Understanding the Connection Between Your Weight and Your Health

Even if you are only slightly overweight, going on a diet can improve your health significantly, increase your energy and lower your cholesterol level at the same time. Taking this step can also improve your mobility and breathing, decrease the number of your aches and pains, and lower your blood pressure. You will begin to sleep more soundly and wake up feeling refreshed while you decrease your risk of sudden death from a stroke or heart attack. As your blood sugar levels lower, dieting will help prevent the development of Type 2 diabetes, too.

If you are seriously overweight. This unfortunate condition can lead to a number of serious, potentially fatal health problems (hence the term "morbidly obese"). Obesity has been linked to certain types of cancer (such as breast, endometrial and colon cancer), poor female reproductive health (including infertility, menstrual irregularities, and irregular ovulation), psychological disorders (depression, poor body image, anorexia, bulimia and low self- esteem) and bladder control problems.

In order to succeed when dieting, both weight loss and weight management should be based on reasonable expectations and goals and avoiding so-called "quick fixes." This means that losing 5 or 10 percent of your body weight is a common-sense goal that can help to improve your health, and it is also best to lose weight gradually. (A maximum of two pounds per week is recommended.) Whatever your current weight may be, it is mainly due to the amount and kinds of food you eat, and the amount of physical activity you engage in on a regular basis. It also depends on whether you use food for comfort in response to stress in your life, your age, your genetic profile and the general condition of your health.

Those who are determined to control and maintain their weight might not follow a diet of rigid calorie counting, but they do resolve to lower their consumption of fat and increase their intake of vegetables, fruit and whole grains (along with an appropriate amount of exercise) under the supervision of their doctor.