General guidelines for preventing obesity

Obesity can be prevented or treated by moderating food and energy intake as well as increasing physical activity. It is the leading cause of heart disease, diabetes, and other ailments. It is projected that by 2020, obesity shall be recognized as a major health issue in India. It is important that you opt for some basic health practices to prevent obesity and keep your weight under control.

Key Messages For Preventing Obesity are:-

• Consuming well-balanced diet and drink plenty of water.
• Ensure adequate intake of good quality proteins and micronutrients.
• Eat whole grain cereals and pulses instead of refined.
• Take healthy snacks like fruits, vegetables and sprouts instead of biscuits, cake, fried snacks and other fast foods.
• Intake of skim milk and buttermilk instead of whole milk and full cream curd is preferred.
• Eat nonveg. (mutton, fish, chicken or other meat) in the form of stew or soup instead of curry with plenty of fats & oil.
• Egg (white) is preferable that the whole egg.
• Do not keep nibbling between meals.
• Eat slowly, chewing the food properly.
• Eat plenty of salad (cucumber, tomato, radish, carrot, beetroot, apple, guava, pears and other seasonal fruits and vegetables) just before lunch and dinner.
• Serve small portions in the small plate at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• Do not watch television while eating, it will land up eating more than regular intake.
• Irregular eating habits put a lot of strain on the body, so maintain regular mealtimes.
• Restrict or avoid consumption of junk foods, processed foods, and candy foods. These are often rich in sugar, fat, and salt and contain refined flours, soda and monosodium glutamate (MSG), which may increase water retention in the body and lead to overeating.
• Avoid eating very sweet, salty or oily foods especially at night.
• Avoid drinking of alcohol, cold drinks, and smoking.
• Incorporate some exercise into regular routine.
• Play a regular outdoor game like football, volleyball, cricket, kho-kho, kabaddi, basketball, Tennis, etc or jogging, morning walk and some other outdoor activity to burn a calorie.
• Prefer to use stair-case instead of lifts and escalators.
• Sleeping during daytime should be avoided at all cost.
• Handle stress in a positive manner through exercise, yoga, and meditation.
• Join a group with similar weight loss regimen, it motivates and helps to maintain the routine.