March 4 is World Obesity Day. According to the results of the national STEPS study, in Ukraine almost 60% of the adult population is overweight, a quarter of the population (24.8%) is obese. The statistics among children are also not encouraging - every fourth child is overweight, of which 91% are obese.
Overweight and obesity are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, heart attack, stroke), diabetes, musculoskeletal diseases, hormonal imbalances, mental health disorders, etc. Ultimately, this reduces the quality of life and significantly shortens its duration.
The main cause of obesity and overweight is an energy imbalance, when a person consumes more calories than they expend. Excessive calorie consumption, a sedentary lifestyle are our habits that need to and can be changed to beneficial ones.
Here are some tips to help you keep your weight under control:
- Eat a balanced diet, follow the rules of a healthy eating plate. https://kh.cdc.gov.ua/news/tarilka-zdorovogo-harchuvannya/.
- Control the amount of food you eat and its calorie content. Eat more raw vegetables and unsweetened fruits. Instead, minimize sweets and sugary drinks. Limit the consumption of processed foods containing salt, sugar and fats.
- Ensure adequate drinking.
- Move more, especially if you have a sedentary lifestyle. Do morning exercises. Walk more. Increase your active loads.
https://phc.org.ua/news/oberi-intensivnist-svoei-fizichnoi-aktivnosti
- Sleep at least 7-8 hours, because healthy sleep is the best way to prevent various diseases and excess weight in particular.
- Monitor your weight regularly. This will help you notice a negative trend in time and make adjustments to your lifestyle.
For more information about the dangers, factors, prevention of overweight, and tips for parents on preventing obesity in children, please visit the following links: https://kh.cdc.gov.ua/news/ozhyrinnya-chomu-tse-nebezpechno/,
https://kh.cdc.gov.ua/news/dytyache-ozhyrinnya-ne-mozhna-ignoruvaty
Don't put off taking care of your health for tomorrow! Start taking action today to avoid serious problems in the future.