Parents do not pamper your child to become obese

Obesity prevention in childhood is a key factor in urging a strong response to the current epidemic. Health professional should be especially alert in early identification of overweight and obese children. But apart from health professional there is an urgent need for general public alertness. Parents can play a very important role in preventing as well as treating obesity in their children. This will not only improve the health status of the individual but also will improve the epidemic scenario as well. Parents should recognize the root cause of obesity. In general, it is being observed that the rapid rise in childhood obesity has been mirrored by an explosion of non active leisure pursuits for children such as computer and video games. Television watching is one of the major causes of inactivity giving rise to obesity in children. Substantial decline in physical activity have been reported. Even modern trends of taking ready to prepared as well as fast food also is adding to childhood obesity.

Obesity in childhood is associated with many of the disease likely to be appearing in adulthood such as hypertension, sleep-disordered breathing, dyslipidemia and insulin resistance, accompanied by social stigmatization. So, with the growing prevalence, it is the time to awaken our conscience towards preventing this epidemic. I would like to give some suggestion to all my concerned parents.

If any one of you either father or mother are obese remember you have to be more conscious compared to others. If both parents are obese then I think you have to be conscious from the conception onwards.

Always remember that fat cells number will grow in childhood itself, but after attaining adulthood fat cells size will grow rather than number.

Do not make your child to become habituated to faulty food habit like eating chips which contain trans fat and may place your child at higher risk of acquiring fat.

Make them grow healthy food habit like taking good regular breakfast etc.

Include all basic food groups into his /her diet.

If your child has dislike for any particular food which is important from the nutritive point of view try to make it attractive to them or otherwise try to include it indirectly to his or her diet.

Make your child engage in outdoor activities rather than playing videogames or in computer.

Make them engage manually to do their own work.

Above all try to clear their perception regarding obesity and the possible health consequences associated with it; so that they can be the own controller of themselves.

14 Tips to reduce belly fat

In my previous discussion I have mentioned about the possible health problems you may acquire by having a pot belly. So why are you waiting for? Try to reduce it as early as possible. Here are some tips.

Take small and frequent meals. Don’t overeat at one meal.

Cut down the intake of carbohydrate rich food instead concentrate more on vegetables and fruits.

Do not skip any meal. Because you may tend to eat more in your next meal

Do not sleep during the day time specially after a heavy meal.

Keep all your stress at bay when you are eating. Enjoy your food.

Walk as much as possible throughout the day, use your car as less as possible.

Always take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Whenever possible stand instead of sitting .If you are desk bound at work, stand up when you are on the phone, walkover
to give messages to colleagues rather than using e-mail or phone.

Have enough fluid not only water but also in the form of vegetable juice , clear soup, butter milk , lemon water etc.

Have as less sweet (even sugar) as possible .

Do not wait till you are extremely hungry, to prevent that always opt for frequent feeding.

Do not fall asleep soon after dinner as sleep slows down the body’s metabolism and you tend to burn fewer calories and accumulate fat. Instead , have a light dinner and give yourself
2-3 hour gap before going to bed.

Try to control your sensory stimulated appetite.

Remember, to lose tummy you cannot solely depend on diet but to forgo some physical activity also . Physiotherapist or yoga therapist will be the right person to tell you on what kind of physical activity will be appropriate for you depending on your body condition.

