NIH Health Guidelines

Many people gain weight in adulthood, increasing their risk for high blood
pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, certain types of cancer,
arthritis, breathing problems, and other illness. Therefore, most adults
should not gain weight. If you are overweight and have one of these
problems, you should try to lose weight, or at the very least, not gain
weight. If you are uncertain about your risk of developing a problem
associated withoverweight, you should consult a health professional.

How to maintain your weight: In order to stay at the same body weight,
people must balance the amount of calories in the foods and drinks they
consume with the amount of calories the body uses. Physical activity is an
important way to use food energy. Most people spend much of their working
day in activities that require little energy. In addition, many people of
all ages now spend a lot of leisure time each day being inactive, for
example, watching television or working at a computer. To burn calories,
devote less time to sedentary activities like sitting. Spend more time in
activities like walking to the store or around the block. Use stairs
rather than elevators. Less sedentary activity and more vigorous activity
may help you reduce body fat and disease risk. Try to do 30 minutes or
more of moderate physical activity on most -- preferably all -- days of
the week. Remember to accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate physical
activity on most -- preferably all --days of the week.  Examples of
moderate physical activities for healthy U.S. adults: walking briskly (3-4
miles per hour), conditioning or general calisthenics, home care, table
tennis, jogging, swimming, cycling, gardening, dancing etc.

The kinds and amounts of food people eat affect their ability to maintain
weight. High-fat foods contain more calories per serving than other foods
and may increase the likelihood of weight gain. However, even when people
eat less high-fat food, they still can gain weight from eating too much of
foods high in starch, sugars, or protein. Eat a variety of foods,
emphasizing pasta, rice, bread, and other whole-grain foods as well as
fruits and vegetables. These foods are filling, but lower in calories than
foods rich in fats or oils.

The pattern of eating may also be important. Unless nutritious snacks
are part of the daily meal plan, snacking may lead to weight gain. A
pattern of frequent binge-eating, with or without alternating periods of
food restriction, may also contribute to weight problems.

Maintaining weight is equally important for older people who begin to lose
weight as they age. Some of the weight that is lost is muscle. Maintaining
muscle through regular activity helps to keep older people feeling well
and helps to reduce the risk of falls and fractures. Cheers.
Sreenivasarao Vepachedu, 03/21/98

Back to The Telangana Science Journal
Back to Vepachedu Home Page