August 6, 2011: It is called "mindless eating" but the calories end up on the body nonetheless. As the nation struggles with an obesity crisis that has even hit children, SmartAboutHealth and WebMD have just reported on findings from Brian Wansink, Cornell University psychology professor, whose research at the annual convention of the American Psychological Association is suggesting a link between eating behaviors and weight gain. He is advising we avoid mindless eating to avoid weight gain.
As such, eating in front of the television is one culprit as is the size of the bowl one uses. If it sounds far-fetched, here is just one reported example:
"30 people were served soup out of a 'bottomless bowl' that was pressure-fed under the table and slowly refilled from the bottom without them knowing. Another 30 people were served soup in regular bowls.
The people with bottomless bowls ate 73% more than those with regular bowls, but they didn't rate themselves as any more full than those who ate less.
"Don't rely on your stomach to tell you when you're full. It can lie," Wansink says.Ways to Combat Mindless Eating
How serious is obesity?
It is being reported that obesity worldwide has doubled since 1980. Although those living in the wealthiest nations are receiving the treatment needed to control blood pressure and cholesterol levels, in poorer nations obesity is a significant health problem.
In the The United States our Body Mass Index is at the highest level among wealthy countries averaging at 28. Obesity Has Nearly Doubled Worldwide Since 1980: Report
As the nation struggles with the issue of weight and body mass index (BMI) in adults, childhood obesity in this national is nearly epidemic. And childhood obesity in the US has tripled in the past three decades.
Calculating Body Mass Index
If you want to know if you are reaching obesity, not morbidly obese, but have put on more weight than is healthy, you can calculate. The Web site for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a calculator for determining weight, overweight and fitness. You can try this method or go to their website listed here:
- 1) Divide weight (in pounds) by height (in inches squared)
- 2) Multiply that number by 703.
May sound like hocus-pocus, but this method works. A BMI reading translates as follows:
- Healthy = 18.5 to 24.9
- Overweight = 25.0 to 29.9
- Obese = 30.0 or higher is enough to compromise one’s health.
Here is the direct link: Healthy Weight: Assessing Your Weight: Body Mass Index
Copyright 2011 Rita Watson/ All Rights Reserved
Comments