Mission
To promote sound guidance to the general public on strategies for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
Principles
Following sensible and healthy guidelines for eating and physical activity is important for healthy weight management.
Obesity is a serious, chronic disease that is known to reduce life span, increase disability and lead to many serious illnesses including diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
Excess weight is caused by an interaction of genetic (inherited) and environmental (social and cultural) factors, which include metabolic (physical and chemical) and behavioural (psychological and emotional) components. Because of the complexity of weight loss, gain, and maintenance, promises of quick and effortless weight loss are worthless.
A sedentary lifestyle is a significant barrier to successfully maintaining weight loss and preventing further weight gain.
Losing weight requires burning more calories than the body takes in, by either reducing caloric intake or increasing caloric expenditure, or preferably, both
Achieving and maintaining even a modest amount of weight loss can reduce the severity of illnesses associated with obesity.
Effective weight management involves behaviour modification which is a lifelong commitment and includes at least two components:
- healthy eating in accordance with Dietary Guidelines, emphasizing a reduction in total calories, a lowered fat consumption, and an increase in vegetables, fruits and whole grains, and
- increased frequent and regular physical activity of at least moderate intensity.
Healthy weight is defined as a body mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 19 and less than 25 among all people aged 20 or over. To determine body mass index, divide weight in kilograms (2.2 lbs. = 1 kg) by height in meters squared (39.4 ins. = 1 m). See the attached table for quick conversion from height and weight to BMI.
For the purposes of this document, "obesity" is defined as a body mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 30, which approximates to 30 pounds of excess weight. Excess weight also places people at risk of developing serious health problems.
The Weight-Loss Consumer Bill of Rights:
(A) WARNING: RAPID WEIGHT LOSS MAY CAUSE SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS. RAPID WEIGHT LOSS IS WEIGHT LOSS OF MORE THAN 1 1/2 POUNDS TO 2 POUNDS PER WEEK OR WEIGHT LOSS OF MORE THAN 1 PERCENT OF BODY WEIGHT PER WEEK AFTER THE SECOND WEEK OF PARTICIPATION IN A WEIGHT-LOSS PROGRAMME.
(B) CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE STARTING ANY WEIGHT-LOSS PROGRAMME.
(C) ONLY PERMANENT LIFESTYLE CHANGES, SUCH AS MAKING HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES AND INCREASING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, PROMOTE LONG-TERM WEIGHT LOSS.
(D) QUALIFICATIONS OF THIS PROVIDER ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.
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