Thursday, October 9, 2008

Lifestyle Health Check for dcd79 - 9/10/2008 @ http://www.shape-up.org

Tadi buat test di http://www.shape-up.org dan inilah result dia..tak habis baca lagi ni...

Weight Concern
your personal report for dcd79 - 9/10/2008


Thank you for taking time to complete the Lifestyle Health Check. Below is your personalised report, which gives you feedback about your lifestyle and eating habits. We also make some suggestions for leading a healthy life. We hope you will find this useful.

Weight
BMI
Body mass index (or BMI) is a measure used to assess weight. It is a ratio of your weight and height. It is not a perfect measure, but gives a rough idea. If you do a lot of exercise, and have built up a lot of muscle, it is likely to be less accurate. Your BMI is 39.1 which puts you into the very overweight range.

In Britain, 53.3% of female adults are classified as overweight or obese. By losing just a modest amount of weight, you could be reducing your risk of heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis and fertility problems etc.

Waist Measurement
Health professionals are starting to use waist measurements more commonly as an indicator of how someone’s weight is affecting their health. This is because having a lot of fat on your stomach is more of a health risk than fat on other parts of your body. Your waist measures 102 cm - this is well above the recommended level, and you bring substantial health benefits by bringing your waist measurement closer towards the recommended range.

Weight History
Many people put on weight gradually throughout their adult life, and it is fairly easy to do so without really noticing. Others may put on weight more quickly and there may be reasons that they can identify for this.

Your weight puts you into the overweight BMI range and you say that it has gone up in the past 5 years/ over adult life. Preventing further weight gain is the most important first step in weight management and staying healthy. You can achieve this by making changes to eating and activity patterns. Once your weight gain has levelled off, you may then decide that you wish to make further changes to lose weight, and we recommend that you do this gradually.

You also mention that your weight has not gone up and down too much in the last 5 years/ over adult life. Although studies do not seem to show serious long-term physical or psychological health effects of weight cycling, it makes sense to avoid it if you can! Making small gradual changes to eating and activity patterns, rather than strict dieting, are easier to stick to in the long-term.

Weight and Health
You say that you would like to weigh 60 kg, which is less than your current weight. As your weight is above the healthy range, losing a modest amount of weight (5-10kg) will bring with it significant health benefits. Remember though that it is important to make changes which you will be able to keep up in the long-term, otherwise any weight you have managed to lose will go straight back on.

You say that you have never been told that you have a raised blood pressure or raised cholesterol level. These are both risk factors for heart disease. You can help to keep these at healthy levels by eating healthily and keeping active.

Eating Habits

Eating well is important for health regardless of your weight. If you do want to lose some weight then healthy eating is a central part of this. But, even if you do not want or need to lose any weight, moving towards a healthier way of eating can bring with it numerous health benefits. For example, a healthy heart and reduced cancer risk.

Meal Patterns
People who have a regular eating pattern tend to have lower cholesterol, better blood glucose control and lower weight. A regular eating pattern can also help control overeating. So this is an important part of weight control and a starting point of any healthy eating plan for those who do not eat regularly at present. From what you told us in the questionnaire, you already have a regular eating pattern, which gives you a head start. You should stick with it while concentrating on adjusting what you eat and how much.

Building up good meal time habits and making time to enjoy food can really help with getting healthy eating habits in place for you and, if you have children, the whole family. You say that you most often eat lunch at a desk. Eating at your desk can mean that you simply don't have the time to get away. Although modern work can be pressured, having a break for food (however short!) is important for healthy meal patterns as well as general well being. You say that you most often eat dinner at a table. Eating at the table is a great first step to relaxing and enjoying food, in addition, it is an important example to set if you have children.

Eating Out
Eating out can be an important and enjoyable part of life, but when we eat outside the home, we tend to eat larger portions. We consume more fat and calories too.

You say that you eat meals out regularly. This could mean that you are eating more fat and calories than you expect. You also say that when you buy these foods, you don't particularly look for healthy choices. Making some healthier choices when out could make a real difference to your food intake, and may be something that you consider.

Food Shopping
Aim to make your home a healthy food zone! Although it sounds obvious, you can only eat the foods that are available to you. It is much more difficult to resist those chocolate biscuits on the kitchen table than it is to avoid buying them in the first place!

At the moment, you do not seem to focus so much on making healthy choices when food shopping. There may be some small things that you could begin to do to make your home a healthier food zone.

Things Affecting Your Eating
Lots of different things affect our eating. We need food in order to supply our bodies with energy and nutrients, however there are many other reasons that may cause us to eat as well!

You say that you sometimes eat when not physically hungry. You also say that you often eat when bored and sometimes eat if worried, stressed, depressedThis could be adding extra calories and may even leave you not feeling in complete control of your eating. . It can be helpful to look at some of these different things that are affecting your eating. Are there any other ways that do not involve food that you could use in these situations?

Food Choices
Balance
It is important to include a good balance of foods in your diet, in order to provide your body with all of the nutrients it needs to function properly. This is done by eating a range of different foods. You already have some balance to your eating. For example, including:
. starchy foods
. fish

There are other things that you could consider doing as well. For example:
. include some dairy (if liked) or alternative calcium-containing foods
. include some protein foods each day (eg. Meat, fish, eggs, nuts, tofu, pulses etc)
. work toward the 5+ per day fruit and vegetable recommendations

Fruit and veg
Fruit and vegetables are a good source of fibre as well as vitamins and minerals. You say you are eating 0-2 servings of fruit a week and eating 0-2 servings of vegetables a week. Eating lots of fruit and vegetables helps to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. But most people in the UK don't eat enough fruit or vegetables - on average we eat only about 3 servings a day. It is recommended that people eat at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables every day.

