Taking Control

The following are recommended by the American Health Foundation’s Expert Panel on Healthy Weight:

* Because most weight-related diseases are preventable, you must act now to reduce health problems related to excess weight.

* Emphasis should be on an achievable and maintainable weight.

* Any loss of body fat is beneficial for those who have too much.

* If it can be maintained, even a modest weight loss of five to 10 pounds is beneficial for those who are overweight.

* If you can’t lose weight, maintain your current weight. Success is linked to ameliorating health risks, so efforts to avoid weight gain are worthwhile.

* If you are at or below the target weight, maintain it. If your weight increases by more than five to seven pounds, do something before it becomes a problem.

* To achieve weight loss and stabilize weight, adopt a healthy low-fat and high-fiber diet with no excess calories, exercise regularly and decrease sedentary behavior.