Weekly Health Update: September 10th, 2012

Mental Attitude
Think You Are Fat?  Researchers found that normal weight teens who perceive themselves as fat are more likely to grow up to be fat. 59% of girls who felt fat as a teen became overweight in adulthood while 31% of girls who did not consider themselves fat during adolescence were found to be overweight. Normal weight girls were more likely than boys to rate themselves as overweight (22% of girls vs. 9% of the boys). One reason for weight gain in later years may be due to psychosocial stress, which can be associated with gaining weight. Under this scenario, the psychosocial stress related to having 
explanation may be that young people who see themselves as fat often change their eating habits by skipping meals, which can 
lead to obesity. Also, a diet you can’t maintain over time will be counterproductive, as the body tries to maintain the weight you 
had before you started to diet. 
Norwegian University of Science and Technology, July 2012 

Health Alert
Depression Is A World-Wide Problem. It's widely believe that depression is a phenomenon of Western culture, but researchers who analyzed studies involving over 480,000 people across 91 countries have found the opposite is true. They estimate the rate of depression in Middle Eastern and some Asian countries (~9%) is twice that found in countries like the United States and Australia (~4%). 
World Health Organization, 2010

Bad BBQ News! Barbecue can sabotage your waistline. A 20 ounce T-bone steak can weigh in at 1,540 calories, with 124 grams of fat.  A cheeseburger has 750 calories and 45 grams of fat. Pork or beef ribs come from the fattiest part of the animal. Healthier options include pork tenderloin, skinless chicken breast, and lean ground beef. 
American Heart Association

Good Reasons. Regular exercise maintains or improves joint flexibility, improves your glucose tolerance and reduces workdays missed due to illness. 
Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, 1996

Motion and Nutrition. Cartilage is avascular, meaning it does not receive nutrition via blood vessels. Like a sponge, it takes in fluid and releases the fluid when compression is applied. This alternating compression and re-expansion allows it to receive its supply of nutrients and remove metabolic waste. 
Arthritis & Rheumatism, 1984 

Lose To Gain? People who are overweight or obese could gain ten years worth of health benefits by simply losing 20 pounds. Modest weight loss (average 14 lbs) reduced the risk of individuals developing Type 2 diabetes by 58%. Weight loss of just 10% of a person's body weight has been shown to have long-term impact on sleep apnea, hypertension, quality of life, and to slow the decline in mobility that occurs as people age. 
American Psychological Association, July 2012

~ Albert Einstein 

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