Overweight & Under Nourished

Yet, despite all this sound advice, a survey released by the Center for Disease Control Prevention (CDC) in March showed that the level of obesity increased by 11% in 1999, effecting 13% of American children aged 6 - 11, and 14% of those aged 12 - 19. Modern nutritionists have cited numerous causes and solutions to this increasing problem. Most of the solutions are based on eliminating the underlying problems that cause obesity, such as lack of exercise; improper diet; hormone infused milk and meat products; and excess amounts of sugar and processed foods.

Nutritionist Susan Adams, of the American Dietetic Association, lists some of the problems when she talks about the state of the modern child. She says, "Even though we talk a lot about exercise, there are fewer physical education programs in schools...There is a trend towards super-sizing portions; a sense of unsafe neighborhoods which results in kids not playing outdoors; more time spent by children sitting in front of computers, video games, and TV; and more kids drinking soda pop" (Sommerfield, p. 2). Our consumption of heavy foods that clog our bodies begins at infancy.

Our livers, intestines, lungs and kidneys are at the front-line of the assault, and as a result become less efficient at excreting excess waste, causing it to accumulate in our bodies.

Obesity begins when a body becomes 20% heavier than the desirable weight guidelines for its height and age. This causes high blood pressure; elevated cholesterol; and excessive secretion of insulin, which can lead to diabetes, impotence, depression, and many other diseases (Green, p. 90).

Malnutrition can also be a major cause of obesity. If the body is not getting what it needs it becomes continuously 'hungry' looking for what it is missing (Stein, p. 276). This causes a desire in people to eat more than they need.

Sugar and white flour are other factors in the malnutrition equation, as they draw on the missing companion nutrients. When we consume white sugar or white flour we lose B vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, iron and other nutrients directly from our own reserves (Colbin, p. 189). This causes further 'malnutrition' and overeating to make up for them.

According to obstetrician-gynecologist Christine Northrup, there may also be a strong link between the hormones in meat and milk and weight gain in some women. It is not unreasonable to suspect that just as hormones fatten cows, so they would also fatten the susceptible humans that consume them (Colbin, p.164). With this in mind, over-weight children stand a 25% chance of becoming obese adults (Davis p. 95).

However, beyond eliminating the causes for obesity, science is also looking for a "magic pill" that would enable people to lose weight with greater ease, causing obesity to be regarded as a treatable bio-chemical imbalance (Sommerfield, p.4). But the question is: How many cases of obesity are actually due to a bio-chemical imbalance?

"Most endocrinology groups are working on neuropeptides," said Ferid Murad, Vice President of Pharmaceutical Research and Development at Abbott Laboratories in Illinois (Erickson, p. 90). A study published in the proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in February, showed how they injected mice with a drug that causes muscles to burn fat at a high rate. The drug is part of a protein called Acrp30, which is normally secreted by human fat cells. Fellow researcher Harvey Lodish, a scientist at the Whitehead Institute for Biochemical Research, found that the protein as a whole had no effect, but a fragment of Acrp30 did cause the loss of weight (Bazell, p. 1,2).

Science is also exploring the possibility of using brain chemicals to control weight. Some of brain chemicals known to control eating are: sholecystokinin, which suppresses appetite for fat and carbohydrates; cyclo, which seems to regulate satiety; corticotropin, which releases steroid hormones; dopamine, which suppresses appetite for fat and protein; serotonin, which is low in bulimics; neuropeptide Y, which encourages appetite for carbohydrates; galanin, which stimulates a preferential appetite for fat; and norepinephrine which increases appetite for carbohydrates during the first meal of the day (Erickson p. 90).

However, in many cases it is not a biochemical imbalance that causes obesity, but a life-style imbalance. Dr. Kay Clanton, a psychotherapist in behavior modification said, " For so many years eating was a cheap form of therapy. We used it to reduce stress (Davis p.95)." Eating is often a 'hiding-place' for people and offers a temporary sense of fulfillment. Parents can prevent children from falling into this lifelong pattern by arranging fun and active ways for the whole family to be together and by limiting white flour products, sugar, salts, white rice, junk food, fast food, soft drinks, pastries and foods with additives and preservatives.

As Muslims we are taught to eat with humility in remembrance of the blessings that grace out tables. We should only eat when we are hungry, end each meal with water, and chew the food until softened, aiding in the first part of the digestive.

Sources:

• Bazell, Robert. "Drug Boosts Fat Metabolism In Mice." Feb 2001.
• Colbin, Annmarie. Food and Healing. USA: Ballantine Books, 1986.
• Davis, Andrea, R. "Fat Facts." Essence. (1990): 95.
• Erickson, Deborah. "Brain Food." Scientific American. 265:5(1991): 90.
• Green, James. The Male Herbal. USA: The Crossing Press, 1991.
• Haer'i, Fadhlalla. Nuradeen. England: Zahra Publ, 1983.
• Sommerfield, Julia. "Born Too Soon: Prematurity Rising." Apr 2001.
• Sommerfield, Julia. "Growing Up...And Out." March 2001.
• Stein, Diane. The Natural Remedy Book for Women. USA: The Crossing Press, 1992.

Hwaa Irfan is a staff writer for Health and Science section of Islamonline