Yuma's high obesity no surprise to some

That Yuma landed second on a list of fattest cities in the nation is no surprise to local health care providers, who report seeing more overweight people come through their doors, and not just overweight but obese.

And all that weight is impacting their patients' health.

While the solution to being overweight is simple - eat less and exercise more - it's also a complex issue, one that frustrates patient and physician alike.

Obesity has become a lifestyle issue, one linked to people's busy lives these days where they opt for fast food and somehow don't find time to work out, said Dr. Carl Myers.

Myers owns Nature's Express, a Yuma restaurant that is a sponsor of Fattest to Fittest: Yuma vs. Yakima Weight Loss Challenge. Myers said he's thrilled at the idea behind the challenge and the spotlight it puts on the problem of obesity.

The doctor explained there's been a sharp rise in obesity in the United States since 1991, a trend he's seen in his practice as an oncologist in Yuma.

A major culprit is the advent of processed foods with high salt, fat, sugar and calorie content, he said. "Our bodies crave that stuff."

It's having a big impact on people's health and the nation's health care system, he said. For example, the rate of diabetes is projected to increase by 90 percent in the next 10 years.

"Obesity and diabetes are closely correlated," he said.

The connection is even higher for those who consume a lot of fats and sugars.
  "Even if you don't lose weight," he recommended, "eat more fruits and vegetables."

There's also a correlation between obesity and high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and possibly even cancer and other health conditions, he said. "All the major chronic diseases are related to weight."

It's not enough to lose weight, Myers said. Perhaps even more difficult is keeping the pounds off.

He said statistics show that 75 to 90 percent of people who successfully lose weight gain it back two to five years later.

"That's pretty abysmal. What we're trying to project is the need to rethink lifestyle."

Myers offered four steps toward a healthier and leaner lifestyle:

• Eat breakfast, a bowl of oatmeal, not a plate of eggs, bacon and hashbrowns.

• A handful of nuts (unsalted) a day seems to help suppress the appetite.

• Go to bed on time, without a bedtime snack.

• Stay away from high-calorie, high-fat processed foods.

Some exercise would help, too.

Dr. Henry Florez, who has an internal medicine practice in Yuma, agrees that a more active lifestyle is critical to controlling one's weight. That doesn't necessarily require a gym membership, Florez added.

A good rule of thumb, he said, is to get 30 to 60 minutes of exercise three to four times a week - and it doesn't have to be all at once.

"There are a lot of opportunities," he said, applauding area cities for providing parks and recreation opportunities. "The main thing is to stay active. Make it a family activity. Take the spouse and kids and everyone benefits."

He also suggests that people cut down on their portions, perhaps using a small dinner plate.

"Everyone wants a quick fix," Florez said. "There's not a single answer. It's lifestyle and education. Eat healthier, take smaller portions and exercise more."

Watching TV may be hazardous to one's waistline in more ways than one. Besides turning people into coach potatoes, it bombards viewers with messages of such delights as a quarter-pounder dripping with cheese, an order of fries and a 44-ounce soda.

But that one meal will tip the scales for anyone trying to maintain a healthy weight, said Ken Babbitt, a physician's assistant with a family practice. That meal adds up to about 2,300 calories and 110 grams of fat - more calories than an average person needs in a day and way more fat than the recommended 20 to 40 grams a day.

In fact, he said, a person could run 10 miles a day for seven days to burn off that much fat. "The idea that exercising and being able to eat what you want is a myth."

That's a battle Babbitt has personal experience with. At one time he weighed 215 pounds, was nearly diabetic, and his triglycerides and cholesterol "were through the roof."

He's managed to reduce his weight and improve his health with a diet of about 2,000 calories a day, limiting fat intake to 40 grams and exercising vigorously.

Even so, he said, he figures he burns off only between 600 and 800 calories a workout.

In the 3-1/2 years he's been in family practice, he's "easily seeing a lot more people gaining a lot more weight. Among my adult patients, probably one-third are 20 to 40 pounds overweight."

Sadly, he's even seeing more obesity among children, along with an alarming increase in diabetes in young patients and even high cholesterol.

He said he tries to provide his patients with the tools to help themselves, from identifying a possible medical cause to offering information on diet and exercise along with encouragement. "It's gratifying when I see results."