top of page
Obesity in Australia
What is obesity?
Obesity is the condition of having excess body fat and is defined by genetic and environmental factors. Obesity is classified as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or greater. Obesity increases the risk of developing diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnoea and over forty other medical conditions.
Your BMI is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by their height in meters squared. An adult with a BMI of 30 or greater is considered obese, a BMI of 25-29.9 is considered overweight.
The statistics
In 2011/12 almost four million Australians aged 18 and over where obese. 28% of all males aged 18 and over and 28% of females aged 18 and over where obese.
Compared to 1995 the percentage of Australians that are obese had increased by 47%
In 2011/12 overweight statistics were highest in South Australia and lowest in Victoria. Tasmania was the 4th most overweight state.
What can cause obesity?
There are many factors that cause obesity directly and indirectly however there are three main factors; behaviour, environment and genetics. Behaviour includes the foods you consume, the amount of physical activity done and how totally healthy you are. Environment includes the way the environment you live in influences your choices, for example choosing to drive instead of walk, sitting in chair instead of standing and fast food instead of nutritious food. Your Genetics may include certain genes that result in obesity, however, not all individuals who have genes that lead to obesity become obese.
 |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  |
 |
"There is no better
time than now
to start eating healthy. "
Obesity and nutrition
Foods that prevent chronic disease can lend themselves to preventing obesity, these foods can include whole grains, vegetables, fruits and nuts. Foods that increase disease can create weight gain, these foods include refined grains and sugary drinks.
Fat, protein, carbohydrates and weight.
Dietary fat
Low fat diets do not make it any easier to lose weight than a moderate or high fat diet. Low fat diets can be high in carbohydrates such as white bread and white rice. Diets high in these foods increase the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart disease. It is more important to eat healthy fats rather than concentrate on the quantities. Consuming large amounts of Trans and saturated fats increases the likelihood of obesity but eating monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats does not.
Protein
Diets that are high in protein in short term circumstances may lead to weight loss but over long periods of time do not perform any greater than other diets high in different nutrients. Diets high in protein create a full sensation on fewer kilojoules compared to carbohydrates or fats. Protein creates a greater thermic effect meaning it takes more energy to metabolise and store and helps increase how much energy is burnt each day. Proteins from nut, fish, beans and poultry should be consumed more frequently than red and processed meats as they help with weight control.
Carbohydrates
When it comes to preventing weight gain the types of carbohydrates you eat are more important than the amount you eat. Refined grains or foods such as white bread, sugary drinks and processed breakfast cereals have a high glycemic index. Glycemic index is the ability of foods to increase the level of glucose in in the body. Foods that have a high glycemic index increase the level of glucose in the body, this is then followed by the increase of insulin. Insulin moves glucose from the blood to cells as well as other functions, including the production of fat. When levels of blood glucose are rapidly increased the inulin begins embolden the body to generate more fat. Foods that have a low glycemic index such as lentils, beans and sweet potatoes slow this process. Excessive eating of high glycemic index foods increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
The bottom line
Although nutrition does not demonstrate a large visual effect on weight immediately the benefits overtime are immense.
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-causes/diet-and-weight/http://www.obesityaction.org/understanding-obesity/obesityhttp://www.heartfoundation.org.au/SiteCollectionDocuments/Factsheet-Overweight-and-obesity.pdfhttp://getfit.jillianmichaels.com/fast-slow-carbohydrates-1914.html
bottom of page