Imported Foods Raise Obesity, Health Issues for Pacific Islanders

Source: Uploaded by VOALearningEnglish on Sep 22, 2010 to YouTube

This is the VOA Special English Development Report, from http://voaspecialenglish.com .

The World Health Organization says obesity rates are rising in Pacific island countries. So, too, are health problems linked to being overweight. The WHO says a major reason for the rising obesity rates is an increase in imported foods. It says many Pacific islanders have replaced their traditional diets of vegetables and fruits with imported processed foods.

Doctor Temu Waqanivalu is with the World Health Organization’s South Pacific office in Suva, Fiji. He says many of the imported products lack nutritional value. But they are widely available, he says, and often cost less than healthier foods.He says: “In some of the places, you’d be amazed to see how a bottle of Coke is cheaper than a bottle of water.”

Doctor Waqanivalu says the increase in imported foods is only part of the problem. He says problems with agriculture production limit the availability of healthier foods. And a lack of physical activity among many Pacific islanders only adds to the obesity problem.

The WHO says more than fifty percent of the population is overweight in at least ten Pacific island countries. The rate is as high as eighty percent among women in the territory of American Samoa. Fiji had the lowest obesity rate at thirty percent.In all, almost ten million people live in Pacific island countries. The WHO estimates that about forty percent of them have health disorders related to diet and nutrition. Diabetes rates are among the highest in the world. Forty-seven percent of the people in American Samoa have diabetes. So do forty-four percent of the people in Tokelau, a territory of New Zealand. By comparison, the diabetes rate is thirteen percent in the United States, a country that has its own problems with rising obesity.

Officials also note an increase in nutritional problems like anemia and not enough vitamin A in the diets of Pacific islanders. Doctor Waqanivalu says treating conditions related to obesity and diet puts pressure on limited health resources and budgets. Earlier this year, leaders of island nations met in Vanuatu for the first-ever Pacific Food Summit. Doctor Waqanivalu says the issues are finally getting the attention they deserve.

Hungry Planet

It’s an inspired idea–to better understand the human diet, explore what culturally diverse families eat for a week.

That’s what photographer Peter Menzel and author-journalist Faith D’Alusio, authors of the equally ambitious Material World, do in Hungry Planet: What the World Eats, a comparative photo-chronicle of their visits to 30 families in 24 countries for 600 meals in all.

Their personal-is-political portraits feature pictures of each family with a week’s worth of food purchases; weekly food-intake lists with costs noted; typical family recipes; and illuminating essays, such as “Diabesity,” on the growing threat of obesity and diabetes.

Among the families, we meet the Mellanders, a German household of five who enjoy cinnamon rolls, chocolate croissants, and beef roulades, and whose weekly food expenses amount to $500. We also encounter the Natomos of Mali, a family of one husband, his two wives, and their nine children, whose corn and millet-based diet costs $26.39 weekly

Source: psychetruth on YouTube

Diabetes: A Guide for African American Families, Parts 1,2 & 3 – Time: 27:54

Part One:

Part Two:

Part Three:

Source: aacepr on YouTube

What to Eat: Sensible Choices in an Era of Food Confusion

Proper nutrition is on all of our minds, but how do we make smart choices in today’s world of savvy marketing? Join us for this eye-opening lecture from one of the leading author’s on how the food industry influences our nutrition and health. Marion Nestle, Ph.D., is an author and professor of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health at New York University. Series: “UCSD Moores Cancer Center Presents”

Source: UCtelevision on YouTube

Lap Band Surgery In Older People

By Adriana N.

With more people now living longer, the result has been new health issues facing the increasing aging population. Our society is now seeing an increase in obesity rates among the aging population. The issue of obesity and the aging population has become a serious medical issue. Because obesity has become a health issue across all spectrums of the population, medical science has developed safer and effective weight loss surgery methods.

