Download HEALTHY EUROPEAN SCHOOL BY MEANS OF HEALTH

HEALTHY EUROPEAN SCHOOL BY MEANS OF HEALTH
COMPETENCES
COOPERATING SCHOOLS / COUNTRIES:
1. Secondary Nursing School and Higher Vocational School of Nursing Vsetín, Czech Republic
2. Liceo Scientifico Statale “ LEONARDO DA VINCI”, Sora, Italy
3. Makrakomi “Achillion” Lyceum, Greece
4. Raayland College, Venray, Holland
5. Kossuth Lajos Gimnázium, Szakközépiskola, Kollégium és Alapfokú Művészetoktatási
Intézmény, Sátoraljaújhely, Hungary
6. İzmir Anadolu Öğretmen Lisesi, Izmir, Turkey
7. Horten Upper Secondary School, Horten, Norway
8. Gimnazjum im Adama Olbrachta Przyjmy – Przyjemskiego, Rawicz,Poland
9. Šiauliai “Juventa” Basic School, Šiauliai, Lithuania
10. Secondary School of Nursing, Trenčín, Slovakia
11. Riga Hanza Secondary school, Riga, Latvia
TOPIC: Ideal Body Weight and Healthy Diet
OBJECTIVES / AIMS:

I can calculate BMI for women, men and children and determine the weight
categories

I can use 5 ways how to maintain a healthy weight in everyday life situations
KEY WORDS:
ideal body weight, Body Mass Index ( BMI ), healthy diet, nutrition, genetic make-up,
eating habits, regular physical activity
THEORY:
There is no such thing as an "ideal weight" for anybody. Health experts now believe that
instead of trying to define our ideal weight we should concentrate on a healthy and
achievable weight. This is the weight at which you feel good and which does not require
a lifelong struggle to maintain.
Some researchers even believe that we should not attempt dramatic weight changes at all.
Instead, we should focus on developing a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet and
plenty of physical activity. Our weight will then naturally find its own individual, healthy
and correct level.
Tips how to maintain the ideal body weight:
Take your time. Regard weight loss as the result of a long-term change in lifestyle that is
comfortable and sustainable. Weight loss is not a race and needs to be approached
consistently over time.
Set realistic goals. The weight a person can reasonably aspire to is the weight reached after
the end of puberty and which has been more or less steady for at least two years. The best
strategy is to lose a relatively small amount, at most 5-10%, of your starting weight, by
increasing activity levels and eliminating some extra calories from your diet. Then maintain
your new weight without excessive effort by correct nutrition and regular physical activity.
Maintain the result. For good health and long-term weight control, maintaining your new
weight is the ultimate goal. Almost anyone can lose weight with any diet. Unfortunately,
many people quickly regain their lost weight and can even end up with more pounds than
before dieting.
Keep fit and eat sensibly. Regular physical activity and proper diet not only help you
maintain a healthy body weight. You will feel more energetic and less stressed. A correct
balance of activity and diet will also help prevent chronic diseases such as high blood
pressure and heart disease.
First health, then weight loss. Always remember that your health should be a higher
priority than drastic weight loss. In the long term, this will benefit your emotional and
physical health - and this is what you really need.
What Affects Your Weight?
Genetic makeup - what you inherit-plays the biggest role
When we say "genetic makeup," we are talking about everything you inherited from your
ancestors, from the colour of your eyes or the shape of your toes to the way your brain works
and the way your body stores fat.
Your genetic makeup has a very big effect on your weight. It affects:
Your basal metabolic rate . That is the rate at which your body uses energy ( calories ) at
rest. Some people are born with higher basic metabolic rates than others. These people
naturally burn more calories than the rest of us. Regular physical activity can raise your
metabolic rate. Very low-calorie diets will lower your metabolic rate. A lower metabolic rate
makes it easier to gain weight because you do not burn calories as fast.
Your body signals:
Hunger is signalled by stomach growling and hunger pangs.
Fullness is signalled by a feeling of being full and satisfied.
Appetite is a desire for food.
Your fat distribution
Some people have slim legs, some have heavy legs. You cannot change where your body
stores fat. Men store more fat in the belly as they age, and women store more fat in the hips
and thighs.
Nutrition - what and how you eat also affects your weight. Junk food contains too many
calories. It also contains too much saturated fat, cholesterol, animal protein, salt, alcohol,
and sugar.
It can be hard to make healthy food choices:
Emotions and easy access to fast foods and snacks are among the many things that influence
our food choices today.
Lack of time leads many people to eat on an irregular schedule or skip meals. People who do
that have more trouble staying at a healthy weight than people who eat regular meals.
Sometimes a food that seems like a healthier choice may not be. A low-fat cookie may have
less fat, but usually it is high in sugar and has the same number of calories as a regular
cookie. Potato chips that are "cholesterol-free" may still be high in fat and calories.
Physical activity - how much you move is the next factor affecting your weight.
