seen more as a symbol of gluttony, excess, over indulgence and even laziness than an object of desire.

    Experts, particularly health care practitioners, attribute the modern attitude to obesity to its implications on the health of the overweight person. “Obesity is used to describe a person who is very overweight, with a lot of body fat. It is often caused by consuming more calories, especially those found in fatty and sugary foods, than you burn off through physical activity. The excess energy is then stored by the body as fat,” stated Dr Owumi Timothy, a medical practitioner. He added that being overweight is not something that should be taken lightly because of the health connection.

    “Being overweight can lead to a number of serious and potentially life-threatening conditions such as coronary heart disease, some types of cancer such as breast cancer and bowel, cancer, stroke, type 2 diabetes, among other ailments,” he added. Besides the physical effect on the body, he noted that obesity can also lead to psychological problems such as depression and low self esteem. “Someone who is obese who sees a slim, nicely shaped lady or model in a magazine or TV ad can feel bad about her own weight, causing depression. To feel better about herself, she might look for something to eat, a form of ‘comfort food’ which will aggravate her weight situation and the circle continues,” he said.

    One lady, who knows the challenges of living with obesity is Elvina Ibru, daughter of the Ibru patriarch, Chief Michael Ibru. Having lived a large part of her life with a big size, she is excited to have taken measures that helped her lose much of her weight.

    She noted that when she was obese, she used to feel pains in her body. The pains were also at her back during pregnancy. The pains, according to her were, “weight related, especially the pain at my back. The good aspect is that, the pain disappeared when I lost my first 15 kilos! I felt better; I felt I had more energy and being suddenly able to run around with my son and play, made me very happy that I have found a new life, a new me. Life has been easier for me. Little things used to be difficult for me to do. Even travelling was difficult. But now, I seat comfortably in the aircraft. I used to be notorious at parties because I couldn’t just sit at any given chair. Now, I sit in all available chairs.”

    When asked on the motivation to shed weight, she said: “I think Gloria, my elder who sister, started it. Initially, she was the biggest among us all. She started losing weight first. Then, I was getting bigger by the day. So, three years ago, after Gloria inspired me with her gradual weight loss, I started telling myself that I could do it too. I guess what eventually triggered it off was that I had been big all my life but I never had any sickness or illness. It got to a point when I was beginning to feel sluggish. I felt I was suddenly trapped in my own body. There were some things that I had always loved to do, but my body was just not responding. So, I was asking myself, what was happening in my body? Also, I was feeling little aches at my back, and I just had a little son. So, I asked myself, how I was going to be enjoying and playing with my little son when I could not even lift my body? So, it was not really about being prettier or being more beautiful that I lost weight. It was more about my health, though I never had health challenges attached to my former weight. At my biggest, I weighed 210 kg and I am 5 feet 11. That is a very large person, but I didn’t have ailments like diabetes, cholesterol or hypertension except for the small aches at my back.

    “I didn’t want a situation where I had to get to where I became unhealthy. So, I had to nip it in the bud. I cannot now talk about my diet because I am not through yet. I still want to go down 16-20 kg. I want to lose more weight. That is the size I feel I should keep, not because that is what health experts say, but what I feel I want.”

    But how does she feel with her present size? With smiles, she replied, “Yeah, people are asking me why I want to reduce my present size, and I tell them that though my size as it is now is quite attractive, I feel better and want to continue to feel better. I was weighing 210 kg then, while presently it is 115. So, I have lost about 95. If I can get to 100 or 95, then I will be very happy. When I get to that point yeah, I can share my diet recipe and perhaps help some other people who are in such situation that I have been. All my life, I have been struggling with weight. It is not easy.”

     

    From size 24 to 12

    Her plump, rounded figure was a familiar sight to many who knew her both in private and public circles. So, it was a shock when the wife of a serving governor unveiled a much slimmer physique a few years ago to the public. While tongues wagged that her drastic weight loss was as a result of an undisclosed ailment, the lady quashed such tales, attributing her new look to diet and a healthier lifestyle. As she stated in the media: “I was ill and could not walk from point A to B without being so exhausted; and all that the doctor did was not yielding results. Anytime I travelled to see my doctor abroad, he would show me how fats were encroaching over my heart. His advice was simple: ‘Trim down and save your life.

