I recently had the opportunity to interview Dr. Carol, an MD who is board certified in general pediatrics and obesity medicine but prefers private coaching for people with obesity.

We got into a great discussion about how to help parents and children lose weight and how to deal with the consequences of obesity.

One hugely concerning thing is the prevalence of obesity in our children. The CDC in the US notes that between 2017 and 2020, obesity prevalence was:

• 12.7% among 2- to 5-year-olds
• 20.7% among 6- to 11-year-olds
• 22.2% among 12- to 19-year-olds. 

And the rates are on the rise! 

Why is this?

Doctors agree that consuming more calories than the body needs and not getting enough physical activity is one of the main causes.

But factors such as genetics, family habits, and environmental influences can also contribute to the development of obesity in children. Personally, I feel that our modern way of life is so far removed from our physiology that most kids today haven’t got a chance. I have 2 kids and give them a choice between anything pre-packaged and sweetened and some real whole-food vegetables; I’m afraid to say they will take the sweet stuff every time. 

The sad part is that childhood obesity can have serious health implications, especially an increased risk of developing chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Obese children may also face psychological and social challenges, such as low self-esteem and bullying or shaming, as Dr Carol points out.

What can be done?

Prevention is key; this starts by helping parents with education and understanding. Yes, ironically, budget can be a factor as some of the calories dense, unhealthy food can be cheaper than other more healthy food, but this is not always the case.

One of my colleagues, Barb Sheldon, who was featured on episode 2 of the Your Lifestyle Is Your Medicine Podcast (https://edpaget.com/?cat=search_podcasts&s=barb)

Notes that not many people have the knife skills to prepare fresh food. She teaches knife skills to her clients so they can feel comfortable preparing vegetables. 

This type of education needs to be country-wide or even global. You see, the problem, at the moment, is mainly concentrated in developed countries, but as other countries with large populations develop, scientists have noticed an increase in obesity.

I see this where I currently am in Nicaragua. Kids and adults will prefer drinking Coca-Cola over water; for some, it’s their only drink!

If you and your family struggle with obesity, I suggest seeking someone like Dr Carol or myself who can give you a holistic approach to weight loss.

We address factors like sleep, stress, purpose, and community which, when combined with nutrition and physical activity, make Your Lifestyle into Your Medicine 

DM me. I’m always happy to chat!

Did you know that thinking you aren’t doing enough exercise can be worse for you than not doing enough?

I find this a fascinating area because when I work with people looking to improve their health and performance with lifestyle medicine, I consistently underestimate how important mindset is. 

For example, aside from my work with scoliosis, I specialize in helping busy professionals reach optimal performance at work and in life. 

Usually, someone comes to me with a problem or a goal. They may have high cholesterol and want to bring it down naturally, or they may want to optimize their lifestyle for longevity and continued high performance at work. As an aside, I find that osteopaths and other manual therapists need this type of coaching the most, and I’ll explain why in a minute. 

But first, I want to share with you this research study. Stanford University researchers conducted it and suggested that how people perceive themselves can be linked to shorter lifespans. The researchers found that individuals with negative self-perceptions, such as thinking they were less physically capable or less active than others, were more likely to experience health problems and die earlier than those with positive self-perceptions.

The study analyzed data from over 6,000 participants, who were followed for several years. The researchers considered factors like age, socioeconomic status, and overall health to ensure these variables did not influence the results. Surprisingly they noticed that the people who thought they were less physically capable or less active than others had a higher risk of developing health issues, including heart disease and other chronic conditions, ultimately leading to a shorter lifespan.

This is why it’s important that busy professionals, including all my osteopathic colleagues, pay attention to this. While you are busy building your business and serving your clients, you are also exposed to an insidious feed from social media and mainstream media. It’s telling you to move more, to exercise more, and if you know it’s important but continually put self-care in second place in your life, it can affect you. 

The key is to plan your days, weeks, months, etc, so that you build the right amount of activity for you. This doesn’t have to be gym time; for example, one of my clients in New York just gets off the subway one stop earlier than before, and she manages to get 40 minutes extra walking into her day without a huge time sacrifice. 

In addition to movement, we must pay attention to sleep, nutrition, community, stress, and what we put into and on our bodies. 

Companies like Hintsa have used this holistic approach to performance coaching to help the best athletes in the world sustain high performance (Lewis Hamiton uses a Hinsta coach) and can also help busy professionals enjoy a fast-paced life while avoiding burnout and unseen pitfalls. 

If you want to know more about mindset and health, below is a link to a recent video I made, but also you can DM me if you have any questions about your situation. 

 

Sources:

Self-perceptions linked to shorter lifespans