How to reach & maintain a healthy weight!

Dr Tracy Jackson

Dr Gail Bohin - Clinical Psychologist

Zara Catlow - Dietician

Patient Participation Group

What is a healthy weight?

• BMI

• Weight (kg) / Height (m squared)

What is a healthy weight?

• BMI• Weight (Kg) / Height (m x m)• Underweight<20• Ideal 20-25• Overweight 25-30• Obese 30-35• Obese II 35-40 • Obese III 40-45

How many of us are ‘ideal’?

• <50%!

• Overweight / Obese >50%

• Obese = 25%

Waist circumference

• Target: Men <102cm (40”)Women <88cm (35”)

• Men >30% have waists that are too big 45% of women

What wrong with carrying too much weight?

• Reduced life expectancy. If obese at 40, life expectancy reduces by 5.8 yrs for men and 7.1 yrs for women

• Increases risk of death from heart disease (IHD, diabetes, hypertension and cholesterol)

• Also increases the risk of cancer (oesophageal, uterine, kidney, prostate, breast, leukaemia, liver, bowel)

• Increased risk of other health problems (gallstones, breathing problems)

What’s wrong with carrying too much weight?

• You don’t feel good about yourself

• Have less energy, lower self esteem, less positive

“To say that obesity is caused by merely consuming too many calories is like saying that the only cause of the American Revolution was the Boston

Tea Party.”