Overweight man: what to do?

November 25, 2022December 1, 2022 Stephen PaulOBESITY

In France, overweight has been steadily increasing for 15 years, affecting women, but especially men. And although this increase is less significant than in other countries (such as the United States or England), it remains one of the major concerns of health authorities. What is the exact situation of the French in terms of overweight? And above all, what should an overweight man do to lose weight permanently?

Index

What is the difference between overweight and obesity?

According to the World Health Organization ⁽¹⁾ overweight and obesity are both defined as an accumulation of body fat that can harm health. Regarding overweight, this adipose accumulation is considered abnormal, while for obesity, it is considered excessive.

To estimate overweight and obesity, the main tool is the Body Mass Index, or BMI . This is a simple measurement, which consists of a squared weight/height ratio (to calculate it in a few clicks, go here ). According to the WHO, a man is overweight when his BMI is equal to or greater than 25, and obese when his BMI is equal to or greater than 30.

Finally, overweight is considered a premise of obesity, leading to health problems. Obesity, on the other hand, is a chronic nutritional disease.

Men and overweight: what do the numbers say?

According to the Constances study conducted by Santé Publique France in 2016 ⁽²⁾ , the prevalence of overweight in France was 41% in men, compared to 25.3% in women. A survey obscuring moreover the young population, since carried out on individuals from 30 to 69 years old. Nevertheless, the study reveals interesting data:

The relationship between overweight and income is inversely proportional – the better one earns a living, the less one is affected by overweight.
Overweight in men increases with age – men aged 30-39 are less affected than men over 60. This can be explained, among other things, by the metabolic slowdown associated with age .
The northern departments and the coastal departments are more affected by overweight than the rest of France.

The ObÉpi 2012 ⁽³⁾ survey , which is older, nevertheless makes it possible to observe medium-term trends concerning overweight in men. Thereby :

The average weight of the French population has increased by 3.6 kg in 15 years.
This is also the case for the average BMI, which rose from 24.3 in 1997 to 25.4 in 2012 – an evolution from normal weight to overweight.
The average waist circumference of men has increased by 3.8 cm in 15 years. A constant increase, with each new ObÉpi study: 91.3 cm in 1997, 92.6 in 2000, 93.5 in 2003, 93.8 in 2006, 94.8 in 2009 and 95.1 in 2012. abdominal adiposity for a man when his waist circumference exceeds 94 cm.
The prevalence of overweight and obesity is higher among recent generations. In other words, the generation born between 1980 and 1986 reaches the overweight threshold younger than the generation born 20 years earlier.

Finally, it is clear that the 2020 containment measures have had an impact on the weight of men ⁽⁴⁾ . Thus, at the end of the first confinement, the weight gain in men was 2.7 kg, against 2.3 kg in women. Extra pounds due to a change in daily habits:

Less frequent trips
Decline in physical activity
Snacking accentuated by contextual anxiety
Increased consumption of sugary foods

It should be noted that the denigration of her corpulence is more pronounced in women than in men. They were 61% to be dissatisfied with their weight at the end of the first confinement, compared to 47% of men, although less affected by weight gain and, more generally, by being overweight.

Overweight man: what solutions to lose weight?

What causes overweight men?

The causes of overweight in men are multiple. The main ones are the profound changes in the rhythm of life, diet and the practice of physical activity. Thus, a sedentary lifestyle coupled with an overly rich diet creates an imbalance in the energy balance, which results in overweight:

Dynamic phase – weight increases (adipocyte overload)
Static phase – weight remains high (multiplication of adipocytes, with amplification of fat storage capacity)

Being overweight is also encouraged by other factors, such as:

Eating disorders : snacking, bulimia, hyperphagia, compulsive consumption of fatty and/or sugary foods.
Anxio-depressive and/or stress disorders.
Excessive consumption of alcohol
Smoking cessation associated with food “compensation”.
A lack of sleep .
Drug treatment.

What are the consequences of being overweight in men?

Although they are known to everyone, it seems important to repeat that being overweight in men can have serious consequences in terms of health:

Increase in cardiovascular diseases, such as arteriopathy, high blood pressure, heart failure, etc.
Increased risk of TIA, stroke, myocardial infarction…
Rise in metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes , non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, cholesterol .
Increased risk of developing joint problems, sleep apnea, digestive diseases (GERD, cholelithiasis), even certain cancers (digestive system, prostate).

What solutions to lose weight?

The two main weight loss levers are obviously diet and physical activity. By reducing caloric intake and increasing energy expenditure, the energy balance is rebalanced. Thus, we lose weight.

Overweight man: regain control over his diet

Men have a significant advantage over women when it comes to weight loss. More modestly provided in adipose mass (10-15% of the total mass in men, against 20-25% in women), better provided in muscle mass , and less subject to hormonal fluctuations, they lose weight more easily. Thus, dietary measures can help restore the situation and stem overweight. To do this, it is:

Choose raw, fresh foods over processed foods, and cook them yourself.
Respect the nutritional recommendations – fruits and vegetables at each meal, low glycemic index complex carbohydrates (50% of the food bowl), lean proteins (15% of the food bowl), quality lipids (35%), lean dairy products.
Vary your diet – eat seasonal fruits and vegetables, vary your sources of protein (vegetable, animal), opt for different sources of carbohydrates (wholemeal pasta, basmati rice, sweet potato, quinoa, etc.).
Increase your daily fiber intake .
Avoid the consumption of sweet, salty products and saturated fats.
Limit alcohol consumption.
Stay sufficiently hydrated and water-based – avoid sugary drinks, even light ones .
Favor healthy cooking methods (steamed, steamed, grilled, en papillote) rather than long cooking and/or cooking that degrades the quality of food (barbecue, dishes in sauce, frying).
When eating out, prefer traditional catering and balanced dishes rather than fast food.
Avoid skipping meals . Skipping meals does not make you lose weight, but does disturb feelings of hunger and satiety .

Eating well is already enough to lose weight. But if eating in a healthy and balanced way is not “obvious”, it is advisable to go to a professional. Doctors-nutritionists and dieticians are able to assess the degree of overweight, identify the sources with the patient and propose a food plan in line with the age, the seriousness of the overweight, the health and the lifestyle of the individual.

Overweight man: resume regular physical activity

Weight loss is about 70% based on nutrition, and 30% on physical activity . Thus, when you are an overweight man, it is essential to get out of the cycle of sedentary lifestyle. The absence of sport causes a metabolic slowdown that is harmful to health. Indeed, the loss of muscle mass, already accentuated by age, leads, among other things, to greater difficulty in losing weight. Also, it is important to maintain a dense muscle mass to hope to lose weight permanently.

Physical activity can must consist of:

A daily activity of at least 30 minutes. It can be walking (daily journeys on foot), fun activities (cycling, games with children, gardening, DIY), gentle stretching, etc.
A moderate-intensity sporting activity, at the rate of 2 to 3 weekly sessions of 45 minutes minimum. It can be running, swimming , indoor sports , cycling, team sports…

In addition to helping to get rid of overweight, sport helps maintain strong bones, reduce the risk of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, improve the quality of sleep , lower stress levels and find a vitality of life.

Stephen Paul

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Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.