    “There was a time I left Nigeria as a size 22. I got abroad and before I knew it, I was a size 24! I had gone to shop and could not fit into size 22 dresses. There and then, I made up my mind to save my life. I went to my doctor and he gave me a dietician. It became an emergency and the dietician placed me on six weeks without food. She recommended protein shakes and in those weeks, I reduced to size 18 from 24. I was also going for classes on my diets. I returned to Nigeria and for two years now, I have not eaten anything that contains oil.

    “I eat vegetable without oil. Before, I took four slices of bread but now I take just half of a slice and it has to be wheat bread. I take lots of water whenever I feel light-headed and I eat regularly but in small bits. There are times I get a bit slack and add a kilo or two but I quickly shed off. In fact, I weigh myself every morning.

    “I am now a size 12 and I could have gone thinner (I am gunning to be a size 8) but my husband would not hear of that. Really, it is all about a change of lifestyle and knowing what to eat and how to eat in portions. Right now, I am healthier, and I am just maintaining my weight.”

    While some have succeeded in the battle to shed the excess weight, others have not been so lucky. For Afusat Oniyangi, a business woman, her attempts to reduce her weight in the past had been futile with no visible result. “I have at different times attempted to shed weight but I have not been successful or rather, I can say that I have not achieved much in that respect. I really do not know what I miss not being slim because I enjoy my life the way it is. I am happily married and I have beautiful children. With my weight, I am very up and doing and I am always about my business.

    “Being big or fat, as people call it, does not mean much to me. Since childhood, I have always been big. I have never been slim. I had a regular lifestyle. I played well as a child and as a teenager. There was nothing that my friends did that I was not able to do. Even as an adult, I dance, I party, the important thing is that I am able to carry myself well despite my large size.”

    The same applies to top Yoruba actress, Eniola Badmus, who sees her plus sized figure as her USP (unique selling point) or her brand. “That is what has been working for me. It is not easy to be big and famous. Instead of my weight being a drawback, it has actually been a blessing. I consider it my brand,” she said.

     

    Weight loss tips from the experts

    Another medical practitioner, Dr Wole Ogunkoya, attributes the rising cases of obesity in the country to diet and lifestyle.

    “Of course, we drink too much beer in Nigeria; that is one of the main reasons for obesity. It is more of a lifestyle matter. Also, obesity in Nigeria can be ascribed mainly to consumption of food. If you compare it with the obesity in America, there, majority of them eat processed foods; that is why they are so big. And we are actually imitating them in Nigeria. We eat a lot of food preparations, which are not natural. Obesity eventually leads to hypertension. That is because you will be prone to have too much fat in the liver which eventually affects the elasticity of blood vessel. Once that happens, it cannot expand the way it is supposed to expand.

    “The best way to avoid obesity is to control one’s diet, less carbohydrate and control fat going into the belly. One doesn’t need to over fast or starve to avoid obesity. One, however, needs to eat correctly,” h advised.

    Also giving tips on how to lose weight for those who are obese, Quincy Ayodele, CEO, Quincy Herbal Slimmers, notes: “It is very important that overweight people look into their lifestyle and correct some things. People who are overweight tend to live a sedentary lifestyle and eat more calories than they need. It is very important that if you are overweight and the doctor has said that you should shed weight, it is important that you change your diet and start eating more of foods that do not have high calorie content such as vegetables. Also drink a lot of water. It is also necessary to take at least three litres of water daily unless your personal doctor has restricted your water intake for whatever medical reason. Exercise too would be an added advantage to help one who is overweight. There are light exercises like climbing steps and walking short distances for a start.”

    She notes that losing weight for the obese can be achieved with the right mindset. As she states: “Well, I will give you my example. I was once very obese until I decided to lose weight. It was easy for me to do because I had already made up my mind that I wanted to lose weight. It was easy for me. Also, we make losing weight easy for our clients because there are easier ways. But more importantly is for the individual to make up his or her mind to lose weight. Once that is done, it is easier for us to guide such a person.”

    On the group of people in the country with the tendency to be obese, the weight loss expert says: ” In Nigeria, it is the rich that are more obese than the poor for obvious reasons that poor people do not have access to high calorie foods such as access to pastries, soft drinks, sharwama and plenty of meat in their foods. Poor people tend to have money to buy foods like fish, millet, vegetables and fruits.