Belly fat Versus Hunger

Do you have pot belly?Do you feel hungry at all times? It could be due to your extended tummy.
Obesity itself is an important risk factor for multiple health problems and among obese those who are having type 3 obesity are recognized as most dangerous.Four types of obesity have been recognized so far.
Type 1 where there is no particular deposition of fat in any given area known as ovoid shape.
Type2 is defined as excess subcutaneous fat on the trunk,particularly in the abdominal area also known as android fat deposition.
Type 3 is characterized by excessive amount of fat in the abdominal visceral area (abdominal cavity)
Type 4 characterized by heavier deposits of fat around the thighs and buttocks , also known as gynoid fat distribution or pear shape obesity.
Above all type 3 obesity or fat accumulated in the abdominal visceral area are considered as most dangerous.
It is a well established fact from numerous studies that intraabdominal visceral fat accumulation is a independent risk factor for insulin resistance(an impaired biologic response to either endogenous or exogenous insulin-a hormone responsible for maintenance of normal glucose level in blood), glucose intolerance, hypertriglyceridemia (increase triglyceride level in blood) ,hypertension (elevation of the arterial blood pressure above the normal range expected in the particular age group),coronary artery disease (major arteries supplying blood to the heart)
Who are at risk ?
Mostly men are more susceptible to get this kind of obesity than women .But women after menopause (stoppage of menstruation) are also equally susceptible to this kind of obesity.Aging is also an important factor for visceral fat accumulation.
Why overweight people eat more ?
Traditional view is that brain’s production of a specific hormone called neuropeptide -y is in excessive amount in obese compared to non obese individual.Recently researches have found that abdominal fat tissue can reproduce the hormone neuropeptide -y,earlier this hormone was thought to be produce only by the brain.Neuropeptide- y is the most potent appetite stimulating hormone known,sending signals to the individuals that they are constantly hungry.
From the above discussion particularly I would like to bring it to your notice that this vicious cycle of hunger ,neuropeptide -y and abdominal obesity will continue life long if you don't make any effort to prevent it at the earliest stage and if you have gained it already try to reduce it as soon as possible. Otherwise this vicious cycle will continue life long resulting in shorter life expectancy.




References Harrison L.M. The pocket Medical Dictionary
Krause’s Food nutrition and Diet Therapy

Low calorie diet

The diet provides less calories than the total energy requirements for the day;thus it provides for depletion of body fat.It is used in cases of obesity,cardiac disturbances and hypertension in overweight individuals.

The following foods should be avoided while formulating the diet

Sweets,choclates,jaggery,jam,honey,preserves,puddings,cakes etc.

Roots and tubers

Fried foods

Dried fruits and nuts

Alcoholic drinks and soft drinks unless they contain artificial sweetening agents instead of sugar

Cream and free fats

Fruits like banana,custard apple,sapota,dates etc.



Source Some therapeutic diets by Swaran pasricha

Starving to lose weight?Be ready for the consequences

Throughout my carrier I have come across lot of patients whose major complain is inspite of taking low calorie or even after starving for a longer period they are not able to lose,what may be the reason? Most of us think that if we starve or atleast skip some meal we will lose soon.But this is not true ,at the end of the day you may be able to lose but remember you will regain it very fast.If you are fasting/starving to lose weight , I would say stop it from now onwards.Fasting is seldom prescribe as a treatment for obesity. Rather I would say that better go for proper food choice(see law calorie food)Eventhough under some special circumstances for eg. to observe religious rituals,fasting should not be continued for longer period.Because it can produce serious neurologic,hormonal,and other side effects in your body.Over 50 percent of the rapid weight reduction is fluid,which often leads to serious hypotension (abnormally low blood pressure) problem.Accumulation of uric acid (an end product of our body’s metabolism process,and a component of urine)can precipitate episodes of gout,gallstones can also occur.


Are you taking very low calorie diet? Some people are opting for very low calorie diet to lose weight.A diet which provide not more than (200-800 kcal)per day are termed as very low calorie diet.This kind of diet provide very low calorie but relatively rich in protein(i.e.high biological value protein)and are designed to meet other vitamins and minerals. But there are some specific criteria for the use of very low calorie diet prescribed by American dietetic association.People in general who follow very low calorie diet by themselves without undergoing the prescription of an expert are at greater risk of accumulating uric acid in their body as well as cardiac complication such as sudden death,they are also susceptible to electrolyte imbalances .(sodium,potassium,chloride and bicarbonate are electrolytes found in our body)

Our body has specific adaptation to specific situation.If you fast or take very low calorie diet for the purpose of losing weight then body will automatically decreases your BMR (see BMR ) so that body can maintain its vital requirements for energy within a limited supply.So finally I would like to say that everybody should maintain their ideal body weight to prevent numerous complication arising from being overweight or obese or to prevent the development of on going disease process ,but it should be in a healthier way.

BMI(Body mass index)

BMI means Body Mass Index. To find out BMI divide your weight in kgs by your height in meter squred.Weight(kg)BMI = ---------------Height (m)2If BMI falls between 20-25 you are at a healthy weight that means you need not loose at all.If it is > 25 you are overweight and should strive at least not to gain any more. A BMI over 27 qualifies you at an increased risk to develop health problems,such as diabetes,stroke,and heart attack.

