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Nutrition Department
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You Don¡¦t Know Everything Yet about    
Obesity

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     Statistic show that the way people eat determines the way they live. Taiwanese lifestyles have changed. They now include growing numbers of people who live alone, children brought up by single parents and double-income families. These changing lifestyles are responsible for the increasing number of people who must rush meals or sometimes skip them altogether. Many Taiwanese have less time than ever before to spend preparing food. Therefore, they eat out nearly four times a week on the average.

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     Also most people, young or old, do not know how to plan a healthy diet. Some people eat too much, and some eat too little. Many people do not eat breakfast at all except for a cup of coffee, and most people eat a very heavy and greasy dinner. These reasons cause unbalanced diet, and make modern people become obese. Being obese and being overweight is not exactly the same thing. An obese person has a large amount of extra pounds. People who are obese are very overweight and at risk for serious health problems.

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     To determine if someone is obese, doctors and other health care professionals often use a measurement called body mass index (BMI). First, a doctor measures a person¡¦s height and weight. Then the doctor uses these numbers to calculate another number, the BMI. Once the doctor has calculated a child¡¦s or a teen¡¦s BMI, he or she will plot this number on a specific chart to see how it compares to other people of the same age and gender. A person with a BMI above the 95th percentile (meaning the BMI is greater than that of 95¢Mof people of the same age and gender ) is co ion  ???? (generally considered obese.) Besides, a person with a BMI between the 85th and 95th percentiles typically is considered at risk for overweight. Obesity is the term used for extreme overweight. This condition summarizes some health magazines¡¦ suggestion that fitness is better goal than thinness so as to overweight.  There are some exceptions to this formula, though. For instance, someone who is very muscular like a bodybuilder may have a high BMI with being obese because the excess weight is from extra muscle and fat.

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     Obesity is bad news for both body and mind.  Not only does it make a person feel tired and uncomfortable, it can also wear down joints and put extra weights. He or she   is harder to keep up with friends, play sports , or just walk between classes at school. It is also associated with breathing problems such as asthma and sleep apnea and problems with hips and knee joints that may require surgery. There can be more serious consequences as well. Obesity in young people can cause illness that once were thought to be problems only for adults , such as hypertension , high cholesterol levels , liver disease ,and type 2 diabetes, a disease in which the body has trouble converting food to energy , resulting in high blood sugar levels. As they get older, people who are obese are more likely to develop heart disease in which the body has trouble converting food to energy, resulting in high blood sugar levels. And in women, problems are with the reproductive system. Obesity also can lead to stroke, greater risk for certain cancers such as breast or colon cancer, and even death. In addition to these potential problems, people who are obese are more likely to be depressed. That can start a vicious cycle. When people are overweight, they may feel sad or even angry and eat more to make them feel better. Then they feel worse again for eating too much. Besides, when they feel depressed, they are less likely to go out and exercise. They thus become fatter and fatter but their fatness and depression have never been got well.

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     Nowadays, many teenagers even adults in Taiwan, especially women, influenced by glamorous images of paper-thin models and actresses, have joined the island¡¦s recent diet craze. Although some of these people are truly overweight and a few are even obese, most are just normally sized people who have an obsession with  losing weight . In a culture where thinness equals beauty, many unscrupulous companies take advantage of the public¡¦s desire to be slim by promising quick and easy weight loss. Unfortunately, these promises are usually misleading, and some diet drugs can even be dangerous. Recently, the Department of Health has fined several companies that make diet produces for false advertising. Instead of relying on these diet drugs or diet fads, most people simply need a balanced diet and regular exercise to get in shape. Most importantly, we should realize that no matter what fashion magazines suggest fitness is better goal than thinness.

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     Proper care of the body begins with a good diet. Food provides the body with energy. so the body needs to take in the right amount of food. Food energy is measured in calories. If you take in the right amount of calories, your weight will decrease. If you are seriously overweight or underweight, a number of your body may begin to work poorly. In many parts of world, such as North Korea, people do not get enough food to eat and these results in much disease and disability, especially in children, even death. In addition to calories, the body must also take in certain nutrients. These include proteins, which are used to build body structures and run the chemical machinery of the body. Carbohydrates and fats are two most important sources of energy. The best way to avoid these health problems is maintaining a healthy weight. And the keys to healthy weight are regular exercise and good eating habits. To stay active, try to exercise 30 to 60 minutes every day. Your exercise isn¡¦t to be hard core, either. Walking, swimming, and stretching are good ways to burn calories and help you stay fit.

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     In conclusion, we have to pay more attention on our diet not just for the trend, but for the physical and mental health. It keeps you good shape then you will feel much confident to make friends. Besides, when you are in difficulties, you will have more energy and endurance to solve the problems. Have a balanced diet and exercise now.

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