Health Matters! Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds

The role of food

All diets containing more energy than a person needs can cause weight gain. Fat provides just over twice as much energy per gram (37kJ/g) as carbohydrate (16kJ/g).

It is recommended that:

• about 50% of our energy intake should come from

carbohydrate.

• no more than 35% of our energy intake should

come from fat.

• about 15% of our energy intake should come from

protein.

A lifestyle change

After a person discovers they are overweight or obese their lifestyle will need to change to reduce weight.

Many factors lead to a person becoming overweight or obese.

Doctors or dietitians can provide information on lifestyle changes that can lead to weight loss. This can be a good opportunity to make general improvements to their diet and physical activity levels.

Childhood obesity

Children who are very obese are not put on specific slimming diets.