    “Also, poor people do not live sedentary lifestyles. Poor people walk longer distances than the rich. The rich move from car to desk and to bed.  But poor people exercise their bodies through manual labour and do not indulge in fatty foods because they do not have the money to do so.”

  • Easy way out of obesity

    The Managing Director, Health Forever Limited,Ikeja, Otunba Olajuwon Okubena sheds light on how to maintain a healthy weight.

    What Is Obesity?

    Obesity as an excess proportion of total body fat. A person is considered obese when his or her weight is 20 per cent or more above normal weight. The most common measure of obesity is the body mass index (BMI). A person is considered overweight if his or her BMI is between 25 and 29.9; a person is considered obese if his or her BMI is over 30. To measure obesity, researchers commonly use a scale known as the body mass index (BMI). BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight (in kilograms) by their height (in meters) squared. BMI provides a more accurate measure of obesity or being overweight than weight alone.

    Obesity is dangerous for your health, bringing plenty of health problems in a variety of spheres.

    Guidelines established by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) place adults age 20 and older into the following categories based on their BMI:

    “Morbid obesity” means that a person is either 50 per cent to 100 per cent over normal weight, more than 45 kilograms over normal weight, has a BMI of 40 or higher, or is sufficiently overweight to severely interfere with health or normal function.

    What Causes Obesity?

    Obesity occurs when a person consumes more calories than he or she burns. For many people, this boils down to eating too much and exercising too little. But there are other factors that also play a role in obesity. These may include:

    • Age. As you get older, your body’s ability to metabolise food slows down and you do not require as many calories to maintain your weight. This is why people note that they eat the same and do the same activities as they did when they were 20 years old, but at age 40, gain weight.

    • Gender. Women tend to be more overweight than men. Men have a higher resting metabolic rate (meaning they burn more energy at rest) than women, so men require more calories to maintain their body weight. Additionally, when women become postmenopausal, their metabolic rate decreases. That is partly why many women gain weight after menopause.

    • Genetics. Obesity (and thinness) tends to run in families. In a study of adults who were adopted as children, researchers found that participating adult weights were closer to their biological parents’ weights than their adoptive parents.’ The environment provided by the adoptive family apparently had less influence on the development of obesity than the person’s genetic makeup. In fact, if your biological mother is heavy as an adult, there is approximately a 75 per cent chance that you will be heavy. If your biological mother is thin, there is also a 75 per cent chance that you will be thin. Nevertheless, people who feel that their genes have doomed them to a lifetime of obesity should take heart. Many people genetically predisposed to obesity do not become obese or are able to lose weight and keep it off.

    • Environmental factors. Although genes are an important factor in many cases of obesity, a person’s environment also plays a significant role. Environmental factors include lifestyle behaviors such as what a person eats and how active he or she is.

    • Physical activity. Active individuals require more calories than less active ones to maintain their weight. Additionally, physical activity tends to decrease appetite in obese individuals while increasing the body’s ability to preferentially metabolise fat as an energy source. Much of the increase in obesity in the last 20 years is thought to have resulted from the decreased level of daily physical activity.

    • Psychological factors. Psychological factors also influence eating habits and obesity. Many people eat in response to negative emotions such as boredom, sadness, or anger. People who have difficulty with weight management may be facing more emotional and psychological issues; about 30 per cent of people who seek treatment for serious weight problems have difficulties with binge eating. During a binge-eating episode, people eat large amounts of food while feeling they can’t control how much they are eating.

    • Illness. Although not as common as many believe, there are some illnesses that can cause obesity. These include hormone problems such as hypothyroidism (poorly acting thyroid slows metabolism), depression and some rare diseases of the brain that can lead to overeating.

    • Medication. Certain drugs, such as steroids, pills for family planning and some antidepressants, may cause excessive weight gain.

    Consequences of Obesity

    Obesity is associated with increased risks of cancers of the esophagus; breast (postmenopausal), endometrium (the lining of the uterus), colon and rectum, kidney, pancreas, thyroid, gallbladder, and possibly other cancer types. Obese people are also at higher risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and a number of other chronic diseases.

