Fighting Evolution

Fighting obesity means fighting evolution’s urges to gorge, according to David Tichansky, MD. “We’re all genetically programmed to eat as much as we possibly can at every possible opportunity, and when we’re given a choice to select the sweetest-tasting choice.”

We need to learn to distinguish between “brain hunger” and “stomach hunger.” Ways to do that include controlling portion size, eating slowly and waiting thirty minutes before eating something else. People can drink hundreds of calories a day, often mindlessly.

It takes a lot of work to combat genetics, not to mention the additional psychosocial, societal and cultural factors. The TV ads for restaurants (mainly fast food and pasta emporia) are non-stop. Super-size drinks are never a good idea. Comfort food from the old country used to be a rare treat, not a daily event. In the old days, cake was only served on a birthday.

We are also losing sight of what is a good weight. A person will often think that he looks OK, even if his body mass index is well above the upper goal of 25. Clothing manufacturers are using vanity sizing: what used to be a women’s size 8 is now a size 4. Men’s trousers are “full cut,” code words for bigger than advertised.

Everyone should be thinking about maintaining a healthy weight. People with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 to 30 should lose weight with diet and exercise and not wait until they are in trouble with a BMI greater than 30.

Calculate your  BMI.