LAGAWE, Ifugao(PIA) – The prevalence of obesity among people in the Cordillera is high.
With obesity lies the risks it can cause to the health and well-being of a person such as developing heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, and other illnesses. It can also cause low self-esteem.
For the general well-being of the people, and the region’s economic productivity, government offices are now adopting measures to promote healthy lifestyles and healthy outlook among their employees.
In Ifugao, the Provincial Health Office (PHO) recently launched the “Biggest Loser Challenge” for employees of the provincial government, and district hospitals.
A total of 40 teams composed of 200 obese or overweight employees are participating in this challenge that started on March 6 and will end on Sept. 6.
Before the participants embarked on their weight loss journey, the PHO gave a lecture about the holistic approach to lose weight.
The participants were advised to focus on making healthy lifestyle choices, rather than pursuing rapid weight loss methods that may be harmful to their overall well-being. The safe rate of weight loss is between one half to two pounds or 0.2kg to 0.9kg per week.
There is no single food plan that is magical, and no specific food should be included or avoided in a weight management program. Just maintain a healthy diet, one that provides all the nutrients in the right amount needed by the body to function properly.
According to the National Nutrition Council, to maintain a healthy diet, consume at least 400 grams of vegetables and fruits per day excluding starchy roots: less 10 percent of total energy intake each from free sugars and saturated fat; less 30 percent of total energy intake from fats; less 10 percent of total energy intake from trans-fats, and less 5 grams of salt intake per day.
