Off the Charts

Forget the notion of an “ideal weight.”

Stop trying to lose enough pounds to reach an arbitrary number on a standardized table.

Don’t follow a restrictive diet that considers some foods “good” and others “bad.”

All too often, these traditional approaches to battling the bulge fail, reports the American Dietetic Assn. in a position statement on weight management. “Americans spend more than $33 billion per year on weight control products and services,” the ADA notes, “yet these efforts seem to have no effect on slowing the increasing prevalence of obesity.”

One in three adults and one in four children in the United States are obese, and obesity-related medical conditions are the second-leading cause of death in America, after smoking-related illnesses.

That’s why the nation’s largest group of nutrition professionals is now advising people to stop focusing on weight loss alone. Instead, they recommend working toward “weight management,” which they define as “achieving the best weight possible in the context of overall health.”

“Too many people get hung up on reaching a number on a height-weight chart that for them, genetically and physiologically, may be unattainable,” says ADA spokeswoman Josephine Connolly, a nutritionist at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Inability to achieve these goals can be physically and psychologically damaging, she says, since discouraged people often abandon healthful habits and consider themselves failures.

That’s why the ADA has “redefined success,” Connolly says, “by encouraging people to focus on behaviors they can control.” These behaviors, which the association recommends for all weight management programs, include:

* Gradual change to a more healthful eating style with proportional increases in whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

* A nonrestrictive approach to eating based on eating when hungry and stopping when full.

* Gradual increase to at least 30 minutes of enjoyable physical activity each day.

In addition, Connolly says, “We’re encouraging the notion of a healthy weight, which someone can achieve and maintain, as opposed to a cosmetic weight or ideal weight on a standardized chart.”

Each person’s healthy weight is determined individually, she says, based on his or her weight history and current medical condition.

Even modest weight losses, such as dropping 10 to 16 pounds, can dramatically improve health, Connolly notes.

“People who might never get to their goal weight on a standardized chart can still reach a weight that’s healthy for them,” she says, “if they adopt good eating and exercise behaviors that can normalize their blood pressure, blood sugar and blood cholesterol.”

In addition, the ADA statement encourages taking “maintenance breaks.”

Rather than “racing to a goal weight for one day, then gaining the weight back,” Connolly says, “it’s better to lose a modest amount, then maintain it for three to six months before you try to lose any more. It’s a great confidence-builder. Plus, some research indicates this can help your body adjust its metabolic rate.”

The position statement also stresses the importance of daily physical activity and recommends the same amount advised in last year’s U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health--at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity a day.

“Exercise is the single most powerful tool for weight control,” says ADA spokeswoman Kathleen Zelman in Atlanta. “We’re encouraging people to pick an activity they enjoy, like gardening or walking, because we know that if people consider exercise a chore, it’s not going to happen.”

This pleasure principle also applies to food choices. “All foods can fit,” she says. “What you love, you can have in moderation. But we also want to teach people to love healthy foods like broccoli, with lemon instead of butter, and plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains.”

The basic message is “an attitude change,” says ADA spokeswoman Leslie Bonci, a nutritionist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

“We’re taking a more positive and realistic approach that encourages people to adopt healthy eating and exercise practices they can sustain and enjoy for their lifetime. And we’re recognizing that how you feel and how much energy you have can be just as important a measure of success as a number on a scale.”