    One of the most painful aspects of obesity may be the emotional suffering it causes. In many part of the world, society places great emphasis on physical appearance, often equating attractiveness with slimness or muscularity. In addition, many people wrongly stereotype obese people as gluttonous, lazy, or both. However, more and more evidence contradicts this assumption. Obese people often face prejudice or discrimination at work, at school, while looking for a job, and in social situations. Feelings of rejection, shame, or depression are common.

    Solution to obesity

    How many times did you get unhappy after hating the idea to undress in public? 0besity does not only affect the way you look and feel about yourself. It is also dangerous for your health, bringing plenty of health problems in a variety of spheres. And of course feeling shy to take off your clothes on a beach or in bed with your special one is so saddening.

    You don’t have to spend the rest of your life exercising yourself to death. You also don’t have to experiment with suspicious pound-fighting products. The option tested and proven you need is Slim and Smart. It is completely a natural blend of ingredients that attack obesity like nothing else and suppresses your appetite, putting your mind in control of your eating. It also easily integrates into existing diets and has no side effects. Thousands of people are amazed with its immediate results. Getting rid of extra kilograms now is safe and enjoyable. Slim and Smart boosts not only your confidence but helps your body produce tons of natural energy.

     

    What is Slim and Smart

     

    Slim and Smart is a proprietary blend of natural herbs from the stable of Health Forever Product Limited, the manufacturers of world famous powerful antioxidant, JOBELYN. Since you have tried all kinds of diets and nothing seems to work, it is time to try this preparation. Does the weight you worked so hard to lose just keeps coming back no matter what you do? Slim and Smart is what you have been looking for. Slim and Smart is a dynamic and effective all-natural weight loss herbal formula for weight loss and fighting obesity and weight gains. Slim and Smart is also an important step in any weight management program because it helps to burn fat, control appetite, and increase metabolism and prevents weight gain rebound. Clinical studies show a weight loss of five to 10kg after four weeks of administration.

    Overweight or obesity is a significant risk factor raising a wide spectrum of health problems. Achieving normal body weight is the most important first step to healthier and longer life. Weight loss can be achieved by restricting caloric intake, active life style and regular moderate exercise. Slim and Smart will help you with your weight loss efforts. We do not boast that this weight loss herbal formula will cut your weight miraculously. A drastic loss of weight by any means can be harmful for health. In addition to achieving weight loss, this weight loss herbal formula can also be helpful for colon cleansing. When taking Slim and Smart as a diet supplement, people who desire to lose weight should also cut down the intake of sugar and food containing saturated fat such as butter, margarine, mayonnaise, and red meat. The preparation is formulated with powerful yet gentle ingredients such as extracts of Cussonia bancoensis, Uvaria chamae, Petiveriaceae and Canariumschweinfurthii.

    Directions: Two tablespoonfuls twice daily, morning and night, preferably before meals. Stop usage as soon as target weight is reached. Slim and smart can also be diluted with water or 2ml of pure honey for taste.

     

    •Enquiries on this article should be addressed to: getinfo@health-forever.com

  • Obesity can be avoided

    Obesity can be avoided

    Obesity, being grossly fat or overweight, is becoming a public health issue. WALE ADEPOJU writes on its prevention.

    THE World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that overweight and obesity are major risk factors for some chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Once considered a problem only in high income countries, overweight and obesity are dramatically on the rise in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings. Consultant Physician, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Dr Olufemi Fasanmade, has confirmed that Nigerians are not left out.

    He described an obese person as one who has accumulated so much body fat that it might have a negative effect on the health. “If a person’s bodyweight is at least 20 per cent higher than it should be, he or she is considered obese. If your Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 25 and 29.9, you are considered overweight. If your BMI is 30 or over, you are considered obese.

    “A good way to determine if a person is obese or overweight is to calculate the body mass index (BMI). The BMI is a statistical measurement derived from your height and weight. Although it is considered to be a useful way to estimate healthy body weight, it does not measure the percentage of body fat. “Though, the BMI measurement can sometimes be misleading – a muscleman may have a high BMI, but have much less fat than an unfit person whose BMI is lower. By looking at a person that looks fat will mean that he almost certainly is obese.

    “A person, who looks skinny can’t be obese with the calculation. However, in general, the BMI measurement can be a useful indicator for the ‘average person’.

