Obesity and being overweight seem to affect over half of the Italian population. In fact, according to WHO estimates, in 2030 70% of men and 50% of women will be overweight, while 20% and 15% will be obese. Is this a condemnation without appeal? No, if you take the right steps, that is, if you change unhealthy behaviour. For information on nutrition and physical movement, here are some tips from Dr.Giuseppe Marinari, head of Bariatric Surgery at Humanitas hospital, on how to avert increase in weight.
- Be aware of the calorie content in foods. “Everyone should know how many calories are in what you are going to eat or drink. And I say to take pay particular attention to what you drink, especially for children and young people. Carbonated beverages, as well as those sugary, have considerable caloric intake. One way to reduce the consumption of these drinks would be an increased taxation, but as long as these measures are not taken, the only way to appeal is through personal responsibility. “
- Fruit juices? The best are from fresh fruit. “Homemade juices are definitely preferable to those packaged, but my advice is to eat fresh fruit: to make a juice takes three oranges, why not just eat one? By controlling the amount, we control the intake of calories. “
To prevent weight gain, pay attention to what you drink
- Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. “Low calories and good health: that is what fruit and vegetables give us.”
- Reduce portions and “size” of the beverage containers. “If you do not want to give up a portion of fast food fries or you want to see a film at the cinema while enjoying a drink, why not choose something “small”.”
- Prefer fresh foods. “Who wants to make minestrone soup by themselves rather than taking it out of the can: however, by knowing what you put inside and choosing the vegetables you want, you can above all, renounce salt and preservatives, that are also a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.”
- Little, very little alcohol. “Alcohol is also a source of calories for the presence of sugars inside. If you want to drink a glass of wine, it is preferable to drink red instead of white: a glass of red wine, 100 ml, is equivalent to about 70 calories. White wine contains more than this, not to mention sparkling wine. “
Bad habits and lack of exercise: risk factors for obesity and overweight
- Do not be lazy! Come on, do exercises, do sports, but especially move: “Whoever takes the stairs and not the elevator burns calories and prevents weight gain. Physical activity is good but only if it is inserted into a routine and does not imprint to a sedentary lifestyle. Moreover, international guidelines recommend minimum doses of physical movement and not just by hours spent in the gym. “
- Recognize and correct bad habits. “Whoever believes that when you sit on the couch in the evening, perhaps after dinner to watch TV, that you do not need to give up cookies or chips, is wrong. This is a typical unruly behavior that leads to weight gain.”
- No Do-it-yourself diets. “Whoever wants to lose weight should do so by following a dietician’s advice: with homemade diets , the yo-yo effect is just around the corner and the pounds that are lost sooner or later return. “
