| Why fast ways to lose weight are important? | | | | Professor Sir Michael Marmot who chaired the |
| A report in The Times newspaper this week | | | | expert panel assembled by the World Cancer |
| highlights the largest review of links between diet | | | | Research Fund said: "a BMI of 25 is fine, but it |
| and cancer. The review incorporates more than | | | | would be a bit finer if it was lower. The healthiest |
| 7,000 studies. It concludes that: "there is | | | | thing is to be as low as possible within the normal |
| convincing evidence that excess body fat can | | | | range." |
| cause at least six different types of the disease. | | | | If you're serious about your weight I will give you |
| The researchers give warning that everyone | | | | 12 free videos to help you improve your will |
| should be at the lower end of the healthy weight | | | | power. I am also starting a new series of videos |
| range." | | | | about weight loss in the very near future. |
| The evidence now shows that even modest | | | | At the start of this year a visit to my local |
| weight gains increase the risk of contracting at | | | | Well-Man Clinic revealed that my cholesterol level |
| least 6 cancers. The link between excess body | | | | was too high. I was in a danger zone. As a result |
| weight and cancer is strongest with cancers of | | | | of this I tried to lose some weight. This was |
| the oesophagus, pancreas, bowel, breast | | | | something new for me as i have always been |
| post-menopause, kidney and endometrium (womb | | | | quite slim, so I was surprised by how difficult it is |
| lining). | | | | to shed a few pounds. |
| A healthy weight is defined as having a body | | | | The experience made me get serious about |
| mass index (BMI) of below 25. BMI is calculated | | | | weight loss and I eventually managed to lose 20 |
| by dividing an individual's body weight by the | | | | pounds over a 3 month period. |
| square of their height. As it is not possible to | | | | I am now doing a lot more work in this area in |
| publish tables and diagrams here, I have published | | | | order to find new and better ways to help both |
| a table showing how you can work out your | | | | myself and others who need to keep a close eye |
| personal body mass index on my web site. There | | | | on their weight. |
| is a link in the resource box at the foot of this | | | | If you're short of motivation you should read the |
| article. | | | | World Cancer Research Fund's report. |