Achieve and Maintain a Healthy Weight

The Problem With Excess Weight

Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is key to overall health. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) - commonly referred to as heart disease - our nation’s leading cause of death amongst both men and women. That’s because excess weight increases the risk of hypertension (high blood pressure), high blood cholesterol, and high triglycerides, all of which increase the risk of CAD. Excess weight also increases the risk of dying from nearly all of the leading types of cancer. A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine compared weight with cancer deaths and found that the risk is greater for women and that the higher the weight, the higher the risk. With 65 percent of the population overweight or obese, our individual and collective health status is a serious concern.

The Benefits of Weight Loss

If you are overweight, weight loss is the most effective way to reduce high triglyceride levels, as well as reduce total blood cholesterol, and raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol. Even modest weight loss (5% of your total body weight, or 10 pounds if you weigh 200 pounds) can help improve cholesterol levels. Modest weight loss can also lower blood pressure and significantly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, both of which are also risk factors for CAD. Further, researchers report that as many as 90,000 cancer deaths could be prevented each year if Americans maintained a healthy weight. Losing weight can also boost your energy level, improve self-confidence, and elevate mood. If you have arthritis of the knee and are overweight, losing weight can have a big payoff. For every pound lost, there’s a four-pound reduction in the load on the knee. Losing just 5 or 10 pounds could thus significantly improve knee mobility. And, as if that weren’t enough, losing weight can take the pressure off your wallet with fewer medical-related costs.

The bottom line when it comes to losing weight is to create a calorie deficit. This is best achieved by both consuming fewer calories and expending more calories through daily physical activity.

Fertility and Weight Loss