6. Role of Diet

Underweight – BMI that is below 18.5 is a deficiency in body weight that is below a healthy weight.

If you are underweight your body will not be strong enough to fight and/or survive diseases and you may be more prone to being sick.  Being underweight can easily deteriorate the body’s nutrients during surgery or going through medical tests.  Issues of being underweight is not a wide spread problem in the United States.  In the United States obesity is a huge epidemic.  According to our textbook, 66 percent of our population is overweight and a third of our population is obese.   About 33 percent of our adolescents are either overweight or on their way to becoming overweight.

Overweight – If your is BMI is 25 to 29.9 you are considered overweight; which is body weight that is above the healthy weight.  Being overweight you are at risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, high cholesterol and some types of cancer. 

Obese – Is having a BMI of 30 or above obese and highly at risk for chronic diseases. 

- “Obese adults also face these threats: abdominal hernias, arthritis, complications in pregnancy and surgery, flat feet, gallbladder disease, gout, high blood lipids, kidney stones, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, reproductive disorders, respiratory problems, skin problems, sleep disturbances, sleep apnea, varicose veins, and even a high accident rate” (Sizer & Whitney, 2012, p. 326). 

Both underweight and overweight statuses are at high risks for premature death.  Without the proper nutrients from diet and body maintenance of exercise we will fall within the statistics of underweight or overweight.   We need to nourish our bodies and maintain healthy weight so we can be free of diseases and promote longevity.  The cheapest way to prevent diseases is through proper diet and exercise.  We should follow the guidelines for proper amounts of nutrients needed for health.  We need to find a physical activity that we enjoy and are able to be dedicating our time to a few times a week for at least 30 minutes.   We should be aware of how much calories we are eating daily.  We need to be able to eat enough calories needed to provide energy throughout our day.  

Sizer, F. S., & Whitney, E. (2012). Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (12th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.