One such method is Lap Band Surgery. Research has revealed that Lap Band Surgery in older people is a safe way to help older people lose weight and live healthier lives. Morbid obesity and mortality rates have been steadily increasing which has led medical researchers to come up with safe ways to help the obese drop the excess weight. There have been a number of studies that have shown that Lap Band Surgery has become a very safe and effective method of helping patients 50 and over lose weight.

Results have shown that older patients suffering from obesity who have had Lap Band Surgery have experienced no more significant complications than any other age group. Any complications were consistent with other typical complications that can happen such as pouch dilations, band slippages, and band erosion, The rates of these complications, like the other age groups, were very low which is consistent with the research indicating that Lab Band Surgery is a safe and minimally invasive procedure.

Weight loss surgery for an older person has shown to be an effective method of losing weight. The weight loss achieved was much the same as younger people who had the surgery. Weight loss patients who have undergone the surgery not only experience a drastic loss of weight, but they also experienced relief of symptoms and conditions resulting from obesity such as alleviating or resolving diabetes, breathing better because lung function is improved, adapting a healthier and active lifestyle, living longer, and reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Obese older patients have experienced a number of other improvements in their quality of life such as improved energy levels, mental health, and an improvement in their overall physical well being.

The result of having this surgery means fewer trips to the doctor and the hospital, which means less of a financial strain on society. The increase in the aging population along with the increase in the rates of obesity has become a major health concern in our society. Fortunately, research has shown that the majority of patients who are older have had positive results after having Lap Band Surgery. Most medical experts believe that the age of a potential Lap Band Surgery candidate should not be an issue when considering him or her for the weight loss procedure.

If you are an obese older person who is considering Lap Band Surgery, it is important to consult with you physician and a Lab Band Surgeon to discuss if the surgery is right for you. The result of having this type of weight loss procedure can be a longer, happier, and healthier life.

Laparoscopic Lap band surgery Canada is designed to induce weight loss by limiting food consumption. The adjustable gastric band is the safest surgical procedure for weight loss, unique because it is adjustable and reversible. When doing research for laparoscopic surgery, read up about Lap band cost and be sure to visit the CIBO Weight Loss Clinic.

Source: www.isnare.com

Surviving Abundance: Overweight Kids In Crisis

Source: WHROTV on YouTube

A half hour documentary, produced by WHRO, examines the epidemic of childhood obesity. Childhood health professionals paint a grim picture for the future of overweight children unless we begin to make systemic changes that support more healthy choices. Local, state and national childhood health experts, including William H. Dietz, Jr., MD, PhD, Director of Nutrition & Physical Activity at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, discuss steps we can take to turn the tide, and the program highlights organizations with exemplary programs which encourage healthier lifestyles.

Surviving Abundance was produced in collaboration with the Consortium for Infant and Child Health (CINCH), a community partnership to promote health and prevent disease among all children in Hampton Roads.

Obesity Rates Leveling: Fat Loving On The Rise

Obesity Rates Leveling: Fat Loving On The Rise

By: Jerome Butterfield

New evidence shows obesity rates in the United States have hit a plateau and America’s once rapidly growing waistline has finally slowed but not before nearly 70 percent of Americans were found to be overweight and more than 72 million obese. Now scientists are uncovering a changing perception among the population: people think fat is beautiful.

Results from the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), using measured heights and weights, indicate that an estimated 66 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese. Obesity rates in U.S. women seem to be staying level, and the rate in men may also be hitting a plateau. With numbers so high, peoples perception of what is beautiful is also changing.

Although there is still a stigma reverberating through society, the echo is getting dimmer and dimmer as fat people now make up the bulk of the population. With this, statistics say a new attitude is being born. More and more fat actors are being put on TV and in films. Magazine covers, commercials and billboards are not all composed of the same, sickly thin model-type images. There is a growing shift in society thats bumping thin out and bringing fat in.

