Weight Management: Obesity

his ideal body weight varies for each individual. It is up to every individual to take the initiative to ensure that his or her body weight does not vary more than 2 kilograms of the ideal body weight.

The objective of any weight management program is to bring a person’s body weight within the ideal body weight range, and to maintain it there. The program revolves around ensuring a healthy diet and plenty of exercise. This sort of a weight management program is equally applicable to the underweight, and the obese.
Obesity management

Successful weight loss can be brought about through a combined nutritional and behavioral approach. The diet of the person should be well balanced and suited to his or her needs. This should be combined with an exercise program for effective results.
Dietary management

The objectives of diet modification in a weight reduction program are:

* To bring about a gradual weight loss.
* To maintain desirable weight and good nutritional status.
* To correct faulty food habits.

In order to achieve these objectives, suitable diet modifications must be made.

Energy: The energy intake must be reduced suitably to meet individual weight loss targets. A decrease of 1000 Cal daily is required to lose about one kilogram weight per week.

On an average, a 1000-1200 Cal diet is used for weight reduction in women and 1500-1800 Cal diet is prescribed for weight reduction in men.

Generally speaking, if you are overweight then reduce 500 Cal per day in your actual daily intake. If you are obese then you should reduce 1000 Cal per day in your actual daily intake. Another approach for determining energy requirement is based on body weight and activity.