Healthy Weight

Are you fat or thin? Do you feel fine with your weight? Are you worried about your appearance? These are the questions that are justified; but they have more relevance if the person is overweight or too thin, because many times, they are signs of serious diseases that can even cause death.

Whenever we talk about this topic, we think on the diet; but to have the ideal healthy weight and keep it, is necessary to do exercises too.

According to Doctor Regino Ramos Armas, specialist of II Degree in Nutrition, overweight and obesity are the basis of many severe illnesses. “These exceeding not only show biological consequences, but also in the social environment can develop self discriminations and in the economic one, establish an inequality feeding in the family that can reproduce at social, national and world level.

“More than the 80 percent of the rate mortality in Cuba is for non transmissible or chronic diseases and almost a 40 percent of these are associated to the over-nutrition or obesity. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified this last one as one of the factors involved in the 33 percent of mortality worldwide.”

The also adviser of in nutrition from Joaquin Albarran hospital and the Cuban National Institute of Oncology and Radiology that the appropriate weight should match the age, sex and height, so that it works as factor to contribute in a healthy life and have a longevous life. Besides, it is convenient to have cleanness standards and a hygienic environment to prevent transmissible illnesses or with contagious effects.

Adequate weight

The human body, during life, is in need of nutrients included in food and water, fat, osseous and non osseous minerals, so that the body can keep its balanced harmonic metabolism and efficient, able to give sustainability in the physiological, psychological, physical and adaptability functions.

That is why; the health national system has institutionalized several programs that check the weight of the people, even since they are in their mothers’ belly.

The Motherly-Infant Assistance Program is carried out since the pregnant women are recruited- which are estimated the adequate weight gained, so that when the babies are born, they are between the 2, 500 to 4, 500 grams-, and later, they monitored during mother-breading period and that of the introduction of food.

In the first 5 years of life, there is a nutritional surveillance system that requires periodic measuring of the weight and height. These Variables should be adjusted to standards that are fully recognized. During life there are systems applied of surveillance in food and nutrition.

The specialist said for the rest of the age groups, corporal measures should be done with the same purpose. Then promote the dispensation of those who are classified as malnourished or overweight. To do this, a math equation should be done that will give the called index of weight.

Doctor Rufino explained in details that the methods used worldwide have in common to estimate an adequate weight, acceptable, desirable or convenient.

The most recommendable is the so called Brocá Method: just subtract 100 to the total of centimeters in height. For instance, of a person’s height is 160 cm, it corresponds 60 kgs of weight; if the person is 170 cm tall, the ideal weight is 70 kgs.

Preventing is the key

“We should not separate from the practice and practice increase of exercises every day that will help your ideal weight. Exercises done periodically use carbohydrates and fats as energy,” the specialist warns.

He asserts that if you walk 30 minutes every day you can lose 9 kilos in a year; if they were 90 minutes in 16 weeks the reduction could reach 6 kilos. There are different types of these exercises as rapid marching, jogging, running, climbing, swimming, and the sports with a ball or baseball. Any of the modalities is better than sedentary life style.

He advises that the diets should be restricted in calories, and be well calculated by a nutritionist or health specialist well trained for that. The transcendental aspect to keep an ideal or healthy weight is to be able to have a life style that will help it.