February 2015 GHC News
Your health:
Maintaining a healthy weight
Healthy Weight Week is an initiative of the
Dietitians Association of Australia to increase
awareness of the importance of a healthy diet
and lifestyle. Various events aiming to promote
this are scheduled during this week-long
campaign, from 16-23 February 2015.
Maintaining a healthy weight is
important for your health. A balanced diet
consisting of the main food groups including
vegetables, fruit, lean meat, legumes and healthy
carbohydrates will provide adequate vitamins,
minerals, protein and energy.
A healthy diet will not only improve general
health, it also improves control of blood pressure,
blood sugar levels, cholesterol, and body weight.
Excessive body fat is associated with a number
of serious medical conditions including diabetes,
heart disease, stroke, osteoarthritis and some
cancers.
For more information on healthy weight week
visit: www.healthyweightweek.com.au
Medicines and Healthy Eating
Some medical conditions, and medicines
themselves, can affect nutrition in many different
ways. This may make it hard to eat a balanced
diet, and may also impact on your enjoyment of
food. For example, numerous medications may
cause a dry mouth which may affect your ability
to comfortably eat.
Other medications may impair your sense of
taste and smell, potentially decreasing your
appetite and enjoyment of food. Medications
can also cause nausea or indigestion, which may
stop you from eating altogether.
If you are concerned that your medications are
affecting your weight or appetite, talk to your
doctor or pharmacist.
BMI and Healthy Weight
BMI stands for Body Mass index.
It can be used to give you an idea of
whether you’re underweight, overweight
or an ideal weight for your height.
It’s helpful to know, because if your
weight increases or decreases outside
of the ideal range, your health risks
may increase.
BMI Categories:
Underweight = <18.5
Normal weight = 18.5–24.9
Overweight = 25–29.9
Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
Please note, these categories are only
to give you an idea of your physical
health. There are several factors which
should be considered, such as body fat
percent, muscle mass, gender, age and
ethnicity. If your BMI is outside the ideal
range, it is important to discuss this
with your doctor, pharmacist or other
relevant health professional to obtain
individual health advice.