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Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, CSSD

 It’s no secret that, as a nation, we’re getting fatter – recent statistics reveal that there are twice as many obese Americans today than there were just thirty years ago. And, along with extra pounds comes an increased risk for chronic diseases – like diabetes and high blood pressure – so the spiraling epidemic is bound to put further pressure on our health care system.

Obesity isn’t too picky when it comes to victims – regardless of age, gender or race, millions of people are affected. But a recently published report* from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) indicated that certain population groups are more affected than others.

Data gathered from the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, known as NHANES, points to these disparities – obesity affects 45% of blacks and nearly 37% of Hispanics, compared with a lower prevalence rate of about 31% among whites. Not surprisingly, geographic differences were reported, too. Greater obesity rates were seen in the South and Midwest regions of the nation compared with the Northeast and the West.

The report cited three key factors that might account for the differences among populations - exercise habits, dietary patterns and attitudes regarding body weight. Compared to whites, for instance, blacks and Hispanics are less likely to take part in regular recreational activity – partly because those in minority and low-income communities may have fewer locations where they can safely engage in exercise.

It’s also been documented that in neighborhoods with large minority populations there are fewer chain supermarkets, produce stores or farmer’s markets and more fast-food restaurants – which means that fewer healthier choices are available. And, even when they are accessible, healthier foods are relatively more expensive than fat and sugar-laden fast foods.

Attitudes regarding body size also play a role in explaining differences in obesity rates - in many cultures, being overweight is not considered a negative trait. Black and Hispanic women, for example, report greater satisfaction with their body size than white women – which means they are less likely to try to lose weight. So, while white females may have more problems with poor body image and chronic dieting, minority women may be encouraging the acceptance of an unhealthy body weight and the health problems associated with it.

Finding effective strategies for combating this epidemic is critical. The CDC funds programs in 25 states to address obesity, particularly in minority populations. But the target behaviors in these programs – increased fruit and vegetable intake and more physical activity – are key strategies for everyone who struggles with excess weight.

Susan Bowerman is a consultant to Herbalife.

*Centers for Disease Control. Differences in Prevalence of Obesity Among Black, White, and Hispanic Adults --- United States, 2006—2008. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, July 17, 2009 / 58(27);740-744

By David Heber, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.N

What is your shape?

You may think you know when you look in the mirror, or you may be too busy trying to cover up unshapely areas to really see yourself as you are. Do you know how much fat you're carrying, compared to how much muscle? Do you know where you tend to gain weight–upper body, lower body or around the middle? Until you know the answers to these questions, you are not ready to make your personal plan for losing weight and keeping it off. Understanding your body is the first step to reaching your best personal shape. As someone who teaches both doctors and the public about obesity, I believe weight loss has been overemphasized and body shape underemphasized. You have probably read about the Body-Mass Index (BMI), which is a weight-to-height ratio. If your BMI is greater than 25, you are considered overweight in the United States, and if it is greater than 30 you are obese. This ratio has been a powerful way for scientists to document the obesity epidemic in this country and its effects on health and disease. However, when it comes to you as an individual, it can be misleading. A football player can be considered overweight on the BMI scale, but if the extra weight being carried is muscle, he is not really fat. A thin woman can have a normal BMI, yet still be over-fat. So shape counts.

Shapes are personal and go beyond the usual apple and pear. Women can have three typical body shapes–upper body fat, lower body fat and both upper and lower body fat. Men usually only get upper body fat. The upper body stores fat in times of stress and some people can lose and gain weight rapidly in the upper body. The lower body fat in women responds to female hormones such as estrogen and progesterone and stores fat for breastfeeding a newborn baby. Women who have both upper and lower body fat will lose their upper body fat first. Women with more upper body fat tend to have more muscle than women with lower body fat and will need more protein in their diet to help control their hunger. Losing weight is harder if you have lower body fat rather than upper body fat, but the medical benefits of losing your upper body fat are greater. Losing weight around your neck, face, chest and waist usually goes along with losing fat on the inside as well. So as you look better, you are also improving your health tremendously.

Finally, there are two more body shapes to consider: The shape you can change and the shape you can't change. It is important to know the difference and work on the shape you can change, while adjusting your wardrobe and attitudes to the shape you cannot change. Due to low metabolism, many women with lower body fat can't lose weight just by cutting calories. These lower body-fat cells are resistant to both exercise and diet. Only a personalized program can help make sure you get enough protein to control cravings and build or maintain lean muscle.

Dr. Heber also serves as chairman of the Herbalife Scientific and Nutrition Advisory Boards.

By David Heber, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.C.N.

It is well established that the typical person eating a western-type diet consumes more daily calories than he needs. High-calorie snacks filled with fats and sugars contribute to these extra calories. Protein packed bars, drinks, soups, and nuts are far superior to other snacks because of the inherent differences between protein and sugars and fats.

First off, protein is more satisfying than the other two macronutrients because of specific signals it sends to the brain. When we snack on protein instead of sugars and fats,the body feels more full which helps people control their appetite between meals thus cutting calories and controlling their weight. Recent clinical research has supported this physiologic phenomenon.

A second reason for choosing protein as a snack is its thermogenic effect. This refers to the metabolic tax a food puts on the body after we eat it. This metabolic tax for protein is much higher than sugar or fat because the body uses more energy to digest it. This means that when you choose protein over the other two, you are burning more calories during the process of digestion. Having this higher tax rate is good because protein tends to be low in caloric content, so the body is working harder on fewer calories.

A third reason to choose protein snacks over sugars and fats is the body's need to replenish the building blocks of muscle tissue. Muscle is important for our daily activities and it determines our metabolism. So the more we maintain our healthy lean muscle mass, the higher we maintain metabolism.

So the next time you reach for a snack, choose a protein-rich bar, drink or soup. Avoid high-calorie chips, cookies, candies and sweets. They are generally much higher in calories, and they offer little nutritional value to the body.

Dr. Heber also serves as chairman of the Herbalife Scientific and Nutrition Advisory Boards.