Obesity is becoming a major social problem. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes that obesity is one of the biggest public health problems of the 21st century.
From 1975 to the present days, statistical and epidemiological data show that this phenomenon is becoming more and more usual, including among teenagers.
An alarming fact that results in a desire of a common action: cope with the growth of obesity by raising awareness.
Although genetics may have an impact, the main cause of obesity is an incorrect lifestyle and an inadequate diet.
In fact, over the years, the concept of a proper food culture has been lost. Especially among young people, perhaps because of the lack of adequate information (which should come from the private sector as well), but also because of the dietary patterns proposed by modern society, the trend to “eat badly” is increasingly widespread.
What are the risks associated with obesity?
Although it is not recognized in Italy, obesity is a disease that can lead to serious illnesses such as:
- Bone and articular issues
- Hypertension and cardiovascular problems
- Sleep apnea
- Respiratory problems
- Cancer, including those of the colon, oesophagus, endometrium, kidneys, pancreas and thyroid
- Metabolic syndrome
The fundamental role of dietary strategies:
Italy is at the forefront of prevention by proposing a balanced diet with the Mediterranean diet.
Nutrition is one of the factors affecting our health the most, states Professor Valter Longo, an Italian scientist, who concentrated his studies and research on this matching.
Indeed, according to Longo, food is the best ally for living longer and healthier. Many of his scientific projects aim at finding a therapy for diseases affecting people, including obesity.
The scientist has created a meal program that, in addition to adopting healthy eating habits, has also reduced the risk of various diseases that affect our body.
How to fight obesity
The first is a controlled and safe 5-day caloric restriction, that consumption and cyclic application in patients suffering from pathologies, which must be established by a doctor, cause restorative and regenerative effects on the body.
The second could be described as a maintenance diet as a way of life that focuses on vegetables, good fats, grains and fish.
“You do not have to go far to meet people suffering from obesity, diabetes and heart disease. I helped an obese person who, for 15 years, had tried everything to lose weight, 111 kg. Given his risk of developing diabetes, I offered him four consecutive cycles of Fasting Mimicking Diet for three weeks under the strict supervision of his doctor and myself. This strategy worked. He has lost 14 kg, including a lot of abdominal fat, has gained energy and well-being in return. A year later, not only does he maintain his weight, but he continues to lose weight and says that the FMD has led him to change the way he eats “- from the book” The Diet of Longevity “.
However, changing your eating habits is only a step!
A sedentary lifestyle is another important factor that influences the risks associated with obesity. An adequate physical activity represents, with a correct diet, one of the tools of prevention and / or treatment of many pathologies.
So what are we waiting for to change our habits in order to cope with what it can be considered in all respects as a disease?
Article written by: Francesca Florenzo