Women, Obesity and Diet Supplements
Today 36% of women in the United States are obese.
Obesity, while usually expressed by body mass index,
can also be described roughly as someone with 30% or
more body fat for women and 25% body fat for men. This
is not considered a healthy condition, and in fact,
obesity is condidered a disease that leads to other
serious disease conditions over time.
Marketing studies of women who are dieting indicate
that women from 34 to 54 who are trying to lose weight
are doing it for health reasons.
This could be because obesity in women is epidemic. It
is estimated that in the United States today, 36% of
women are obese. The disease of obesity is usually
described in terms of the body mass index, but to
simplify, a woman is considered obese when
approximately 30% of her body mass is fat.
Obesity leads to many other diseases, including type 2
diabetes, heart disease, stroke, joint ailments, sleep
apnea and other sleep disorders, fibromyalgia, and a
variety of cancers. Obesity plays into a loss of
self-esteem and often leads to depression.
Women who are trying to improve their health will
respond to Diet supplements specifically designed for,
and marketed to, women.
Before buying any supplement, however, it’s important
to check out the contents. First, make sure that the
supplement will do no harm. Check out each of the
ingredients in the FDA database of ingredients with
warnings. Manufactured ephedrine is one of those
ingredients that should be avoided because they can
lead to cardiovascular problems.
Women generally are looking for natural, herbal
ingredients in the best diet pills. Always proceed
with caution and with research before taking any
product. Natural does not always mean healthy.
In addition to ephedrine, women should proceed with
caution using products that are natural laxatives.
These products may drain the body of nutrients and may
be highly addictive.
Stimulants added to weight loss products, such as
caffeine, should also be avoided. These products
sometimes lead to irregular heart beat, nervousness,
and insomnia.
Any woman who combines herbal supplements that are
considered safe with cutting calories and a consistent
exercise program will most certainly lose weight.
Liz Nichols