Myths About Health

5 Myths about Obesity

admin on 07 17, 2009

Weight issues is a valuable part of a healthy living approach provided by health professionals today. But, we must admit, there are still a lot of myths. And some of the doctors still promote them, instead of the up-to-date scientific information.

Myth number 1. Health risks caused by obesity. Seems doubtful.

Obesity is assumed to be a reason for type diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease. However, recent federal research questions this. It is more likely, that these risks, as well as obesity itself, are caused by some other factors, especially genetics and inactivity.

It is not a secret now, that increased physical activity can dramatically reduce risk without weight loss

Myth number 2. Less weight – more health.

According to the federal research the lowest death rate is within the range BMI of 25 to 29.9 and up to BMI 35. Lower weight as long, as extremes of higher weight, can increase risk in a “U” curve. This fact is also confirmed by the much earlier research of the National Institutes of Health, that found the lowest risk associated with a BMI of about 25 to 27.

Despite this evidence federal agencies continue to define healthy weight at a lower point, a BMI of only 18.5 to 24.9.

Myth number 3. Losing weight can reduce risk.

Long-term researches indicate increased risk when losing weight. Higher death rates weight loss are indicated by more than 10 large comprehensive researches, such as the Harvard Alumni Study, Fram-ingham Heart Study etc.

Studies suggest the loss of lean mass from muscle, heart, bones and organs can jeopardize health, especially for older people

Myth number 4. People with obesity can lose weight permanently and safely.

There is no any method for now that are proven safe and effective; all of them can be considered experimental. To be on diet can cause a short-term weight loss for maximum six months, followed by regain, and leads to dysfunctional eating; Taking drugs offer minimal weight loss (4-12 pounds), must be taken long-term; among 6 million adults who took fen-phen/Redux, one-third developed leaky heart valves, some fatal, and others died of primary pulmonary disease.

Myth number 5. Telling people about overweight causes obesity prevention and weight loss.

A lot of researches show that the increasing lose weight information during the past years are paralleled by increases in overweight. Far from doing no harm, these pressures appear to have backfired and led to widespread nutrient deficiencies, malnutrition, dangerous weight loss efforts, occasional deaths, eating disorders, body hatred and size harassment.

To summarize these five myths, their benefit is not the health community, but mostly the weight loss industry.