This is most evident on the Internet as rapidly growing lists of fat dating sites are hitting the market. Last year, Google reported a sharp increase in fat-related searches. People are looking for things like: BBW photos, BBW personals, big beautiful women, fat ladies and big beautiful men. Modeling agency have launched searches for full-figured models and there has been a strong movement to oust the skin and bones look from the industry. Certainly within the United States there has been a shift in attraction as thin people are slowly making there way out of the picture.

Although the trend to put on weight seems to be leveling off in the US, other countries are still seeing dramatic increases. Some experts argue, however, that the plateau is only temporary and, with time, people who dont carry a little extra girth will be considered odd or out of place. Soon, the study stated, people will be eating more in attempt to pack on a few extra pounds and join the national trend.

Adult obesity rates seem to be holding steady at about 34 percent, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. The adult obesity rate has generally been climbing since 1980, when it was 15 percent. The entire adult population has grown heavier and the heaviest have become much heavier in the last 25 years. Its no wonder that fat has evolved into the new look of contemporary times.

About the Author:
Jerome Butterfield is a recognized successful personal development instructor.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

Lack of Sleep Leads to Weight Gain

By Samuel Peterson

Lack of sleep makes the body low on energy and thus, lethargic. Apart from this it makes us skip all the exercises in the day and to add to it, we indulge in eating sugary and fatty food. Once we gain weight, these tendencies tend to continue and harm all efforts to lose the extra pounds also.

Many experts have researched and concluded that that if the body gets less sleep than it needs the appetite for high calorie food increases. The whole idea to eat healthy is disrupted and we thus, put on weight. The human body has many hormones and two of these affect the appetite and the satiety levels. Ghrelin results in eating more and the other Leptin stops the appetite and encourages expenditure of energy.

Lack of sleep results in increased levels of Ghrelin and reduced levels of Leptin, which means we eat much more than the body wants. Sleep deprived people eat high calorie food and put on weight. The extra calories that we consume tend to accumulate around the stomach. The increased waistline is very dangerous as it increases the risk of type II diabetes.

Insulin levels get altered in the body due to less of sleep thus, increasing the risk of diabetes. The body’s tolerance for glucose is said to decrease when it does not get sufficient sleep. Ideally the glucose levels act perfectly when one gets about nine hours of sleep at night. It is not that if you sleep less for one night you tend to put on weight as the next day you will be eating sugary food. This causes a problem if lack of sleep becomes a routine.

The extent of the problem when one sleeps less can be controlled by being careful what you eat. Sleeping less after a healthy diet can still lead to increased weight but the amount can be controlled. An unhealthy diet with insufficient sleep hours apart from causing weight gain makes it extremely difficult to reduce weight.

The problem of less sleep and obesity is also noticed in children. Doctors say that if you sleep properly it is not certain that you will lose weight but this is a fact, lack of sleep will lead to weight gain. Sound sleep is very essential for the body to function the way it has to. To get a proper sleep one needs to take proper rest. The body needs it and you need to give it, there is no alternative to it.

One should exercise early in the day and not before bedtime. Exercise is said to help one sleep properly, only if done at the right time. One needs to eat right, like adequate proteins. Whole grains and fibre rich food is very essential for the body. Many people think alcohol calms you but if had near bedtime it tends to disrupt sleep. It increases calories and results in less sleep thus, the weight gain.

The key to a healthy body is to give it sufficient sleep and rest. The body works like machinery and it also needs its share of care and rest to keep working the way it is designed to.

I’m the head copywriter for Online Pharmacy No Prescription. If you would like to learn How to Order Drugs Without Prescription or to Buy Xenical No Prescription visit http://www.onlinepharmacynoprescription.us/

Source:www.isnare.com

Diabetes and Pregnancy, Why Women Should Worry

By Eddie Lamb

There are many concerns a woman will have during her pregnancy, and one that can easily be put to rest with a simple test is gestational diabetes mellitus or more commonly known as diabetes during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes can arise during the second or third trimesters, and can cause complications for the mother as well as the unborn child. Diabetes during pregnancy occurs in a relatively small percentage of expectant mothers, and can often be controlled by diet and exercise throughout the pregnancy.