    “The formula for BMI is equal to weight in kilogrammes divided by height times height in metres. If it is greater than 30 per cent; it is obese. This is how to determine that scientifically. But mere looking at anybody that looks fat will mean that he almost certainly is obese.

    “A person who looks skinny can’t be obese with the calculation,” he said.

     

    What causes obesity?

     

    Fasanmade said obesity is caused by two major factors: environmental and genetics.

    “In environmental factors, what happens is that the person is consuming more calories than he is actually burning. This means that if his food is much more than his exercise or output, he will have some extras. These extras are stored as fats and that’s what leads to obesity. Environmental factors are things relating to people’s diet, exercise and lifestyle. It means the person is always over-eating. Even if his parents are skinny, he will eventually become obese.

    “Talking about the genetic factor, it means the person was born into a family where there is preponderant of full-size. If that happens, it means the children or off springs of such people will have a higher risk of becoming obese. For most people, it is a combination of the two factors. Having it in the gene which is hereditary and combining it with life choices.”

     

    What are the health implications of obesity?

     

    Obesity is associated with reduction in the quality of life. It reduces life span and increases the risk for almost all illnesses.

    Dr Fasanmade said: “For instance, if somebody is obese, he has a higher risk of developing diabetes, hypertension and arthritis. Others are heart problems, cancer, skin diseases and rashes, and ulcer. He or she is also prone to accidents. Fertility is reduced in women who are obese because there’s reduction in their libido. Similarly, potency is reduced in men who are obese. There are psychological problems such as depression. In almost every sickness, the risk is increased in obesity.”

    Healthy lifestyle key

     

    Fasanmade: “The solution is lifestyle changes or modification. An obese person will need to change his lifestyle; this will help him prevent or reduce the prevalence of obesity.

    The way out is to start early. Parents and guidance should teach children/ wards healthy habits. Schools must have play grounds. Children must have enough leisure time. They shouldn’t spend many hours watching television. As children grow, they should be taught to eat fruits rather than chocolate; biscuits and other unhealthy pastries. As adults, people must always be active by engaging in exercise. To prevent obesity in adult is quite simple, anybody who does a 30 minutes brisk walk daily will reduce very significantly the rate of developing obesity. An active lifestyle is important to reducing obesity. Also, if people drink more water and less soft drinks, eat more vegetable and normal food rather than fat food, they would not get obesity. Obese people should drink water rather than soft drinks and they should get adequate relaxation.”

  • ‘Obesity can cause infertility’

    ‘Obesity can cause infertility’

    Obesity also known as fatness has been identified as one of the reasons some women cannot get pregnant.

    According to other Medical Director, St Ives Hospitals, Dr Tunde Okewale, the disease is associated with infertility and almost other bad health problems anybody can think of.

    He said its sufferers are proned to diabetes and hypertension, among others.

    Okewale advised fertility challenged women to ensure they conform to an ideal weight or body mass index (BMI), which is usually below 30.

    “There is an ideal weight for a woman in which her fertility potential is at the highest because at the two extremes of that ideal weight, fertility is affected.

    “At one extreme, if a woman is too thin or over-dieting, she may not be able to conceive. This condition is called anorexia nervosa. They vomit and over-diet. It is common among gymnast, who because of their sports must maintain a particular weight level.

    “At the other extreme is obesity, where the body mass index (BMI) is so much high and makes conception difficult to achieve due to the combination of many factors,” Okewale added.

    He said it was responsible for their inability to ovulate or produce egg regularly. “Ovulation occurs because of some interactions of hormones in women’s body.

    “When women add weight, the fat increases and some hormones are trapped in the fat. This disrupts the menstrual cycle and the ovulation capability of the women,” he added.

    Okewale said obese women can boost their fertility by just losing 10 per cent of their weight.

    “There is a particular infertility problem called polycystic ovarian syndrome (POS), which is common in people who are obese. What happens is that the male and female hormones in their system are trapped in the fat and start disrupting other hormones,” he added.

    “This is why obese women find it hard to menstruate regularly or sometimes too frequently. That is an indication that there is a disruption in the hormones”, he added.

    Okewale enjoined women who are obese to lose weight by dieting or having regular physical exercises.