Being physically active is an important part of staying at a healthy weight. Regular activity
helps you stay fit. When you are fit, you feel better and have more energy for work and for
your family. When you are fit, you burn more calories, even when you are resting. Even if
you are overweight or obese, you will benefit from being more physically fit.
Improving your fitness is good for your heart, lungs, bones, and joints. And it lowers your
risk for heart attack, diabetes, high blood pressure, and some cancers. If you already
have one or more of these problems, getting more fit may help you control other health
problems and make you feel better.
Moderate activity is safe for most people, but it is always a good idea to talk to your doctor
before you start an exercise program.
5 Ways to Reach a Healthy Weight
Diets are not the way to go when it comes to losing weight. That is because they create
temporary eating patterns — and, therefore, temporary results. Most dieters gain back any
lost weight when they go back to their old eating habits. So what is the best way to drop
excess weight? Create a new normal!
Weight loss is most likely to be successful when people change their habits, replacing old,
unhealthy ones with new, healthy behaviour. Here are 5 ways to make that happen:
1. Exercise - regular physical activity burns calories and builds muscle
2. Reduce screen time – limit the amount of time spent watching TV, looking at the
computer, or playing video games
3. Watch out for portion sizes
4. Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day
5. Do not skip breakfast.
What Causes Overweight and Obesity?
Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents
a risk to health. If you take in more calories than are required by your body on a daily basis
( known as "energy imbalance"), those surplus calories will be converted into fat. If this
energy imbalance continues for an extended period of time, it will lead to overweight or
obesity.
Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including
diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Once considered a problem only in high income
countries, overweight and obesity are now dramatically on the rise in low- and middleincome countries, particularly in urban settings.
Obesity does not just happen overnight, it develops gradually from poor diet and lifestyle
choices and, to some extent, from your genes.
Overweight and obesity can be measured by the Body Mass Index ( BMI ). The Body
Mass Index ( BMI ) is a number calculated from weight and height.
BMI is a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people. BMI is an inexpensive and easyto-perform method of screening for weight categories that may lead to health problems.
Bodymass index ( BMI ) is calculated as follows: weight in kilograms is divided by height in
metres squared.
kg
BMI ( Body Mass Index ) = –––––
m2
A person with a BMI equal to or more than 25 is considered overweight. A person with a
BMI of 30 or more is generally considered obese. An example to count it:
Weight: 75kg
Height: 1,78 m
75 : ( 1,78 x 1,78 ) = 75 : 3,1684 = 23,67 = ideal weight
Ideal BMI Chart
Height
Metres
1.58
1.60
1.62
1.64
1.66
1.68
1.70
1.72
1.74
Men
Kg
51 - 64
52 - 65
53 - 66
54 - 67
55 - 69
56 - 71
58 - 73
59 - 74
60 - 75
Women
Kg
46 - 59
48 - 61
49 - 62
50 - 64
51 - 65
52 - 66
53 - 67
55 - 69
56 - 70
Height
Metres
1.76
1.78
1.80
1.82
1.84
1.86
1.88
1.90
1.92
Men
Kg
62 - 77
64 - 79
65 - 80
66 - 82
67 - 84
69 - 86
71 - 88
73 - 90
75 - 93
Women
Kg
58 - 72
59 - 74
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
A person's ideal body weight is determined by several factors, such as age, muscle-fat ratio,
height, sex, and bone density. Some say your Body Mass Index ( BMI ) is the ideal way to
calculate whether your body weight is ideal.
Link to BMI Calculator: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/ ( Do not forget to change Metric
BMI Calculator )
Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents. It
occurs when a child is well above the normal weight for his or her age and height.
No general agreement exists on the definition of obesity in children as it does adults. Most
professionals use published guidelines based on the modified body mass index ( BMI ) for
age to measure obesity in children.
Others define obesity in children as body weight at least 20% higher than a healthy weight
for a child of that height, or a body fat percentage above 25% in boys or above 32% in girls.
A sufficient energy intake is important for your children while they are growing, and a varied
and nutritious diet is essential for their development. However, like adults, if they take in
more energy - in the form of food - than they use up, the extra energy is stored in their bodies
as fat. If your child is overweight or obese, it is more likely that they will develop some
serious health problems more usually seen in adulthood, such as hardened and blocked
arteries (coronary artery diseases), high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis.
As well as being a risk to the child's health, being overweight as a child may also cause
emotional problems. Teasing about their appearance can affect a child's confidence and selfesteem, and can lead to isolation and depression.
Causes of childhood obesity
An unhealthy diet combined with a lack of exercise are the main causes of childhood
obesity. High-calorie foods such as chocolates, sweets and fast food are cheap and readily
available to children. Alongside this, physical activity and exercise are no longer a part of
most children's days - some children never walk or cycle to school or play sport. Instead,
many of them spend hours in front of a television or computer.
Treatment
If you're worried your child is overweight, talk to your doctor and ask for help from a
dietician. Avoid starting your child on an aggressive diet. Instead, make long-term changes
to healthy eating for all the family, and get your child involved in sport or exercise. Aim
to increase your child's intake of fresh fruit and vegetables and reduce fat intake.
