Obesity Screening & Counseling
To stay at a healthy weight, balance the calories you eat with the calories you burn (use up). Calories are a measure of the energy in the foods you eat. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you eat.
A healthy diet and also physical activity can help you control your weight. You burn more calories when you are physically active.
How do I know if I’m at a healthy weight?
Finding out your Body Mass Index (BMI) is the best way to learn if you are at a healthy weight. Use this Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator to find out your BMI and what it means for you.
- If you are overweight or obese, you can lose weight by eating fewer calories as well as getting more physical activity.
- If you are at a healthy weight, keep getting regular physical activity and also eating the right number of calories.
How do I know if I’m eating the right number of calories?
Use this Daily Food Plan tool to find out how many calories you need to maintain your current weight.
The Benefits of Weight Loss?
If you are overweight or obese, losing weight can lower your risk for serious health conditions like:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Early death
When you move more as well as eat healthy foods, you can:
- Lower your blood pressure
- Lower your blood sugar
- Raise your “good” cholesterol
- Lower your “bad” cholesterol
- Have more energy during the day
You may start to see these health benefits by losing just 5 to 10 percent of your body weight. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, this would mean losing 10 to 20 pounds.
Take Action Today!
Start by making a promise to eat well, move more, and get support from family and friends.
Set realistic goals. If you need to lose weight, do it slowly over time. Start out by setting small goals, like:
- Lose 1 to 2 pounds a week.
- Start by adding 10 minutes of physical activity to my daily routine.
- Avoid second helpings of meals this week.
Keep a food and activity diary. When you know your habits, it’s easier to make changes. Write down:
- When you eat
- What you eat
- How much you eat
- Your physical activity
Print this food and activity diary or make your own.
Get more physical activity. Remember that to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you eat. Get active to balance the calories you take in with the calories you use.
- Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes of activity a week.
- Try to be active for 30 minutes 5 times a week.
Even some physical activity is better than none. If you don’t have time for 30 minutes of activity, get moving for shorter 10-minute periods throughout the day.
Check out these resources for more information:
Eat healthy. Eating healthy can help you manage your weight – and it’s also good for your overall health.
- Choose healthier versions of your favorite foods that have fewer calories and also less saturated fat.
- Drink water or fat-free milk instead of soda or other sugary drinks.
- Fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit.
- When you eat out, ask for sauces or dressings “on the side” so you can control how much you use.
Check out these links to learn more:
Eat smaller portions. Eating healthy food is important, but you possibly need to pay attention to how much food you eat. Take the Portion Distortion Quiz to test your knowledge.
- Start the day with a healthy breakfast.
- Eat small, healthy snacks during the day. This will keep you from overeating at mealtimes.
- Read the label to find out how many servings are in a package. There may be more than one!
- Put a serving of food in a bowl instead of eating out of the package or container.
- Serve food on plates and leave the main dish on the stove. You will be less tempted to go back for seconds.
- If you are eating out, only eat half of your meal. Take the other half home.
- Eat slowly – this will give you time to feel full.
- Don’t eat in front of the TV. It’s harder to keep track of how much you are eating.
Ask your doctor for help. You may also want to talk to a doctor or nurse about different ways to lose weight. Your doctor can tell you about your options, like joining a weight-loss program. Check out these questions to ask your doctor about losing weight.
Find out if you need to get tested for diabetes. If you are age 40 to 70 and overweight or obese, ask your doctor to test you for diabetes. You may also need to get tested if you have other risk factors for diabetes, like having high blood pressure or having family members with type 2 diabetes. Learn more about type 2 diabetes.
What about cost?
Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law passed in 2010, insurance plans must cover screening and counseling for obesity. Depending on your insurance, you may be able to get these services at no cost to you. Talk to your insurance company to find out more.
To learn about other services covered by the Affordable Care Act, visit HealthCare.gov.
Research on the benefits of preventive care
Immunization vaccines for adults — doses, recommended ages, and recommended populations vary:
- Hepatitis B
- Herpes Zoster
- Influenza (flu shot)
- Pneumococcal
- Tetanus
- Obesity screening and counseling
- Syphilis screening
- Tobacco Use screening and cessation interventions
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September 17, 2024