Many doctors will routinely test for diabetes in pregnancy between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation, especially if a woman has risk factors that will increase her odds of developing it. These risk factors include a history of high blood pressure, obesity, ethnicity and a family history of diabetes. Women who have experienced diabetes in pregnancy in the past have a greater chance of developing it again in subsequent pregnancies. Women who are pregnant at an older age also have a greater risk of diabetes in pregnancy.

The test will include fasting and then drinking glucola, which is a mixture of concentrated sugar. Once the glucola is ingested, a blood test is done to check blood sugar levels. If gestational diabetes is diagnosed, a program of diet and exercise will be prescribed to try to control the diabetes during the pregnancy.

What Does Diabetes in Pregnancy Look Like?

Often diabetes during pregnancy is diagnosed before symptoms become obvious. Some of the symptoms that can show up are an increase in hunger, thirst and urination, recurrent vaginal infections and increased blood pressure. Many women complain of fatigue, although this is not a good test, since fatigue is a common symptom of pregnancy. Often sugar will show up in urine during a routine test and this will prompt the doctor to proceed with the glucose test.

It is important to diagnose and treat diabetes in pregnancy as quickly as possible, since it can cause complications during pregnancy. Risks to the mother include raised blood pressure which can lead to a dangerous condition known as ecclampsia. It can also increase the chances of a woman developing Type 2 diabetes later in life. The unborn child can have problems with its heart or kidneys as a result of the mother’s diabetes during pregnancy.

Diabetes during pregnancy is certainly an unwanted complication, but fortunately it can be diagnosed easily and treated effectively. The important thing to remember is to stay on schedule with prenatal visits to the doctor so that the doctor can stay on top of any potential problems.

Source: http://www.articlecircle.com/ – Free Articles Directory

About the Author
Eddie Lamb publishes an abundance of vital information on a range of health topics. We believe a better understanding of your condition can help reduce unnecessary anxiety. You’ll find a host of useful articles all about pregnancy listed on our site map page at http://www.pregnancyunderstood.com

High-Fructose Corn Syrup – History Of

Source: Radhia Gleis/psychetruth on YouTube

RADHlA is a Certified Clinical Nutritionist, C.C.N. She is also a Certified BioNutritional Analyst. She has a Ph.D. in pastoral counseling and a M.Ed. in nutrition. She is a professional member of the International and American Association of Clinical Nutritionists, (I.A.A.C.N), and the American Naturopathic Medical Association (A.N.M.A.).

Radhia talks about the health dangers caused by the presence of HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syryp) in the manufactured (processed) foods Americans consume in this country.

Visit Radhia’s Website at

http://www.advancedhealthinstitute.com/

http://www.aimmd.com/

Note: Yellow button is not activated on this post.

Alice Waters: “The Edible Schoolyard”- Video 2:48 min.

Posted August 4, 2009

Alice talks about the importance of exposing children to real food at a early age. People are starting to listen. First Lady Michelle Obama had D.C. children come to the White House and worked with them to create a home garden. This is a direct result of Alice Water’s campaign to educate our children about the importance of real foods. Alice had been advocating for the White House to establish a home garden for several years. It is amazing how one person’s passion can influence a multitude of people and eventually effect change on a global scale!

FoodSpook

Source: tsffvideo on YouTube

The Consequences of Obesity – Video: 4:39 min.

This complete video can be found at http://fora.tv/2008/04/02/F. Former U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona examines America’s ongoing obesity epidemic. He does not mince his words.

Source: Fora.TV on YouTube

Daddy Will You Buy Me Some Diabetes?

 

 

 

Posted on June 25, 2009

By Christine Steendahl

The rate of childhood obesity is on the rise. Unhealthy habits have led to overweight children having obesity-related health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and elevated blood pressure. These diseases were previously seen only in adults.