BMI for Age
BMI is used as a screening tool to identify possible weight problems for children and
adolescents ( 2 – 19 years ). It is recommended the use of BMI to screen for overweight and
obesity in children beginning at 2 years old.
For children, BMI is used to screen for obesity, overweight, healthy weight, or underweight.
However, BMI is not a diagnostic tool. For example, a child may have a high BMI for age
and sex, but to determine if excess fat is a problem, a health care provider would need to
perform further assessments. These assessments might include skinfold thickness
measurements, evaluations of diet, physical activity, family history, and other appropriate
health screenings.
A child's body mass index (BMI) is calculated using the same method as for adults - weight
in kilograms divided by height in metres squared - but adult BMI figures must not be used to
determine whether a child is overweight or obese. Specific age-adjusted charts are needed.
kg
BMI ( Body Mass Index ) = –––––
m2
Healthy Diet
A healthy diet is one that helps maintain or improve health. A healthy diet involves
consuming appropriate amounts of all nutrients, and an adequate amount of water.
Nutrients can be obtained from many different foods - fruit and vegetables, plenty of starchy
foods such as wholegrain bread, pasta and rice, some protein-rich foods such as meat, fish,
eggs and lentils and some dairy foods – a healthy balanced diet.
A healthy diet needs to have a balance of macronutrients / energy ( fats, proteins, and
carbohydrates ) and micronutrients ( vitamins, minerals ) to meet the needs for human
nutrition without inducing toxicity from excessive amounts.
The World Health Organization (WHO) makes the following 5 recommendations with
respect to both populations and individuals:
 Achieve an energy balance and a healthy weight
 Limit energy intake from total fats and shift fat consumption away from saturated fats
to unsaturated fats and towards the elimination of trans-fatty acids
 Increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts
 Limit the intake of simple sugar
 Limit salt / sodium consumption from all sources and ensure that salt is iodized
 Avoiding directly poisonous (e.g. heavy metals) and carcinogenic substances
Healthy Eating Pyramid
Servings are recommended per day.
To understand a healthy Diet better, the Healthy Eating Pyramid was developed to provide
nutrition guide about the types of foods we should eat and in what proportions different
foods should be consumed. It is advisable to combine several food categories to create a
meal. The base of the pyramid such as cereals, bread, rice, fruit and vegetables should be
eaten the most frequently. Meat and dairy products should be consumed moderately. Fats,
oils which are at the top of the pyramid are recommended to be eaten sparingly.
TASKS
Task 1
Calculate your and your parents / siblings´ body mass index ( BMI ).
Weight: _____ kg
Height: _____ m
________: ( ______ x ______ )
(weight )
( height squared)
________: ( ______ x ______ )
(weight )
( height squared)
= _______: _______= _______
( your BMI )
= _______: _______= _______
( your BMI )
Task 2
Compare the results with Ideal BMI Chart:
BMI
BMI Chart
Range
Weight
Example
Me
Mother
Father
Brother/Sister/Friend
Task 3
Write 5 ways how to prevent obesity.
1) ______________________________________________
2) ______________________________________________
3) ______________________________________________
4) ______________________________________________
5) ______________________________________________
Task 4
Design a leaflet on the topic „How to Prevent Obesity and Maintain an Ideal Body
Weight among Students?“
Task 5
Design a daily balanced menu including healthy diet principles.
Monday
Breakfast:
Snack:
Lunch:
Snack:
Dinner:
METHODS:
Teacher´s instructions
PowerPoint presentation
A practical demonstration
Discussion in small groups
RESULTS:
The students were acquainted with:
 a healthy lifestyle
 balanced diet
 how to achieve and maintain a healthy weight
 how to calculate BMI
FINAL REPORT:
We carried out a survey via a questionnaire in 4 European countries - Slovakia, the Czech
Republic, Greece and Lithuania. The number of the respondents was 400 students. The
survey results are as follow:
 The Slovak respondents eat most regularly, but 39% of the respondents do not have
breakfast, especially Slovaks
 The most common snack in Slovakia is baguette with ham or salami. 38% of the
Lithuanian pupils in our survey have sweets for snack
 65% of the respondents from 4 countries eat after 8 p.m. The chosen Greek students
are on the top of this graph
 1/5 of the respondents do not do any sport
 83 % of the respondents have a normal weight.
Bibliography:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/obesity2.shtml
http://www.brianmac.co.uk/idealw.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/
http://www.eatrightontario.ca/en/viewdocument.aspx?id=5
http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/html/child_obesity.html
http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/dieting/weight_tips.html
http://www.health.com/health/static/hw/media/medical/hw/h9991021.gif
http://www.webmd.com/diet/tc/healthy-weight-why-pay-attention-to-your-weight
http://www.weight-loss-program.com/art05-pyramid.html
http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/logout/news_features/idealweight.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthy_diet
http://www.weight-loss-program.com/art01-ideal-weight.html
ANNEXES:
Questionnaire, Power Point Presentation – Questionnaire Results, DVD