Role of Diets in Preventing Underweight, Overweight, and Obesity

 

Diets play a big part in preventing weight issues.   Individuals that are underweight can be severely malnourished.  In some third world countries, underweight is a very common issue because of the lack of accessibility to food.  In the United States, underweight is a result of illness such as an eating disorder or cancer.   The individual either restricts their food intake or because of illness finds it difficult to eat.   A diet higher in calories will help the individual gain the weight they need to be at a healthy weight.   For an individual to gain weight, one must "choose foods with high energy density, eat enough to store more energy than you expend, Eat at least three meals a day and add snacks between meals, choose large portions and expect to feel full and drink caloric fluids- juice, chocolate milk, sweet coffee drinks, sweet iced tea" (Sizer & Whitney, 2013 p. 365).  The link that follows is a good example of a healthy high energy density diet that can help with an individual who needs to gain weight.  A healthy diet for individuals who are underweight.   This link also provides tips for making smoothies to help the underweight individual to consume high energy density food.

A diet for overweight and obese individual's go in the opposite direction.  Instead of a high calorie diet and eating more, and overweight or obese individual needs to reduce their macronutrients especially fats and eat less calories during the day.   The individual needs to take a look at their diet and see where they can improve.  Instead of eating a high fat diet consisting of fast food and junk food, the individual needs to prepare healthier food options, eat more vegetables and fruits.   This diet is a bit harder for those individuals because they are hesitant about giving up the foods they love and have a hard time with accepting new options.  Some of these individuals do not like vegetables, so they will have to find creative ways to make these foods by using no butter, heart healthy oils and seasonings.  Seasonings are a great addition to add flavor to meats and vegetables.  Individuals need to make sure they eat first thing in the morning to get their metabolism going after fasting all night.   Eating a meal spaced apart every three to four hours and planning meals and snacks will ensure that the individual will not get to the point where they are starving and making bad food choices.  Portion control is also very important. One can eat healthy all day long but if they eat those healthy meals and the calories end up being more than they burned during the day, they will gain weight.  "Dieters with a BMI of 35 or greater are encouraged to reduce their daily calories by about 500 to 1,000 calories from their usual intakes.  People with a BMI between 27 and 35 should reduce energy intake by 300 to 500 calories a day.  With the assumption that a 3,500 calorie deficient will consistently produce a pound of weight loss, such recommendations predict weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds per week while retaining lean tissue" (Sizer & Whitney, 2013, p.360).  Foods should be low in calories but high in volume. 

References

Heerden, I. (2013). Weight gain eating plan. Health24. Retrieved June 20, 2014, from http://www.health24.com/Diet-and-nutrition/Healthy-diets/Weight-gain-eating-plan-20120721

Sizer, F. & Whitney, E. (2013).  Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies (13th ed.).  Mason, OH: Cengage Learning.