Exercise and Obesity

Exercise and Obesity

Written by: Emma Anius

Obesity is on the rise it has more than doubled since 1980.  In 2008 1.5 billion people in the world were said to be overweight. St. Lucia is unfortunately no different; a study undergone in 2010 discovered that the average adult in Saint Lucia is overweight.
Obesity or being overweight is the 5th leading cause of global deaths; 2.8 million adults die each year as a result.  It has been linked to being a leading factor to many other diseases such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases, gout, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis and certain types of cancer.
Obesity has become such a global problem due to the accessibility of the wrong types of foods, irregular meals and a result of too little physical activity.
It occurs when your body consumes more calories than it burns, women account for 25% of the adult female population that are overweight, which is almost twice as much as males.
With the new development of the tennis court in Castries, the Vigie playing field and the Vigie Sports Complex where basketball, netball, football and volley ball are there for people to join in on, not to mention the beach where you can go for a swim there is no excuse for obesity in St. Lucia.
A lot of people say they haven’t got enough time to start exercising or prepare healthy meals instead of getting fast food. Even if you go slowly, a loss of 10 to 20 pounds can bring significant health improvements, such as lowering one’s blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
It’s not just the adults being affected by this epidemic; the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized that nearly 43 million children under the age of five were overweight in 2010.  Studies indicate children who suffer from obesity are more likely to carry that onto adulthood.
The Caribbean Food & Nutrition Institute (CFNI) recognized that children account for 15 percent of the obesity in the Caribbean and in St Lucia obesity among preschoolers has tripled in the last 30 years!
It is important for steps to be made to instill a more active life style, maintaining a healthy weight helps you lower your risk for developing issues that could negatively effect your health, helps you feel good about yourself, and gives you more energy to enjoy life.
To determine whether you are classified as overweight or not you need to find out your Body Mass Index (BMI) this is calculated by your height divided by your weight multiplied by your weight (height/ weight x weight).
If your BMI is 25 or above you are classified as overweight.  Being physically active and eating fewer calories will help you lose weight and keep the weight off over time.
Looking after your body is the key to healthy living.
If you have any concerns and want to check your weight then please contact your doctor.
If you have no time to exercise or don’t know where to begin:

Beginner:
Squat jumps x 10. Side shuffle x 10. Side lunge x 10. Tricep extension x 10. Burpes x 10?

Advanced:
Squat jumps x 15. Side shuffle x 15. Side lunge x 15. Tricep extension x 15. burpes x 15

•    For help with the exercises go to www.facebook.com/cyanfitness and view the photos

Note: Emma Anius is a Personal Trainer for Cyan Fitness promoting a ‘healthy life and a better you.’ Email: emma@cyanfitness.com