In the olden days, obesity was common among old people. As they complained about the pain and complications caused by this lifestyle condition, young one’s looked on with an assumption that danger was miles away.
In the olden days, obesity was common among old people. As they complained about the pain and complications caused by this lifestyle condition, young one’s looked on with an assumption that danger was miles away. This is not the case anymore; the trend has changed and latest Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey results show that obesity increased in the last decade by 10 per cent, a set that includes young people.
This growth of the non-communicable illness is not only unique to Rwanda; it is a global concern and the World Health Organisation indicates that obesity has doubled in the last 36 years.
Isaac Bikorimana, a nutritionist at Kibagabaga Hospital, explains that increase in obesity is now more correlated to new socio-economic trends, a scenario that is more common in urban areas than rural areas.
"Most cases of obesity are in Kigali and not in rural areas because of poor feeding habits. You won’t find children in rural areas consuming highly processed foods that are rich in fats or oils,” he explains.
Bikorimana blames people for being reluctant to give up lifestyle practices characterised by consumption of junk foods and limited physical exercise, among others.
"Eating such foods which are high in calories frequently would demand one to indulge in activities that allow him or her to dissipate energy. However, that is not the case as most people eating these foods don’t consider taking on any form of physical exercise,” he adds.
What is obesity?
Defined as a condition where, a person has accumulated body fat that comes with negative effects on their health, obesity is calculated as a measure of the body mass index (BMI).
The BMI is expressed as the ratio of weight in kilogrammes to the square of height in metres (kg/m2) although this excludes pregnant women and women with a birth in the preceding two months.
When a person’s body weight is at least 20 per cent higher than it should be, he or she is considered obese. If your BMI is between 25 and 29.9 you are considered overweight. If your BMI is 30 or over you are considered obese. Normal weight falls between BMI of 18.5 to 24.9
In Rwanda, obesity stands at 21 per cent in women. However, the percentage of women aged 15-49 with BMI greater or equal to 30 (obese) is 3.7 percent at national level, according to the National Institute of Statistics.
According to the World Health Organisation, obesity has more than doubled since 1980. In 2014, over 1.9 billion adults aged over 18 years were overweight. Of these, over 600 million were obese. Thirty-nine per cent of adults aged 18 years and over were overweight in 2014, and 13 per cent were obese.
The biggest fear is that, most of the world’s population lives in countries where overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight. Sadly, 42 million children under the age of five were overweight or obese in 2013.
A case of poor nutrition
Although most people pride in eating processed foods that are rich in calories, most studies suggest that the threat is no longer about lack of enough food, but rather consumption of more than what the body requires.
Dr Achille Manirakiza, a trainee in clinical oncology at Mubimbili University in Tanzania, points out that malnutrition is now a double-edged tragedy within most societies.
"Today we are experiencing all forms of malnutrition that include over and undernutrition. Obesity falls under the former unlike kwashiorkor and marasmus that are forms of under-nutrition,” explains Dr Achille.
Dr Manirakiza warns that the most dangerous form of obesity does not only involve high BMI but rather central obesity, which is common in males and predisposes the body to more health dangers.
"Even in Rwanda there some males with this kind of obesity which manifests as excessive fat around the stomach and abdomen. High volumes of alcohol can also contribute to obesity. Alcohol abuse is also highly associated with type 2 diabetes in adults and predisposes the carrier to hyperlipidemia, hypertension and many others,” he adds.
Joseph Uwiragiye, a nutritionist at University Teaching Hospital in Kigali, echoes similar views, saying that excess of diets rich in lipids and sugar when combined with limited exercises become the commonest causes of obesity.
"Lipid or fats or foods rich in sugars, especially those of animal origin such as cheese and eggs are not as safe as we think. Preparation is important and good practices could help one reduce the chances of becoming obese.
Alcohol also contains high calorie content which can lead to health complications,” says Uwiragiye.
Much as excessive consumption of calories results into obesity, other studies have found that sometimes genes that cause obesity are inherited.
"You may decide not to consume foods rich in calories but in the family, there could be an element of genetic obesity. In this case, there are many chances of your children becoming obese because of the genes they inherited from the parents,” Uwiragiye explains adding that: " The assimilation of foods by body organisms is also different and two individuals from the same family may be of different body sizes.”
Being a lifestyle disease, most research studies suggest that improving physical exercise greatly helps in burning down all fat reserves in the body. If this is combined with the consumption of health foods such as those of plant origin, and limiting alcohol consumption, the chances of becoming obese are reduced.
