Sci 220 - Body Fat and Eating Disprders

Body Fat and Eating Disorders

Sarah Holly

SCI/220

May 29, 2017

Mike Liang

Body Fat and Eating Disorders

Body composition and body fat are vital to everyone’s bodies. This paper will discuss the risks associated with excess body fat and some factors that influence the obesity epidemic. This paper will also discuss the different techniques for measuring body fat as well as different strategies for weight loss. The last thing this paper will talk about is in regards to health problems associated with anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder.

Risks with body fat

“Too much body fat is more than a cosmetic problem it is also a health problem” (Campbell, 2015).  Body fat is looked at as a percentage of components in body like fat, muscles and bones that make up the human body. There an abundant of risks associated with excess fat. One of the risks for people with excess body fat is that they are three time more likely to develop diabetes. They have two times the death rate than those who are not obese. Too much body fat can cause hypertension or high blood pressure. This in turn can lead to heart disease. A person with too much body fat can have high levels of bad cholesterol and low levels of good cholesterol leading to strokes. People with too much body fat are at a higher risk for cancer, kidney disease, and bone and joint disorders.

Factors that Influence the obesity epidemic

The obesity epidemic is growing fast in America. About 66% of Americans are considered overweight or obese. Some of the factors that influence obesity include genes, the things we eat, sedentary lifestyles, metabolism, behavior, environment, culture and socioeconomic status. “More than 60% of American adults are not regularly active” (Garko, 2011). Energy imbalances can cause overweight and obesity. The imbalance of energy is when the calories that are consumed are not burned off as fast as they are put into your body which results in excess stored fat. The foods that Americans are choosing to eat are also not as healthy as they should be. One main reason for sedentary lifestyles is technology. The more technology that we have the less physically active we are. The environment may play a role in the contributed factors to obesity by having fewer sidewalks or making it harder for us to make healthy choices. It is up to the people to determine their eating healthy and the physical activities to keep from getting obese.

Techniques for measuring body fat

“Body composition refers to the proportion of fat and fat-free mass in the body” (Scott, 2017). There are a few techniques for measuring body fat. Some of these techniques are with skin calipers, hydrostatic weighing, air displacement, and bioelectric impedance analysis. Skin calipers are the most accessible method for measuring body composition. “Technicians perform a skin fold assessment using either three, four or seven sites on the body” (DuVall, 2017). The technician takes the numbers from the assessment and plugs it into a formula to get the body fat percentage. Hydrostatic weighing is also known as underwater weighing. It compares a subject’s normal bodyweight to his or her bodyweight while completely submerged underwater (DuVall, 2017). Air Displacement is similar to underwater weighing. The person sits in a small machine and technicians can determine the individuals body composition by the amount of air that was displaced. Bioelectrical impedance scales range from the simple to complex. The scales work by sending tiny electrical impulses through the body and measuring how quickly those impulses return (DuVall, 2017). If a person is lean, the response will be quicker than that of a fattier person as lean tissue conducts electrical impulses faster.

Strategies for Weight Loss

There are many different strategies for weight loss. First and foremost, you should set SMART goals.  SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and trackable ("Healthline", 2017). A good rule of thumb is to eat 500-1000 fewer calories per day than you normally would. One major strategy that can be used for weight loss is to use portion control. It is helpful to use smaller plates thus having smaller portions. Also, the plate should be portioned with half of the plate being vegetables with a bit of fruit, a quarter for whole grains, and a quarter for healthy protein (“Healthline”, 2017). Another strategy is to be adventurous with foods. Try healthier versions of food that you love. A third strategy for weight loss is to keep a journal. If a person writes the foods they eat down, it makes them take another look at what they are putting in their bodies. There are many different apps that help people keep track of the food and activities they do. One final strategy is to exercise daily.