Obesity is a threat to the health of children in many ways. Obesity impacts multiple systems of the body including: * Cardiovascular system * Pulmonary system * Gastrointestinal system * Orthopedic system Over 12 million children in the United States suffer with childhood obesity. This is an alarming statistic and a frightening one for parents.

The incidences of childhood obesity increased 100 percent over the last ten years. The reasons for obesity are a societal as well as physical. There are two major forces that have created this phenomenon of overweight children in our society. The first major impact on the weight of our children is the amount of fast food that is eaten on a daily basis. The fast food industry has changed the American diet into a junk food melee that lacks healthful options. Fast food consumption combined with the sedentary lifestyles of kids who play expensive video games rather than playing outside contributes to the high incident of overweight children. These activities contribute directly to the causes of obesity in children and to unhealthy parents.

Children need at least 90 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every day to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Parents need at least 30-45 minutes of exercise. Children need a nutritious diet for adequate growth and development. Unfortunately, fast food does not provide the nutrients that children need.

Healthy eating is almost a lost art for the normal family. Take out menus and fast food has become the normal way to get the family fed. These lifestyle choices lead to obesity, high blood pressure and a myriad of other health issues for not only adults but for our children.

A summary of the basic problems with the eating habits of a nation are summed up by Eric Schlosser in his book “Fast Food Nation” “A generation ago, three-quarters of the money used to buy food in the United States was spent to prepare meals at home. Today half of the money used to buy food is spent at restaurants — mainly at fast food restaurants”. A hamburger and french fries is the quintessential American meal … thanks to the promotional efforts of the fast food chains. The typical American now consumes approximately three hamburgers and four orders of french fries every week.”

These facts reveal the problem. Some ways to correct this problem are in the hands of adults. Some short-terminterim solutions are offered below: * Focus the family’s diet on healthy foods. * Encourage an increase in physical activity. * Have a wide variety of healthy snacks on hand for snacking. * Prepare a nutritious meal plan for the family. Parents can take more proactive steps to prevent childhood obesity by preparing and serving nutritious meals at home.

Taking the family on a hike or a bike ride after supper is a fun option for the whole family. Let children decide on some activities. Kids can get involved in their own health improvement by making physical activity an after school priority. The goal is to follow healthy lifestyle suggestions as close as possible. Make baby steps until you can achieve the goal of good eating habits for the whole family.

It is hard to change entrenched bad eating habits. The rules will always get broken some of the time – allow for flexibility. The problems that keep us from doing all the right things is usually lack of time. No one has enough of it.

For healthy recipes for children check out http://www.kidapprovedmeals.com

Source: Christine Steendahl

Obesity Can Cause Diabetes

Are You at Risk for Obesity?

---

 

Tell us your success story! Tell us what you did to prevent or manage your diabetes.

Are you overweight?

 

One way to find out if your weight puts you at risk for diabetes is to look at your body mass index, or BMI, which is based on a calculation of your height and weight. Use our BMI calculator to find out. If your BMI is over 25, you are at higher risk.

Learn more about the risks of being overweight.

You can get started right now!

 

Set a goal to get results.
If you are overweight or obese, calculate 5% of your body weight. If you weigh 150 pounds, 5% is 7.5 pounds. If you weigh 200 pounds, 5% is 10 pounds. Set a goal to lose 5% of your current body weight. Lose 5% of your weight and you have taken the first steps to reducing your health risks for diabetes and other serious conditions. Every pound you lose and keep off is a very positive step.  Get motivated to lose weight.

Don’t Just Sit There!
Being inactive contributes to type 2 diabetes, and not just because it goes hand in hand with being overweight. Physical activity helps keep blood glucose levels in check. The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) proved that type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed by managing weight and increasing physical activity.

Make a plan.
Include a healthy diet and physical activity. Losing weight and keeping it off is a challenge for most people. Begin your weight loss plan with the help of your health care team, and if possible, a dietician. Learn more about Healthy Weight Loss, including setting goals and getting started.

Source: American Diabetes Association

“New Sugar” in Our Diet