Nutrition
Healthy Weight, Healthy You
Do you know that excess weight is a serious health problem for
many Americans?  Carrying
excess weight increases your risk of developing a number of serious
illnesses, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and
high blood pressure. Being underweight is linked with heart problems,
lowered resistance to infection, chronic fatigue, anemia, depression
and other illnesses.
The good news: healthful eating and regular physical activity can
help to prevent these illnesses. Managing your weight plays a vital
role in achieving and maintaining good health while enhancing the
quality of your life. The key is to maintain a healthy weight through
proper food choices and regular physical activity. By making changes
in your habits--including eating and physical activity--you can
help achieve long-term health and lifelong weight management.
Body shape
Are you apple-shaped with more fat on your upper body (around your
abdomen), or pear-shaped with fat gathering on your lower body (on
the buttocks or thighs)? Excess weight below the waist creates a
pear-shaped body and does not appear to pose as much risk for weight-related
health problems as weight carried above the waist.
Weight Chart
Using the chart below
see how where you fall in the graph. This guide is used for determining
a reasonable weight range based on height. Because muscle and bone
weigh more than fat, the higher weights in the range typically apply
to those with more muscle and a larger frame. People with less muscle
and a smaller frame will fall at the lower end of the range. Weights
above and below the ranges are associated with increased incidence
of disease and disability.
Where do I go from here:
Use the guidelines provided to see if you are within a healthy weight
range. If you need to lose or gain weight, ask for support. Sources
can include family, friends, and a registered dietitian. Your success
at reaching these goals may depend on improved regular physical
activity and eating habits.
For more on weight loss tips, meal planning, label reading and
more call the Nutrition Education number 746-2544 or 1-800548-0881
Healthy Body Weight Chart (height by weight)
and levels of overweight (moderate and severe).
Source: US Department of Agriculture, US Department of Health and
Human Services. Nutrition and Your Health: Dietary Guidelines for
Americans, 4th ed., 1995.
The Northeast
Regional Food Guide is a great resource on eating locally, seasonally,
and nutritiously. Below is the food pyramid representing the guide's
principles.
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Check out the Cornell
Youth Nutrition Program for ideas, resources, and planning
dealing with K-12 youth. Check out their Cooking Up Fun Program.
How long can you keep a can of tomatoes? Find out answers
to questions like this and more from Food
Safety Tips from the USDA
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