Current statistics show that two-thirds of adults and one-third of children are overweight or obese. The rate has skyrocketed over the last two decades, with the number of overweight or obese adults doubling and children between the ages of 6 to 11 and teenagers tripling.
Because obesity is a major risk factor for four of the 10 leading causes of death in the United States - heart disease, type two diabetes, stroke and cancer, as well as other serious health conditions - slowing this trend has become a public health priority.
Recently, people have been waking up to this problem, and it seems as though people are willing to try anything to lose weight and attain a healthier lifestyle.
One simple solution to combat weight gain is to engage in moderate-intensity physical activity for at least 30 minutes and at least five days per week, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and establishing a reduced-calorie diet. In addition, it has now been proven that by incorporating low-fat dairy products into a reduced-calorie diet, a more significant weight loss can be achieved.
As supported by a study led by Dr. Michael Zemel that included 32 obese adults who consumed 500 fewer calories than they needed to maintain their weight, more fat is burned when three servings of milk, cheese or yogurt are included in a daily diet than when calories are simply cut.
Participants in the study who were on a high-calcium, lower-calorie diet lost more weight than those on a lower-calorie diet alone.
Additionally, it was discovered that those on a high-dairy diet lost more weight than those on the high-calcium diet.
This goes to show that the effects of calcium helping the body break down and burn fat are significantly greater when the calcium is attained through dairy products, rather than supplements.
One of the main reasons that we find ourselves in this weight crisis is that Americans are overfed, yet undernourished.
Because dairy products are packed with eight important vitamins and nutrients besides calcium, the calories consumed through dairy products are far from empty, like the calories found in many of the foods favored today.
Numerous studies have strengthened the link between dairy consumption and weight loss, as long as calories are cut. There are many low-fat, reduced-fat and fat-free varieties of dairy products available to help you maintain a healthy weight.
Dairy products can offer some relief in the trend toward obesity and improve the overall health of our nation.
Three servings a day of milk, cheese or yogurt is the optimal amount that should be consumed.
At the right is a lightened-up version of a popular meal.
Molly O'Hara is the Cayuga County Dairy Princess.
Easy Potatoes Au Gratin
2-pound package of frozen southern-style hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 cup chopped onion
1 10-ounce can cream of chicken soup (cream of mushroom can also be used)
1 cup fat-free or light sour cream
2 tablespoons margarine, melted
1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
24 broccoli spears
Ground pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a 13- by-9-inch baking dish with canola cooking spray.
Combine potatoes, onion, soup, sour cream, margarine, cheese and pepper in a bowl; mix well.
Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish and bake uncovered for 45 minutes.
Arrange the broccoli spears around the edge of the baking dish and bake another 15 minutes or until gratin is nice and bubbly and broccoli is just tender. Season with pepper to taste.
Recently, people have been waking up to this problem, and it seems as though people are willing to try anything to lose weight and attain a healthier lifestyle.
One simple solution to combat weight gain is to engage in moderate-intensity physical activity for at least 30 minutes and at least five days per week, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and establishing a reduced-calorie diet. In addition, it has now been proven that by incorporating low-fat dairy products into a reduced-calorie diet, a more significant weight loss can be achieved.
As supported by a study led by Dr. Michael Zemel that included 32 obese adults who consumed 500 fewer calories than they needed to maintain their weight, more fat is burned when three servings of milk, cheese or yogurt are included in a daily diet than when calories are simply cut.
Participants in the study who were on a high-calcium, lower-calorie diet lost more weight than those on a lower-calorie diet alone.
Additionally, it was discovered that those on a high-dairy diet lost more weight than those on the high-calcium diet.
This goes to show that the effects of calcium helping the body break down and burn fat are significantly greater when the calcium is attained through dairy products, rather than supplements.
One of the main reasons that we find ourselves in this weight crisis is that Americans are overfed, yet undernourished.
Because dairy products are packed with eight important vitamins and nutrients besides calcium, the calories consumed through dairy products are far from empty, like the calories found in many of the foods favored today.
Numerous studies have strengthened the link between dairy consumption and weight loss, as long as calories are cut. There are many low-fat, reduced-fat and fat-free varieties of dairy products available to help you maintain a healthy weight.
Dairy products can offer some relief in the trend toward obesity and improve the overall health of our nation.
Three servings a day of milk, cheese or yogurt is the optimal amount that should be consumed.
At the right is a lightened-up version of a popular meal.
Molly O'Hara is the Cayuga County Dairy Princess.
Easy Potatoes Au Gratin
2-pound package of frozen southern-style hash brown potatoes, thawed
1 cup chopped onion
1 10-ounce can cream of chicken soup (cream of mushroom can also be used)
1 cup fat-free or light sour cream
2 tablespoons margarine, melted
1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
24 broccoli spears
Ground pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a 13- by-9-inch baking dish with canola cooking spray.
Combine potatoes, onion, soup, sour cream, margarine, cheese and pepper in a bowl; mix well.
Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish and bake uncovered for 45 minutes.
Arrange the broccoli spears around the edge of the baking dish and bake another 15 minutes or until gratin is nice and bubbly and broccoli is just tender. Season with pepper to taste.