According to your questionnaire answers, you need to think of ways to eat more fruit and vegetables.

Fat
Eating too much fat can mean overloading on calories and can increase blood cholesterol if you eat a lot of saturated (or animal) fat. Many of us eat too much fat.

Taking a look at your fat consumption could help in your efforts to lose some weight.

You already make food choices that will be helping to keep your fat intake at a healthy level. For example:
. not adding fat to sandwiches, other bread
. not using rich or creamy sauces and dressings
. not choosing chocolates or sweets for snacks
. not choosing cakes or pastries for snacks

There may be other things that you consider doing as well. For example:
. not adding fat to starchy foods (such as potatoes, rice, pasta, noodles, bread)
. having moderate portions of meat
. choosing lean cuts of meat
. not adding fat to vegetables and potatoes
. choosing low fat dairy foods
. choosing reduced or low fat margarine or spreads
. not eating puddings other than fruit

Fibre
High fibre foods help to keep your gut healthy, contain health-giving vitamins and minerals and also help to fill you up. You say that you don't often eat wholegrain foods or pulses, and are not meeting the 5+ per day fruit and vegetable recommendations. Gradually increasing your intake of these foods will be helping to boost your fibre intake as well as your intake of other vitamins and minerals.

Type of fat
You say that you don't usually use an unsaturated vegetable oil for cooking. These types of fat are considered better for your heart than saturated animal fats like butter and cream. This is because your body makes cholesterol out of this saturated fat, so it may contribute to a raised blood cholesterol. Changing the types of fat you use may be a change that you consider. Oily fish contains a particularly beneficial type of fat called omega-3 fatty acids. This can help to keep your heart healthy. Examples of oily fish are salmon, trout, mackerel and sardines. You say that you regularly include fish in your diet, try to make one of these portions from oily fish.

Fluid
You say that you drink at least 6-8 cups of non-alcoholic fluid per day. This is excellent - you need this to stay well hydrated.

Processed foods
You say that you do not often have processed foods or ready made meals. Processed foods tend to contain more fat and salt that home-made, so it is good that these are not an everyday part of your diet.

Snacks
Chocolates, sweets, cakes and pastries contain a lot of fat and/or sugar, so it is good that you are not eating these on a regular basis. This is a good habit so try to maintain it!

Thoughts about eating more healthily
You say that you are already making changes to your eating. Well done, but remember it is important to keep these up in the long term. You might wish to build upon these changes.

Making changes to your eating (or indeed any changes) requires thought and planning. People who are most successful have thought through what would be involved and are really ready to do it. Spend some time thinking what you can fit into your life at the moment!

Stress
Stress can affect your wellbeing and also influence your chances of making successful changes to lifestyle (for example eating more healthily or becoming more active). You do not seem to be unduly affected by life stresses at the moment. If you decide that you want to make some changes to your lifestyle, now could be a good time for you to start and suceed!

Smoking
Smoking is the single most damaging habit for health. It is recommended that all smokers quit as a priority above all other lifestyle changes. It is a big plus to your health that you are not smoking.

Alcohol
The recommendations for alcohol intake are that you should keep within sensible limits. For women, this means no more than 2 units of alcohol a day, with regular alcohol-free days. For men, it means no more than 3 units a day, with regular alcohol-free days.

As you probably know, research suggests that moderate drinking (1 or 2 units a day) might offer some protection against coronary heart disease and stroke for men aged over 40 and for post-menopausal women. However, alcohol can have other consequences on health - for example it can raise blood pressure.

If you are aiming at weight loss or preventing weight gain, alcohol means 'empty calories'. For example, a pint of ordinary beer has 180 calories but doesn't have the nutrients that we need, such as starchy carbohydrate, protein, vitamins or minerals.

You say that on average you have approximately 0 to 7 units of alcohol per week. From the point of view of your general health, the amount you say you are drinking is within the recommended level for a woman.

From the point of view of your weight, cutting right down on alcohol will help you prevent further weight gain and possibly lose weight.

From the point of view of your weight, cutting right down on alcohol will help you prevent further weight gain and possible lose weight.

It is also recommended that you have regular alcohol free days. You say that you have alcohol free days on 3 or more days per week. It is recommended that people have regular alcohol free days, so try to keep doing this.

Physical Activity
You say that your day to day life involves mainly sitting and is therefore quite sedentary.

The recommendations for physical activity are to do at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity 5 or more times per week. These are the minimum amounts, and you probably need to do even more than this to get the full benefits!

You don't seem to be very active at the moment. Maybe you could identify some ways to move a little closer towards the activity recommendations?

You say that you are not currently interested in being more active. You might wish to come back to this at a later date.

Summary
Below is a summary of some of the main points in your Personalised Report.

Thank you for taking the time to complete this questionnaire. We hope that you have found it interesting and informative! For more detailed information and advice on the topics covered in the Lifestyle Health Check, see the sections on Losing Weight, Healthy Eating and Exercise on the Weight Concern website. We have done our best to test this personalised report but if you think your results contain an error please report it to us by emailing weightconcern@aol.com

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