How Being Overweight or Obese Affects Men

A lot of emphasis in our society is placed on women who are overweight and obese, while very little emphasis is placed on men. However, according to Weight-control Information Network, 72.3 percent of American men over 20 are overweight or obese, while 64.1 percent of women are overweight or obese.

Causes

Most men become overweight or obese as the result of eating a lot of red meat, eating primarily fast food, drinking too much alcohol and leading a sedentary lifestyle.

For some men, an elevated body mass index is the result of trying to bulk up. For a man who is a bodybuilder, the body mass index is misleading, as the majority of his weight isn't from fat, it is muscle mass. In that case, body fat measurements and underwater weighing are the only suitable methods to determine if he is actually obese.

Problems

Being overweight or obese is one of the leading causes of men having heart attacks. Other health complications include sleep apnea, erectile dysfunction, stroke, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and osteoarthritis. While a man isn't as likely as a woman to suffer from body image problems, it is possible that a man will suffer from these problems but won't make his thoughts known.

Calorie Counting

In order for a man to lose weight in a healthy way, he must eat sufficient calories to sustain him while still restricting calories. A man needs at least 1,800 calories per day to sustain his body. This means that each day, he needs to burn 2,300 calories to lose one pound per week or 2,800 calories per day to burn two pounds per week. The calories taken in come from food and beverages, while the calories burned are from exercise and moving around throughout the day.

Tips

First, dieting for a man isn't the same as dieting for a woman. A woman can eat like a bird to lose weight, but a man needs hearty meals to sustain him. So, a man can make simple substitutions like opting to eat chicken breasts instead of steaks a couple of times a week. Another thing a man can do is add more fruits and vegetables to his daily diet. If alcohol is the problem, adopt a two drink limit each time you go out-and be careful not to choose high calorie mixed drinks.

Exercising doesn't mean that you have to go to an aerobics class full of women. Instead, play full court basketball or tennis. Lift weights to gain muscle mass-that will increase your metabolism and make losing weight easier.

Conclusion

Men must be just as careful as women when it comes to their weight. An overweight man faces serious health consequences; however, with small changes, a man can get to a healthy weight.

Source:

http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/statistics/index.htm