FIGHTING OBESITY
Thirteen types of cancer associated with weight gain
On NBC’s hit Tuesday drama “This Is Us,” Homestead native Chrissy Metz’s character, Kate Pearson, perpetually struggles with the emotional baggage of being obese.
Her character’s on-again, offagain attempts to lose weight and the corresponding insecurity about being plus-sized are certainly relatable — which has made Metz one of the show’s breakout stars.
But while the plot twists related to Metz’s weight battle always revolve around her emotions, what’s never mentioned are the health ramifications of her obesity.
Metz, 37, and her character’s equally heavy fiance, Toby, are at vastly increased risk for numerous maladies.
Last week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control reported that “overweight and obesity are associated with increased risk of 13 types of cancer” and that in 2014 “630,000 people in the U.S. were diagnosed with a cancer associated with overweight and obesity.”
That’s 40 percent of all cancers diagnosed in the United States in 2014.
Metz’s weight struggles make her no different than most Americans. More than two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese.
In both real life and the show, Metz is confronting her weight issues. Last month, People reported that she is “contractually obligated to lose weight for her role … but how it happens is completely up to her.”
This stipulation in her contract “was a win-win for me,” the actress told TVLine. “It’s one thing to try to do it on your own. But as human beings, it’s an ego thing: We’re more likely to do something for someone else. I just have to be very clear. Whether or not I lose weight or stay the same, it’s purely a choice of mine for health. Not because I think that plus size, curvy, voluptuous, big bodies aren’t attractive — because I think they’re awesome and sexy.”
That Metz is a role model for the tens of millions struggling with their own weight challenges is good.
If “This Is Us” writers could place a bit more emphasis on the life-threatening consequences of Kate not losing weight, that would be even better.
Here’s why:
Breast cancer risk increases when women are overweight. Why? Women who are overweight or obese after menopause have a 30 to 60 percent higher breast cancer risk than those who are lean. Having more fat tissue can raise estrogen levels, increasing the risk of estrogen receptor-positive breast cancers. Higher insulin levels have also been linked to some cancers, including breast cancer.
What about kidney and liver cancer? People who are overweight or obese are up to twice as likely as normal-weight people to develop liver cancer and renal cell cancer, the most com-
mon form of kidney cancer.
How does fat affect the
heart? Your heart is a muscle. It needs regular exercise to stay strong. Being overweight puts a strain on the heart and makes it hard for people to be active. Staying active reduces the chance of future heart disease and stroke. It also helps you manage stress and weight. Excess fat also raises blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels and lowers high-density lipoproteins. It increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
How deadly is type 2 diabetes? Type 2 diabetes is characterized by high blood glucose (sugar), or hyperglycemia, and it usually results from unhealthy lifestyle habits, obesity and genes. Over time, untreated hyperglycemia can lead to serious, lifethreatening complications. Type 2 diabetes puts people at risk for certain health conditions that can reduce life expectancy. Diabetes is the seventh most common cause
of death in the United States, and the top cause of death for people with type 2 diabetes is cardiovascular disease.
How many people have type 2 diabetes? Some 30 million Americans currently have it — with another 50 million or so in a state of “prediabetes.”
President Trump’s doctor says he’s healthy but overweight. How overweight? Letters from Trump’s personal physician, Dr. Harold Bornstein, say Trump takes a statin, a drug for lowering cholesterol, along with a low dose of aspirin. He’s in good health but overweight: At 6-foot-3, he weighs 236 pounds, and his body mass index is 29.5. That places him at the top end of the “overweight” category, just below “obese.” Trump has said he would like to lose 15 pounds.
What is BMI? It’s a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters.
To calculate your BMI,
go to cdc.gov and search for the BMI calculator, where you’ll plug in your weight and height.
If you’re too heavy, what should you do? Talk to your doctor, of course. But you could also try what Chrissy Metz does when she wants to lose weight: She eats 2,000 calories a day and walks.
Here’s what a 2,000-calorie day looks like:
Breakfast: Half-cup of muesli, 3 tablespoons natural or Greek yogurt, three-quarters cup fresh mixed berries
Morning snack: Regular
skim latte
Lunch: A large salad, with salad greens, 100-calorie pack of tuna, 1 tablespoon balsamic, lemon juice and olive oil dressing; onequarter avocado, handful of cherry tomatoes, 1 teaspoon pumpkin seeds
Afternoon snack: One apple with handful of walnuts
Dinner: Chicken breast with half-cup steamed broccoli, half-cup steamed green beans, one small carrot, halfcup green peas, half-cup cooked quinoa, one tablespoon of olive oil and one glass of wine.
Dessert: Two squares dark
chocolate