By Penelope A. Domogo, MD
Bato bato sa langit, ang tamaan huwag magalit. I say this because I heard that some fat people are sensitive about their size.
Overweight people are a common sight nowadays, especially here in Bontoc and western Mountain Province and of course, Baguio City and environs. It was not like that before. When we were young kids, I think only my Mom and some aunties were fat. But then they were older. Now, we see preschoolers who are already fat. Worse, newborns who are overweight thus their moms cannot bring them out naturally. That’s one cause of the increasing cases of cesarian section. Overweight is already an epidemic and yet government is focusing on stunting and wasting in children.
There are obvious and proven risks of being overweight and obese like arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension. Anyone can easily understand why overweight people have more chances of getting arthritis and heart disease. Just looking at the person alone, you can imagine the excess weight that the legs and spine have to carry and the excess body mass that the heart has to supply with blood. Siempre, in time, mapagod din ang body systems for servicing such a heavy weight.
By the way, how do we know if a person is overweight or otherwise? There are many methods but the most popular is the body mass index (BMI). BMI is calculated by dividing your weight in kilos by the square of your height in meters. If your BMI is less than 18.5, then you are considered underweight. If your BMI is between 18.5 to 24.9, you are normal. If it is 25 to 29.9, you are overweight. Obesity is a BMI of 30 or greater. Although the standards we are using are American, these values give us a reference point.
Why the epidemic of heavy weights? Obviously, it’s not genetic. Obviously, it is our attitude, modern diet and sedentary lifestyle. One doesn’t need a doctoral degree to see the connection. Just last week, we were munching on the yummy cassava chips I brought from Davao and in a few minutes, we finished the big pack. My son commented, “Kaya maraming tumataba. Ang daling ubusin ang ganitong pagkain.” Processed, ready to eat. What we ate was healthy option because it was made from pure cassava flour with just some salt and spices. But still, if we had the supply, we could easily have eaten in excess. Buti na lang minimal ang aking baggage allowance so I was only able to buy a few packs. So just imagine the packs and packs of junkfood in the sari-sari store which is within walking distance. If you feel like it, just go and buy. Some even buy by bulk – just observe the carts in the supermarket. Add the sugar-sweetened beverages that people drink. Add the rice and bread, three-in-one coffee, sugar and milk. We are eating so much and exercising so little. Two pieces of pandesal (about 45 grams) give 120 calories. To burn that you need to stand for an hour. One cup of white rice gives 204 calories. For a person my size (88 pounds) to spend that, I need to walk 2.7 kilometers.
Where will the excess calories go? They are converted into fat and are deposited to our belly, buttocks, thighs, arms and we’ll need to change wardrobe. Soon, our knees and legs and back will complain. In time, these excess fat will also be deposited in the arteries and veins and all the vital organs – heart, liver, kidneys, reproductive organs, etc. If only it is easy to withdraw these excess fat like withdrawing money from ATM. Sorry, guys, it doesn’t work that way. So it is not surprising if we have an epidemic of hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, kidney disease. And patients are getting younger and younger. We should be alarmed – you and me. Let us not just look to government. What are we doing in our own personal capacity to help solve this problem?
Parents and other adults are setting poor examples for the children so children now will also keep on eating. Eating before classes, during recess, after class, at home, on the street, everywhere. But we should worry because children also get sick of degenerative diseases. Just because they are children can we give them meat and fat and eggs. Toxins will build up in their bodies. There’s a research that shows that 15 years old now have arteries like that of 50 years old! Scary. So at 15 years they can already be obese, hypertensive, diabetic, low energy. Na-in-ina da ya na am-ama da ay nasapa.
The problem is not only just about eating too much and eating bad food and drink and too much sitting. These behaviors are rooted in emotions, in attitudes. Many people eat when they are stressed and when bad food is the one available then they will eat that even if they know it is junk. What do you think of doctors and teachers eating junk food and drinking Coke? As we discussed in our previous columns, the most common addiction nowadays is eating addiction. You see people munching as they walk, even as they talk. Bawal ang mga ito noon- not good etiquette. Walang magawa, kakain o mag-inuman. Hahaay!
As we stated earlier, it is hard to remove excess weight once it is deposited in your body so the secret is to prevent it. Instead of depositing your money in excess calories, deposit your money in your local coop. Then you will remain slim and have more money to help the least of our brethren.
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“Everything is permissible for me- but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me” – but I will not be mastered by anything.” 1 Corinthians 6:12
