An official website of the United States government
Finding a Balance Transcript
[Voice of Dr. William Dietz] Obesity may be the most frequent chronic disease that we have in front of us.
[Voice of Dr. Beth Tohill] It’s the lifestyle that we’ve come . . . that’s become prevalent.
[Voice of Dr. Janet Fulton] People all the time looking at screens, whether it’s the television or the computer or your PDA.
[Announcer] CDC-TV presents…Health Matters.
[Dr. William Dietz] Obesity may be the most frequent chronic disease that we have in front of us and it’s important because it’s a major contributor to other diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
[Dr. Beth Tohill] It’s the lifestyle that we’ve come . . . that’s become prevalent. The lifestyle of eat quickly, maybe not stop and look to see what you’re eating. Grab something on the go.
[Dr. Janet Fulton] There’s technological advancements. People are all the time looking at screens, whether it’s the television or the computer or your PDA.
[Nealon Hightower] I know I used to eat probably three, four, five thousand calories a day. Didn’t even know I was eating it.
[Voice of Janet Fulton] We’re eating a lot of the wrong foods and too much of the wrong foods and we’re not moving as much as we should be.
[Voice of Dr. William Dietz] Weight is a result of caloric balance. If we eat more calories than we use, we gain weight. If we eat less calories than we use, we lose weight.
[Voice of Dr. Beth Tohill] We know that eating lots of fruits and vegetables is the healthy way to start.
[Voice of Dr. Joel Kimmons] Whole grains. Beans. Lean meats. Poultry. Nuts.
[Dr. Beth Tohill] Fat-free or low-fat dairy products. All these together will lead you to a healthier diet.
[Cherylann McGirt] Keeping fresh fruits and veggies available really has changed my life.
[Voice of Dr. Beth Tohill] Read the nutrition facts label. This will let you know how many calories are in your food.
[Dr. Joel Kimmons] Planning meals a couple of days in advance can save you both time, money, and leave you with a healthier menu overall.
[Voice of Dr. William Dietz] The best fluid is water. We don’t need the extra calories that come from sugar-sweetened beverages like soda or 10 percent juice.
[Voice of Dr. Beth Tohill] The prevalence of overweight and obesity has tripled in our children.
[Cherylann McGirt] I want to live to see her graduate and have children.
[Voice of Nealon Hightower] And if they see, you know, dad exercising and eating healthy, they have a much higher chance of going that route themselves.
[Voice of Dr. Janet Fulton] Well, physical activity is really good for prevention of weight gain. And it’s also good for weight loss if you adjust the calories that you eat, accordingly. The
minimum level of physical activity to get health benefits is 150 minutes of at least moderateintensity physical activity a week.
[Voice of Nealon Hightower] When I started I just added 15 minutes of walking three times a week.
[Voice of Dr. Janet Fulton] You can start low. You can go slow to try and achieve the 150. You don’t have to achieve it all in one day.
[Dr. Brooke Belay] In fact, as little as five to ten percent weight loss over time can really reduce the risk for heart disease and high cholesterol and high blood pressure and even diabetes, as well.
[Voice of Nealon Hightower] Just a renewed sense of energy just in my, my day-to-day life — ability to keep up with my kids.
[Eric Tumperi] We think it’s important to maintain a good balance. We start, think it starts inside the house. No junk food. No TV games, electronic games in the house. We play outside a lot. My wife and I participate when we can. We think it’s important to set a good example.
[Nealon Hightower] My mind is sharper. Every which way you can think of my life is better.
[Dr. Heidi Blank] Many American’s step on a scale daily or weekly to see how their weight is doing. But we also need to think about that balance in choosing foods and activity.
[Cherylann McGirt] And the only way you’re gonna want to do it is to feel good about yourself.
[Dr. William Dietz] Weight loss is a decision that only individuals can make and the types of decisions that we hope they make are ones which are permanent changes in lifestyle.
[Cherylann McGirt] I’m feeling the difference. I’m seeing the difference.
[Voice of Dr. William Dietz] We need to invest in changes in our communities, as well as changes in behaviors.