Obesity, Diet And Cancer

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Obesity is the common link between cardio-vascular diseases and Cancer
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Dr.Liz Williams is a Lecturer and Researcher in Human Nutrition at <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1lace w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">University of Sheffield</st1:City>, <st1:country-region w:st="on">UK</st1:country-region></st1lace>. “Lots of research is being done on immune functions in our labs that takes in data through volunteers from different ethnic groups. The balance in nutrition, especially in ethnic groups, has created a lot of interest. We are studying whether they may be more susceptible to diseases because of genetic background. We have found that SE Asians are more susceptible to cardio-vascular diseases and diabetes”.
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The rise in cardio-vascular diseases and diabetes in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">UK</st1lace></st1:country-region> has been linked to obesity especially amongst younger people. The definition of Obesity is different for SE Asians. The BMI or Body Mass Index for Westerners is 30 and slightly lower for SE Asians at 28. The energy intake is not the same as energy spent, or in simple terms there is no exercise. In the west poorer people are at greater risk of being obese because of a bad diet. It is also a political issue as the focus has turned to Town Planners and Retailers who are not facilitating regular exercise. In the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">US</st1lace></st1:country-region> people drive to cross the road”.
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Child obesity has doubled in a decade. Junk foods and lack of exercise have created a ‘public health time bomb’ screams the headline in The Guardian.
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“There are no villains” says Dr. Bernard Corfe also from <st1lace w:st="on"><st1laceType w:st="on">University</st1laceType> of <st1laceName w:st="on">Sheffield</st1laceName></st1lace>. “It is the responsibility of the individual. A collective responsibility should also be taken. Government should legislate against food companies. They advertise on Prime time targeting the Kids hour. Children consume low quality and unhealthy food because of many pressures. At the moment what is happening across <st1lace w:st="on">Europe</st1lace> is a desire to change the nutritional quality of food especially a lowering of salt and saturated fats. In fact there are programs to encourage kids to walk to school”. Therefore, it is a multi-pronged effort to tackle obesity that is one of the prime causes of cardio-vascular diseases, diabetes and cancer.
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Some Dietary Recommendations:
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Fruit and vegetables provide 7% of dietary energy<o></o>
Starchy foods 50%<o></o>
Alcohol less than 5% <o></o>
Meat less than 10%<o></o>
Fats and oils 30% total energy<o></o>
Salt less than 6g per day<o></o>
Avoid charring food<o></o>
Do not smoke or chew tobacco.<o></o>
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Risks of Cardio vascular diseases:
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Hyper tension—is a major risk factor<o></o>
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Arteriosclerosis can be caused by:<o></o>
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• Blood lipid levels<o></o>
• Smoking<o></o>
• Raised Blood Pressure<o></o>
• Diabetes<o></o>
• Obesity<o></o>
• Lack of physical activity<o></o>

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Other factors that can modify

• Maternal diet’s influence in the Intra uterine stage. Lots of research is being done in this field as an individual’s patterns of health is purported to be set in the womb itself<o></o>
• Availability of anti-oxidants like Vit C and Vit E<o></o>
• Homocysteine levels— an amino acid used normally by the body in cellular metabolism and the manufacture of proteins. Elevated concentrations in the blood are thought to increase the risk for heart disease by damaging the lining of blood vessels and enhancing blood clotting <o></o>
• Diabetes causes problems in controlling blood flow that can lead to wide spread damage to kidneys, eyes, peripheral limbs.<o></o>

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Steps to a healthy heart

Healthy eating<o></o>
Physical activity<o></o>
Smoke free<o></o>
Obesity <o></o>
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