The more pronounced obesity is and the longer it persists, the more difficult therapy becomes. In addition, the consequences such as high blood pressure (hypertension) and arteriosclerosis are not always all reversible with weight loss. Therefore, it is important to prevent obesity from developing in the first place or to prevent mild obesity from becoming obesity.
Healthy lifestyle is the be-all and end-all
The most important factor in preventing obesity is a healthy lifestyle: a balanced diet with little and healthy fat, plenty of fiber and vitamins, and little industrial sugar. Just as important as diet is regular exercise – not just temporarily, but for constantly. Endurance sports such as swimming are best.
Obesity: protect children early
Unfortunately, numerous studies on the subject of overweight as well as obesity have also shown that preventive measures have relatively little effect on adults. More effect they have with children, especially if the parents support the life change.
The first years of life are often formative – also in terms of lifestyle habits such as diet and exercise. Ultimately, prevention of overweight and obesity must therefore begin in childhood. It is therefore also important for pediatricians to provide education as well as for kindergartens and schools to be involved in the topics of nutrition and exercise.
Obesity: overweight despite diet
Of course, the best thing to do is to reach and maintain a normal weight. Not suitable for this are diets that promise fast weight loss. Even if they work in the short term, they do more harm than good in the long term in the fight against overweight and obesity. They may also disrupt the natural regulation of appetite.
Another undesirable side effect of short-term weight loss: As with a yoyo, the weight goes back up after losing weight just as quickly as it went down before. Weight reduction, i.e. losing weight, only makes sense if it is accompanied by a permanent change in lifestyle. This includes a change in diet in accordance with the recommendations of the DGE (German Nutrition Society) as well as a change in exercise behavior. This is the only way to create a negative or balanced energy balance in which no more energy is supplied than is consumed.
