A new campaign against obesity was launched this week by Safefood called Stop The Spread.
6000 people in Ireland die each year as a result of obesity.
Because the average size and weight of people has increased in Ireland, when we look around us and compare ourselves to ‘normal’ people, we are actually comparing ourselves to people who are overweight. That means it is easier for us to be fooled into thinking our weights are healthy, because they are ‘normal’. If 2 out of 3 people are overweight, chances are we look ok compared to most other people. If we compared ourselves only to people who are a healthy weight we might feel differently.
Body Mass Index and Body Fat Ratios can be tricky to measure, and might not always tell the full story. This new campaign is making things very simple for us. A woman whose waist measures more than 32 inches is overweight. A man whose waist measures more than 37 inches is overweight. Simple! (and no, it’s not the size written on your favourite jeans, you have to get out the measuring tape to check)
Reducing your weight to a healthy level can greatly reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, back, hip and knee problems, and can even protect your kids against future obesity. Check out www.safefood.eu and check out your own waistline – stop the spread!