Basal metabolic rate

Basal metabolic rate which constitute nearly half or more of the total energy expenditure can be defined as the rate of energy expenditure generally measured in the post absorbtive state under highly standardised condition,i.e.at complete physical rest,lying down in thermoneutral state,12-14 hours after the last meal , half an hour mandatory rest shortly after being woken up and without the presence of any disease or fever.(Source: A report of the expert group of the Indian Council of Medical Research)

Diet diary

Diet Diary
A diet diary can be a valuable tool to analyze one's feeding behaviour and it can give you a strong support to keep track on proper food intake.Try to include following points in your diarySince how long you are over weightReason of being over weightWheather vegetarian or non vegetarianTime of mealFrequencyEating out Food likes /dislikes strong urge for any particular food lifestyle any history of particular disease etc.

What is negative calorie balance

Negative calorie balance means consuming less calorie than the calories you expand in a day.When we consume more calories than the requirement, the excessive calories get stored in our body in theform of fat.This fat store will be utilised to provide energy whenever we take less in calories than we need for our bodily function.

Food allergy can be fatal

Food allergies or food intolerences affect nearly everyone at some point in their lives because it is possible that people may have an unpleasent reaction to something they have eaten.one out of three people have been affected by a food allergy or have had to modify the family diet because a family member is suspected of having a food allergy.A Food Allergy is an immune system response to a food that the body mistakenly believes is harmful,it creates specific antibodies to it .The next time the individual eats that food,the immune system releases massive amount of chemicals,including histamines,in order to protect the body.These chemicals triggera cascade of allergic symptoms that can affect respiratory system,gastrointestinal tract,skin or cardiovascular system.The complex process of digestion affects the timing and the location of a reaction.If people are allergic to a particular food,for example they may first experience itching in the mouthas they start to eat the food.After the food is digested in the stomach,abdominal symptoms such as vommiting diarrhea or pain may start.There may even be a drop in blood pressure.As the allergens reach the skin,they may induce hives or eczema or when they reach the lungs,they may cause asthma.All this takes place within an hour of ingesting the food allergen.Although an individual could be allergic to any food,such as fruits,vegetables and meats,it is most common that someone is allergic to certain types of foods such as shellfish,soy and wheat which account for 90% of all food allergic reaction.In adults,the most common foods to cause allergic reactions include,shellfish(such as shrimp,cray fish,lobster and crab),peanuts,walnut,fish and eggs.At the present time ,there is no cure for food allergy.avoidance is the only way to prevent an allergic reaction.Once a patient's allergic symptoms have been associated to a particular food,the food must be removed from the patient's diet.In highly allergic people even minute amounts of food allergen can prompt an immediate allergic reaction.Other less sensitive people may be able to tolerate small amounts of a food to which they are allergic

Food allergy and asthma

Food allergies can cause both immediate and delayed patterns of asthma but is often overlooked.Immediate food reaction can cause sudden,dramatic,and life threatening asthma.Delayed pattern of food allergy can cause chronic and intrinsic asthma and /or bronchitis and are among the most neglected because diet revision can sometimes resolve chronic and severe asthma.

Food allergy in children

During the first year of life, the infant diet is the most powerful determinent of the child and food allergy is the most common health problem.There is little doubt that mother's milk is the best food for infants because it supplies generous amount of immunoglobulinA,the protective antibody which the infant bowel lacks.This antibody helps to protect the infant from bacterial infection and probably reduces the entry of antigenic food protein fragments reducing the incidence of food allergy.Food allergy in infancy is expressed as crying, colic,vimiting,rashes,eczema,and cold like respiratory congestion.Some infants with food allergy fail to thrive unless their allergy is recognized and corrected.Infants who develop food allergy in their first year may out grow the first effects but these children will tend to grow into adults with more pervasive health, behaviour and learning problems unless their diet is properly managed.

