Obesity Resources Available To You
If you or someone you know suffers from obesity or is overweight, you should know there are many free tools you can use to help you on your journey toward understanding health, learning more about your BMI, and talking about your physical issues with caring and support friends.
The Internet makes mass communication possible for anyone and everyone in the world. More often than not someone struggling with obesity or overweight prefers to talk with others anonymously. Doing so allows individuals to speak freely without the uncomfortable or anxious feelings someone might normally feel while talking with others one-to-one or in a large group setting.
If you haven't already, make a point to review some helpful websites offering treatment tools and prevention tools for overweight, obese and underweight people.
- WIN - Weight Control Information Network: http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/tools.htm - here you will find information on how to measure or calculate your body mass index, an important indicator of health. You can use their tool or calculate your own body mass using the tools provided including waist circumference measures. This is an excellent and accurate resource provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and National Institutes of Health.
- NHLBI - NIH: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/recommen.htm - This resource, provided by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute working with the National Institutes of Health provides information on maintaining a healthy weight. Here you will also find a BMI calculator, as well as a menu planner to assist you when trying to plan health conscious meals without much effort. You will also learn the "rules" or recommendations doctors provide for effective, safe and permanent weight loss. Not sure if a low calorie diet is for you? Find out by checking the resources provided by the NHLBI.
- Medline Plus: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/obesity.html - This is one of the most comprehensive websites providing information for overweight or obese patients. Here you can find out where the latest clinical trials are for individuals with obesity, discover support groups whose aim is helping others cope with obesity and overweight, and take advantage of the many free health check tools to determine your overall state of health. You will even find information on children's health and links to several organizations providing services to overweight and obese people.
- NAASO: http://www.obesity.org - The Obesity Society provides membership opportunities for individuals interested in becoming involved in weight and health related research. Here you will find tips and tools for managing obesity whether a patient, family member or healthcare provider. Learn more about upcoming events committed to help fight obesity or access dozens of other links helpful for patients, professionals and friends.
- CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/index.html - This website, brought to you by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, offers a great deal of information and tools to help you assess your weight, prevent weight gain, and lose weight. The site also has healthy eating guidelines, meal planning advice, healthy recipes, exercise tips, information about preventing childhood obesity, and more.
- USDA NAL: http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=4&tax_level=2&tax_subject=256&topic_id=1459&placement_default=0 - The United States Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Library provides this webpage full of links to useful interactive tools. There are tools to help you check your health risks, tools for designing your diet, nutritional calculators and counters, quizzes to test your knowledge on food and health related topics, plus fun, interactive sites for kids to help them learn healthy habits early in life.
- USDA: http://www.mypyramid.gov - A website by the United States Department of Agriculture which offers personalized eating plans, interactive tools to help you plan and assess your food choices, and advice on a variety of diet-related topics such as making smart eating choices, balancing food intake and exercise, understanding your daily caloric needs, and getting the most nutrition out of the calories you eat.
- HHS: http://www.smallstep.gov/kids/flash/index.html - Smallstep Kids is a website for children from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The site is all about food choices and eating healthy and has lots of information, an interactive quiz, video clips, online games and more to keep kids entertained while they learn.
- FDA: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/wh-wght.html - This webpage, by the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition has a great collection of links to information on food and obesity. Topics covered on the FDA's own website include counting calories, food labels, healthy eating choices, and sugar subsititutes. There are also links to other federal websites about obesity, excercise, and more.
- AAP: http://www.aap.org/obesity/index.html - The American Academy of Pediatrics brings you this website dedicated to the prevention of childhood obesity. The purpose of this site is to bring awareness to the serious health problem of childhood overweight and obesity; empower pediatricians and families to take action in their homes, offices and communities to prevent childhood obesity; and to support pediatricians, families and community advocates in improving the health status of those children who are already overweight and obese. The site includes parenting advice, health information, links to popular books and other resources, and more.
Private Organizations
Just as there are recovery centers for people overcoming substance abuse, there are many private organizations that commit their time to helping people overcome obesity and overweight. Some of these groups involve or prefer family participation, which can be especially helpful if you want to help protect your children from the harmful effects excess weight has on the body. To learn more about organizations in your area, contact your local physician, yellow pages or check out the links provided above for more information about private organizations that provide support and recovery for overweight and obese patients.
Remember, you are not alone. You have the right and you have the ability to take charge of your body. Take back your life and start feeling better today!
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