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How to avoid obesity:
Eat Breakfast Every Day
Skipping breakfast is a lot like skipping rope: neither gets you anywhere. Although lots of people think they’ll cut calories by cutting breakfast, the opposite is true. Studies show that eating breakfast helps you consume fewer total calories for the day. And a 10-year study of almost 2,400 adolescent girls showed that those who ate any kind of breakfast had lower BMIs than girls who did not. People who eat cereal for breakfast have lower BMIs than people who skip breakfast or dine on meat and eggs.Eat High Fibre Foods
Eat a bowl of brown rice topped with chickpeas and sautéed vegetables for lunch, and it’s likely you won’t want another bite until supper. High-fiber foods like these have few calories, little fat, and lots of bulk, which keeps you full. They’re also digested slowly, which means your blood sugar stays at an even keel instead of rapidly spiking and falling, which leaves you hungry again in no time. Whole grains also provide nutrients, such as magnesium and vitamin B6, that many weight-loss diets are deficient in.
Eat Raw, Leafy Green Vegetables
Head for the salad bar. Greens and raw vegetables like carrots, zucchini, and broccoli are remarkably low in calories but high in water and slow-digesting fiber, so they tend to fill you up.
Squelching your appetite isn’t the only reason to frequent the produce section. In a study of almost 18,000 people, researchers found that those who ate salads often had higher levels of vitamins C and E, folate, and carotenoids, important for overall health, than people who had fewer salads. Researchers have also found that people who eat a vegetarian diet weigh an average of 3 to 20 percent less than meat eaters.
Turn to Fish, Chicken and Beans for Protein
We’re not advising a high-protein, low-carb diet (short-term studies of these diets do show improved weight loss, but the diets don’t seem to have any advantage over other diets in the long term), just that you make it a point to eat some protein with every meal (and every snack, too).
Other studies have shown that people on high-protein diets that are also rich in "slow-burning” carbohydrates low on the glycemic index (such as fruits and vegetables, beans, and whole-wheat pasta) are less hungry and lose more weight than people on low-protein, high-carbohydrate diets.
Eat Healthy Nuts
Nuts are crunchy, salty — and no longer forbidden. Even though nuts are fatty, they may help you shed weight, according to a number of studies. Researchers believe that the healthy fat in nuts helps people feel full, and the protein may use up calories as it digests. Large studies have found that people who eat nuts regularly have lower BMIs than those who don’t.Get Plenty of Calcium
Calcium, it turns out, may play a part in how fat is broken down and stored. The more calcium in a fat cell, the more fat it burns. In a study of obese adults, one group ate three 175-gram (6-ounce) servings of fat-free yogurt containing 1,100 milligrams of calcium per day. The other group ate one serving of dairy food containing 400 to 500 milligrams of calcium per day. Both groups also reduced their daily calories by 500. The yogurt group lost an average of more than 6.3 kilograms (14 pounds) compared to an average loss of 5 kilograms (11 pounds) in the low-calcium group. The yogurt group also lost 81 percent more fat from their stomachs. Although studies have found low-fat dairy foods most effective, calcium from other sources, like broccoli or fortified orange juice, works, too.
Despite the positive studies, the jury is still out on this issue. While we wait for final answers, though, eating three servings of low-fat dairy products a day remains a healthy choice.
Agencies
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Your views on proper feeding
Grace Ndayisanga,a Kibagabaga resident
It’s good to first check the type of food to give to your child. For instance, small children ought to be fed on foods that boost their growth. It is also helpful to consult a nutritionist on how to feed a child.
Saidi Kamanzi, a father of three
It depends on what is available at home, but most times, the children propose to their mother what they would like to eat. But occasionally it is good to let children explore other types of foods which they don’t get at home such as burgers.
Shema Divin, a student
I am not a fan of traditional foods, but sometimes I do it because my parents insist. I love the fast foods because they are always tasty and yammy. I also love snacks because it’s healthy to have them between meals.
Sammy Mulinge, a volleyball coach
Generally, most parents believe that heavy meals such as posho, bananas and sweet potatoes are good for children growing up. But the quality of meals in a home largely depends on the financial status and knowledge of parents.
Dorricas Mupende, a student
As a student, sometimes it’s hard to get time to eat proper meals, especially during examination periods. In such situations, I always go for milk since it’s easy to access and because it contains all the nutrients required for my body.
Compiled by Lydia Atieno