‘Being underweight poses as much health risks as being overweight and obese’

Dear weight-obsessed people, witnessing beautiful women sobbing out of frustration because they can’t look reed-thin despite their Herculean efforts to lose weight has compelled me to shed some light on misconceptions and unrealistic expectations about most people’s archenemy—weight.

I hear these statements from women who look perfectly fine and healthy: “I am too thin! I want to be voluptuous like Kim Kardashian!” or “I am fat. I want to be as skinny as Miranda Kerr!” Honey, there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to look good or sexy and everyone should pursue a healthy weight range but at what cost? See now, therein lies the problem. A lot of women and even men go through extreme measures just to drastically lose weight to the detriment of their health and quality of life. You could lose so much weight, even attain your desired weight but you may be sickly, deprived of nutrients and look unhealthy, dry, gaunt: Unattractive!

Reality check: We were created with different body types. A woman who has a curvaceous hourglass body will never have a model-like figure even if she starves herself to death and vice versa. Genetics is also partly to blame, if I may say so.

The truth behind weight is this: Being underweight poses as much health risks as being overweight and obese. Weight is just one of the many factors used to determine overall health. Some people like the athletes may be overweight but healthy. The other factors are:

• Waist circumference which is an indicator of central obesity;

• Blood chemistry values: fasting blood sugar level, cholesterol, blood pressure;

• Body composition: body fat percentage, body water percentage, bone mass, visceral fat, muscle mass;

• Family history of diseases;

• Lifestyle: Eating, exercise and coping or behavior patterns;

• Age and gender; and

• Smoking, alcohol, and substance abuse.

Let’s not forget Body Mass Index (BMI) which in my opinion, is the most misinterpreted and favorite tool when weight issues come up. Many of my clients are crestfallen when they get their BMI results from unreliable BMI calculators over the internet. One valued client said she’s obese based on an online calculator when in fact her BMI is 26: overweight. One has to be very careful which sites to trust and to use.

To calculate for your BMI, get your weight in Kg and divide it by your height in meters squared BMI = [Weight (Kg)] ÷ [Height (m)²].

Below 18.5 underweight

18.5 – 24.9 normal

25 – 29.4 overweight

30 and above obese

Sounds complicated? Yes, in fact it is. That is why one needs to have the proper guidance of a professional to ensure safe and effective weight management suited to your lifestyle and based on science.

Beware of quack “nutritionists” practicing quackademics which are so rampant nowadays. They can make you lose weight and in return make you sick simply because they don’t have the correct education, skills and expertise.

Only registered nutritionist-dietitians licensed by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and USA registered dietitian-nutritionists licensed by the Commission on Dietetic Registration and covered by a reciprocity agreement between the Philippines and USA are lawfully allowed to practice weight management, nutrition counseling, prescribe diet plans, and recommend anything related to nutrition and dietetics.

According to Presidential Decree 1286 Section 15. otherwise known as the Practice of Nutrition and Dietetics, “No person shall offer himself in the Philippines as, or use the title nutritionist-dietitian or any word, letter, figure, or sign whatsoever, tending to convey the impression that he or she is a nutritionist-dietitian, or advertise or indicate in any manner that he or she is qualified to perform the work of a nutritionist-dietitian without holding a valid certificate or registration as issued by the Board in accordance with this Decree, unless exempt from registration as provided under Section 11 hereof.”

Having said all these, my dear weight-obsessed people, I implore you to take time to reflect about your weight goals, the reasons behind them and think before you put your health at risk by undergoing weight loss plans that have not been backed up by science and not supported by licensed health professionals.

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