Entering China“Modern aesthetics pursue ‘thinness is beauty’, but excessive weight loss may make people lose the ability to resist diseases.” Liu Tonglei, an emergency physician at the First People’s Hospital of Kunming, reminded that in the face of disease, the human body needs sufficient nutrient reserves to support the immune system and recovery ability.
Why do you need “more meat” in a disease state?
Liu Tonglei pointed out that the disease state is a “fierce battle” for the body, when energy expenditure increases dramatically, but patients often have insufficient nutritional intake due to decreased appetite or treatment restrictions. The key reason for “thin ≠ health” is that thin people lack muscle and fat reserves, and are prone to serious complications due to metabolic disorders, decreased immunity, and even difficulty in bearing the side effects of surgery or drugs.
Liu Tonglei said that the human body is like a sophisticated and complex machine, and fat plays an important role in maintaining normal physiological functions. When the human body is unable to eat normally due to sudden illness or accident, the reserve fat can provide the body with necessary energy and maintain the normal operation of life activities.
What are the criteria for a healthy weight
Emphasizing the body’s need to store meat does not mean that fat can be gained without moderation. Obesity can lead to a series of health problems, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. So, how can you tell if your body fat is in a healthy range? Yin Jianhui, director of the Obesity and Metabolic Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Kunming First People’s Hospital, gave an answer that healthy weight is not a single number, and needs to be comprehensively judged based on age and body fat distribution.
Body mass index (BMI), also known as body mass index and body mass index, is calculated by dividing weight (kg) by height (m) squared, and the ratio obtained by this formula can reflect the density of the human body to a certain extent. A BMI between 18.5 and 24 is normal, but a BMI between 24 and 26 may be more favourable in people over the age of 60 (moderate fat reserves enhance disease resistance).
Waist circumference index: less than 90 cm for men and less than 85 cm for women (excessive waist circumference indicates excessive visceral fat and increases the risk of metabolic diseases).
Psychological state: Psychological problems such as weight anxiety and repeated extreme weight loss are also a threat to health.
Yin Jianhui also emphasized that obesity is strongly related to genes, and if one parent is obese, the probability of inheritance of children is about 40%; Both partners are obese, with a 70% chance of obesity.
Scientific weight management is recommended
As for how to maintain a healthy weight, Yin Jianhui gave several suggestions:
Adjust your aesthetics and refuse to lose weight blindly. People with normal weight do not need to lose weight, and their well-proportioned body shape has more physiological advantages than “paper people”. Obese people need to lose weight scientifically, no more than 1 kg per week, and avoid extreme dieting or exercise.
Nutritional balance is at the core. Three nutrients are indispensable: protein (to maintain muscle), carbohydrates (to provide energy), and good fats (to regulate hormones). Be wary of “Internet celebrity diet method”, long-term carbon cut-off and high-protein diet may cause serious problems such as edema and gastric atrophy.
Exercise gradually. 3 to 5 times a week for low- to moderate-intensity exercise (e.g., brisk walking, swimming) and avoid assault training. Patients with metabolic diseases should develop a plan under the guidance of a doctor.
Liu Tonglei said that a healthy weight is a “reserve food” and a “protective umbrella”. Keeping some “reserve meat” on your body is equivalent to saving an emergency fund for your health. Scientific weight management needs to take into account physiological indicators and mental health. If you need to lose weight, it is important to seek professional guidance (e.g., endocrinology, bariatric center) to avoid being misled by misinformation.