Tips for managing fish and shellfish allergies

Fish and shellfish allergy
Individuals who have had an allergic reaction to one species of fish,it is recommended to avoid all fish.Fish allergic individuals should be cautious when eating away from home.They should avoid restaurants which even serve fish or seafood because of the risk of contaminationin the food preparation area of their non fish meal .For example, contamination can be from a counter,spatula,cooking oil,fryer,or even grill exposed to fish.In addition fish protein can become air borne during cooking and cause an allergic reaction.Some individuals have had reactions from even walking through fish markets.Fish allergy can be severe and are often a cause of anaphylaxis(a sudden, severe,potentiallyfatal,systemic allergic reaction that can involve various areas of the body)

Tips for managing egg allergy

Egg allergy
In baking , for each egg substitute add one of the following
1 tsp baking powder 1 tbsp liquid 1 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp yeast dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water
1 1/2 tbsp water 1 1/2 tbsp oil 1 tsp baking powder,1 packet gelatin,2 tbsp warm water
Donot mix untill ready to use.Again there are hidden sources of egg products that one must be aware about,eggs have been used to create the foam or milk topping on speciality coffee drinks and are used in some bar drinks .Some commercial brands of egg substitute contain egg white. create

Tips for managing milk allergies

Milk Allergy
For those of you who are allergic to milk , you will be happy to know that milk is one of the easiest ingredients to substitute.In baking and cooking ,it can be substituted with water or fruit juice. (one cup milk =one cup water).However many non diary products contain some hidden source of milk in the form of casein (a milk derivative) listed on the ingredient labels.Some meats may contain casein as a binder.Remember to check all labels carefully.Many restaurants put butter on steaks after they have been grilled to add extra flavour.the butter is not visible after it melts

Weight Loss : Practical Tips

Nowadays ,there is a growing tendency among people specially among young population to look slimmer in order to fit their outlook to the modern trends of fashion.No matter how healthy the inner health is, but he/she must look slim and trim.Ya this is the modern trends.But this is not the reality.Most adults maintain a constant body weight , due to a complex system of neural,hormonal and chemical mechanisms that keeps the balance between energy intake and energy expenditure within fairly precise limit.Abnormalities of these mechanism,many of which are not completely understood,result in exaggerated weight fluctuation of these the most common are overweight and obesity. In an attempt to loose fat,many people are sacrificing their inner health to such an extent that their out put has been decreased and making themselves susceptible to various kinds of disease.
So, myself being a nutritionist feeling responsible to focus on some practical tips on weight loss.Hope it will benefit you in your practical life.
* Analyze yourself . Are you really overweight(see BMI) Your BMI indicates the approximate amount of body fat you have.After knowing your BMI you can judge yourself,weather you are underweight,ideal,overweight or obese.Then you can set your own goal ,regarding how much you have to loose or gain.
* You set long term goal but work on short term goal first.For example if you have to loose 15 kg to reach your ideal weight,first plan for 5 kg at least.After reaching that goal again you can proceed for next 5 kg.
* Now how to achieve your goal ? Remember you need lot of determination to do so.Be consistent on your plan of action.
* You have to create a negative calorie balance in your body.(see also what is negative calorie balance),then only you can loose.
* Analyze your day to day diet by maintaining a diet diary.(See diet diary for details).You have to maintain a diet diary very regularly
* Be conscious about your everyday meal.Because one sweet can add up to 500 calories specially when your body is in a negative state.
* Take frequent and small meal.Breakfast should be the best eaten meal followed by your lunch and dinner.Breakfast (breaking the fast) is the meal through which steady supply of energy is maintained through out the day.Be careful to have balanced breakfast.Plan cautiously.
* Always have food in a relaxed manner and should eat slowly and steadily.Because if you are eating fast then there is every possibility to over eat.Our brain require minimum 15 minutes to recognize that you are satiated.
* You should not fast if you are trying to loose weight.Fasting can reduce your BMR to a greater extent.(See also BMR)As a result you will have a greater tendency to put on more weight.
* Include lots of fibre to your diet.You can do so by using large servings of vegetables,fruits,wheat bran,whole cereals instead of refine cereals.
*Prefer to have tonned milk and milk products instead of whole milk.
* Keep an eye on your total salt intake (Both visible and invisible)
* Your oil intake should be minimized.Always have oil containing MUFA( mustard oil,Olive oil etc.) and PUFA (eg.sunflower,safflower,soyabean oil etc. )
* You should rehydrate your body adequately.
* You should be careful about the way of cooking food.Avoid frying instead of that grill,steam or boil food to minimise fat content.
* Remember weight loss is a combined approach of diet ,exercise and behaviour modification.Exercise is not only required for obese people but it must be a daily habit for healthy living.The exercising schedule should begin with light exercise like walking for about 20 minutes to a moderate level of brisk walking and jogging.Exercise should done daily .It should not be replace by a reducing diet.
Finally i would like to say that loosing weight is easy .Millions of people do it everyday.What's tough is keeping it off.