|
WINDY CITY TIMES
|
|
|
Health and Fitness: The 'O' Word
by CHLEW STUDY ORGANIZERS 2004-08-18
|
|
This article shared 3672 times since Wed Aug 18, 2004
|
|
Obesity is a major public health problem in the United States. Being overweight and obesity are known risk factors for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, and some forms of cancer. In addition, obesity is associated with high blood cholesterol, pregnancy complications, menstrual irregularities and psychological disorders such as depression. In the past 40 years, the number of Americans classified as obese has doubled. Recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that more than 60% (64.5 million) of adult women are overweight, and of those, about half are considered obese.
The most commonly used method to determine if someone is overweight or obese is to calculate Body Mass Index or BMI. BMI is not a direct measure of body fat, but is more accurate than relying on weight alone. To determine your BMI you need to know your weight in pounds and your height in inches [BMI = (lbs X 704.5) ÷ inches ÷ inches]. You can also use the BMI calculator available at the National Institutes of Health Web site (www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/). Overweight is defined as a BMI of 25 to 29.9 and obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 or greater.
Increasing rates of overweight and obesity are seen in all segments of the U.S. population and lesbians are not immune to this problem. In the CHLEW study, more than 50% of the participants had a BMI above the recommended level for optimal health (less than 25) and more than one-half of those women had a BMI of 30 or greater—which would classify them as obese.
Achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight is a matter of energy balance. If the number of calories consumed from food is greater than the number of calories burned through physical activity, weight gain will occur. Research indicates that the proper nutrition in combination with appropriate levels of physical activity is the best method to achieve a desired body weight. Some simple tips include: make healthy beverage choices, eat at least three meals a day, eat a variety of foods, eat proper portion sizes, stock your house with healthful food choices, limit restaurant eating to one time per week, decrease sedentary time, incorporate physical activity into daily routines, and be physically active with family members or friends. Finally, set short-term realistic goals.
These results from the first round of CHLEW interviews provide a brief glimpse into the health and well being of lesbians in Chicago. The information we gather in the second wave of interviews should provide even more insight into factors that influence lesbians' health.
The success of the CHLEW will depend largely on our ability to locate and re-interview women who participated in our first round of interviews in 2000-2001. We have lost contact with about 35 of the 450 women who were interviewed in the first phase of the study. If you or anyone you know participated in the first phase of the study please call our toll-free number 1-866-933-3459 or contact us via e-mail at chlewstudy@yahoo.com .
No one can replace the original participants (we cannot add lesbians to the study who did not participate in 2000-'01), so it is important that we locate each of the missing participants. We very much appreciate your help and look forward to bringing you more interesting and useful information about important health issues in our community. |
|
|
|
This article shared 3672 times since Wed Aug 18, 2004
|
ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE |
---|
|
| | Chicago Red Stars place forward Ava Cook on season-ending injury list 2024-04-21 --From a press release - CHICAGO (April 20, 2024) — The Chicago Red Stars announced the following health update on forward Ava Cook: Cook sustained a knee injury during Red Stars training this week. After further medical evaluation, it was determined ...
|
| | Legislation to increase HIV testing, Linkage to Care Act passes Illinois House with bipartisan vote of 106 2024-04-20 --From a press release - SPRINGFIELD — Thursday night, House Bill 5417, the Connection to HIV Testing and Linkage to Care Act, or the HIV TLC Act, championed by State Representative Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) passed the Illinois House of Representatives with ...
|
| | Hunter leads resolution declaring April 2024 as Minority Health Month 2024-04-18 --From a press release - SPRINGFIELD — To raise awareness about the importance of cardiovascular health, particularly among minority communities, State Senator Mattie Hunter passed a resolution declaring April 2024 as Minority Health Month in ...
|
| | Supreme Court allows Idaho ban on gender-affirming care for minors 2024-04-18 - The U.S. Supreme Court has granted a request by Republican Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador to lift a lower court's temporary injunction preventing the state from enforcing its felony ban on gender-affirming care for minors, The ...
|
| | Howard Brown reaches tentative agreement with union after 1.5 years of contentious negotiations 2024-04-18 - Howard Brown Health has reached a tentative agreement with its union, after a year and a half of negotiations that included two workers strikes. The Illinois Nurses Association, which represents about 360 employees at Howard Brown ...
|
| | SAVOR Vivent Health/TPAN leader talks about Dining Out for Life 2024-04-17 - On Thursday, April 25, people can join the city's restaurant community for Dining Out For Life Chicago, an event ensuring people affected by HIV/AIDS can access essential services. We want to show up in the communities ...
|
| | First Queer and BIPOC-owned Illinois cannabis company opens Northalsted dispensary 2024-04-12 - A small group gathered April 12 at 3340 N. Halsted St. to celebrate the grand opening of a historic new Northalsted business. SWAY, Illinois' first queer and BIPOC-owned cannabis company, marked the opening of its dispensary ...
|
| | David E. Munar reflects on Howard Brown leadership and new Columbus, Ohio post 2024-04-11 - On April 1, David E. Munar started his tenure as CEO of the Columbus, Ohio-based non-profit health system Equitas. The date marked the latest chapter for Munar, who previously helmed AIDS Foundation Chicago and, most recently, ...
|
| | UK's NHS releases trans youth report; JK Rowling chimes in 2024-04-11 - An independent report issued by the UK's National Health Service (NHS) declared that children seeking gender care are being let down, The Independent reported. The reportpublished on April 10 and led by pediatrician and former Royal ...
|
| | LPAC, Arizona LGBTQ officials denounce Arizona Supreme Court ruling on abortion 2024-04-10 --From a press release - Washington, DC — Yesterday, in a decision that starkly undermines reproductive freedoms, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled to enforce a 160-year-old law that criminalizes abortion and penalizes healthcare providers who ...
|
| | For Deb Robertson, the end-of-life issue is very real 2024-04-07 - For just about everyone, life is hard enough. However, talking about ending that life—especially when one is terminally ill—is just as difficult. Ten states have authorized medical aid in dying, although Illinois is not one of ...
|
| | KFF survey shows extent of LGBT-related discrimination 2024-04-07 - KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling and journalism—released "LGBT Adults' Experiences with Discrimination and Health Care Disparities: Findings from the KFF Survey of Racism, Discrimination, and Health." This ...
|
| | NATIONAL mpox, Trans+ Day of Visibility, police items, Best Buy, Gentili's death 2024-04-05 - The CDC has concluded that mpox cases are on the rise in the United States, increasing to almost double what they were at the same time last year, according to ABC News. There is a national year-to-date estimate of 511 cases ...
|
| | DoJ accuses Utah of bias against incarcerated trans woman 2024-04-03 - The U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) filed a lawsuit against the State of Utah, including the Utah Department of Corrections (UDOC), alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ...
|
| | How safe are we really? A look into Illinois' LGBTQ+ protections as hate rises nationwide 2024-04-02 - Illinois has long been known to have some of the strongest LGBTQ+ legal protections in the country. Its first anti-discrimination laws go back several decades, and the state boasts a wide variety of protections of LGBTQ+ ...
| |
|
|
|
|