Today, 1 in 4 teens are estimated to become obese before the age of 15 and it has now become a national issue. In the last decade obesity rates have risen faster than ever recorded and I decided to get an inside perspective on the situation by interviewing dietician, Zenab Ahmad.
Do you think it’s easy for someone to become obese?
‘Yes, I do think that if you are not careful about what you eat then you can easily gain weight; especially due to the larger availability of unhealthy foods.’
What are the main causes of becoming obese?
‘The main causes would probably be the easier access to sugary snacks and fast food, the lack of physical activity and the larger portions of sweets and crisps available at local stores.’
What makes a bigger difference in terms of its effect on obesity; diet or exercise?
‘Diet and exercise are equally important but diet can play a significant role. If you don’t make changes to your diet and only exercise then you may maintain weight rather than losing it. Dietary changes are also important to control certain health conditions such as diabetes and high cholesterol which both become very likely if you are close to becoming obese.’
What advice would you give to someone who is coming close to obesity?
‘Make SMART goals. Aim for small changes at a time, for example drink low sugar drinks rather than sugar rich ones and swap sugary cereals for high fibre varieties. Make time for physical activity on a regular basis. Small but frequent things make the biggest difference!’
What are the main things we can do to avoid obesity?
‘Sometimes it’s hard to believe that watching your weight could be as simple as it actually is. All you have to do is follow healthy eating guidelines, especially avoid saturated fats, sugary drinks and high energy snacks and try regular physical activity; like swimming once a week or going to dance classes. It could even be something as simple as walking to and from school rather than taking the bus if you live close enough.’
Finally, what do you think that the local government and communities could do to encourage a healthier lifestyle?
‘Whilst everyone loves them, the local community could cut down on the amount of fast food chains and sweet shops opening up, as whilst it can provide a tasty treat it is very bad for you and definitely contributes to obesity. They could encourage more fresh fruit and vegetable stalls and markets which sell their items at cheaper prices, making them more affordable for those with low budgets and finally they could encourage more groups and clubs for physical activities such as cycling and dance as physical activity is a huge way to reduce the risk of obesity.’
Thanks to the advice from Ms Ahmad it has become clear that for most of us obesity can be avoided and we can work together to reduce the drastically increasing levels of obesity.
Alaynah Nawaz, Ursuline Academy Ilford
