In 2010 Corpus Christi was labeled as one of the fattest cities in the nation.
Six years later not much has changed here in Corpus Christi and the South Texas region as we continue to face a high number of health problems.
The two top health issues are obesity and diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, in 2002, 18.2 million people, or 6.3 percent of the population, had diabetes. Diabetes was the sixth leading cause of death listed on U.S. death certificates in 2000.
Numbers like this are the main reasons 55-year-old Celia Scanlan wanted to make some big changes in her life.
“I did not want to be diabetic. That disease is a scourge,” said Scanlan.
So she turned to gastric bypass surgery—a 40-year-old operation that is surging with popularity. Of the 6 million Americans who are morbidly obese (more than 100 pounds overweight), nearly all are candidates, and more than 200,000 have already had the procedure.
Since her initial loss of 30 lbs in 2014 after undergoing gastric sleeve surgery, Scanlan has now lost more than 90 pounds. The Navy veteran admits to having had a few rough moments along the way; sticking to her diet is a constant battle.
“It’s easy to drop the weight but keeping it off is such a struggle. The secret of keeping the weight off is my aftercare support from the clinic and hospital. I go to the monthly meetings when I can to keep myself on track. Plus my family is very supportive too,” said Scanlan.
Scanlan says exercise has really never been a part of her life, before or during my weight loss. I don’t like it, and I really don’t like to sweat. Dieting without exercise goes against all the weight loss theories.
“I just don’t like it. But, I knew increasing physical activity was critical to good health so I began to make an effort to add some physical activity to my routine. I walk my two dogs daily and ride my bike. The benefits far outweigh the changes. I am glad that I made the change. I remember that every time I am tempted to eat something that does not support that change,” said Scanlan.
In South Texas, Type 2 diabetes rates are double than the national average. Maybe it’s because Corpus Christi has more fast-food restaurants per capita than anywhere else in the nation.
Numbers show that 4 in 10 people in Corpus Christi are obese. The study took a look at health disparities in the 38-county region encompassing the U.S.-Mexico border area in South Texas, the Coastal Bend, and San Antonio. The study also found that Hispanics in South Texas fared worse than those living elsewhere.
Two-thirds of residents in South Texas are Hispanic and health problems are typically linked to lifestyle choices. More than 50% of South Texans do not get the recommended amounts of exercise, defined as 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week, and 76% do not eat enough fruits and vegetables. These rates are similar to the rest of the state and nation.
* If you are interested in knowing more about weight loss surgery options, Bay Area Hospital will be dedicating their new bariatric unit, just for weight loss surgery on Thursday from 4pm-6pm. That is where one can meet the experts and find out more about weight loss, diet and making the right lifestyle choices.
Treating Obesity Will Treat Type 2 Diabetes:
Weight-loss is an important goal for overweight or obese persons, particularly those with type 2 diabetes. Moderate and sustained weight-loss (five percent to 10 percent of body weight) can improve insulin action, decrease fasting glucose concentrations and reduce the need for some diabetes medications. A program of diet, exercise and behavior modification can successfully treat obesity, but pharmacotherapy and/or surgery may be warranted.
Diet
Weight-loss occurs when energy expenditure exceeds energy intake. Creating an energy deficit of 500-1,000 calories per day will result in a one to two pound weight-loss per week. Writing down the food, portion size and calorie amount has been found to increase awareness and will provide objective evidence of calorie intake.
For effective weight-loss, it is the calories that count, not the proportion of fat, carbohydrates or protein. However, when individuals are losing weight they should follow a diet similar to that recommended in the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for 2005: fat 20-35 percent of calories; carbohydrates 45-65 percent; protein 10-35 percent.
For the obese patient with diabetes or insulin resistance, limiting servings of complex carbohydrates may be beneficial. These foods include bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, cereal, peas and sweet potatoes. Complex carbohydrates tend to raise blood sugar more than other foods and will cause the body to produce more insulin. With insulin resistance, these increased amounts of insulin can promote weight gain.
Increasing the amount of fiber in ones diet may be beneficial for both diabetes and obesity. A high intake of dietary fiber, particularly of the soluble type, may improve glycemic control, decreases hyperinsulinemia and lower plasma lipid concentrations in patients with type 2 diabetes. Additionally, high fiber foods assist in weight-loss and long-term weight maintenance by: requiring more chewing and taking longer to eat, providing fewer calories per serving, creating a sense of abdominal fullness and enhancing fullness between meals.
Physical Activity
Regular physical activity helps maintain weight-loss and prevent regain. It also improves insulin sensitivity and glycemic control, may decrease the risk of developing diabetes and reduces mortality in patients with diabetes.
A goal should be set for 30 to 45 minutes of moderate exercise five times per week. The exercise does not need to occur in a single session to be beneficial. Dividing the activity into multiple and short episodes produces similar benefits and can enhance compliance. Using a pedometer can help set objective exercise goals. Gradually increasing the number of steps per day, with a goal of 8,000 steps, is ideal. Any increase in activity over baseline will help in balancing the equation of less calories in and more calories out to promote weight-loss.
Medication
There are several medications intended to treat diabetes, insulin resistance and obesity. A full review of these medications is beyond the scope of this article. However, metformin is one medication that has been found helpful in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes in patients with insulin resistance. Metformin reduced the rate of progression to diabetes in obese persons with impaired glucose tolerance.
Men treated with metformin who had central obesity and other features of metabolic syndrome (insulin resistance, hypertension, hyperlipidemia) had slightly more weight-loss and slightly lower fasting blood glucoses that those given a placebo.
Bariatric Surgery
According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), bariatric surgery should be considered by those who have a BMI greater than 40, or have a BMI of 35-39.9 and medical problems such as diabetes, heart disease or sleep apnea.
Bariatric surgery changes the normal digestive process. There are three types of surgery: restrictive, malabsorptive and combined restrictive/malabsorptive.
Studies continue to show that diabetes can be cured in many patients using bariatric surgery. These clinical improvements occur not only because of the significant weight-loss, but because of hormonal changes that occur when foods bypass the stomach.
Patients and their doctors need to consider the risk of bariatric surgery compared to the risk of obesity and the associated medical problems. When other methods of weight-loss have failed, bariatric surgery may be the best chance for significant and sustained weight-loss.
Prevention
Preventing and treating obesity will help in the prevention and treatment of diabetes. Promoting a healthy lifestyle in children and adolescents will put them on a path that will decrease their risk of diabetes and its complications. Helping adults at high risk for diabetes to change their diet and lifestyle may prevent them from developing diabetes and its consequences.
from myhealtyze http://www.myhealtyze.tk/obesity-and-diabetes-still-a-problem-in-south-texas-kris-corpus-christi-news/
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