Parkland Hospital
Parkland Hospital
Employee Screening Survey
Careers
Donate Now
MyChart
Vendors
Español
Search
Search
Spanish button
Main Navigation
About Us
Patients & Visitors
Health Information
Get Involved
Information for Medical Professionals
Help
About Us
Patients & Visitors
Health Information
Get Involved
Information for Medical Professionals
Home » About Us » General Information » News & Updates » Ten reasons (beyond your looks) to maintain a healthy weight
Decrease Text Size  A  Increase Text Size
Printer Friendly Version
Email A Friend
spanish
MyChart login
Navigation Shadow
right side ribbon
street sign
Find us...
5200 Harry Hines Blvd. , Dallas , TX 75235
  • Map
  • Driving directions
  • Parking
  • DART directions
  • Campus map
address
I'm trying to contact...
  • connect with a hospital unit or department
  • 214-590-8000
  • email us
  • locate a patient
  • connect with a hospital unit
  • 214-590-8000
  • schedule an appointment with our clinics if you are a new patient
  • 214-590-5601
  • praise staff or hospital
  • report patient care issues
  • 469-419-0820
  • email us
  • help with financial issues
  • registration and payment
  • 214-590-4900
  • read more
  • provide spiritual or emotional comfort
  • 214-590-8512
  • learn more
  • provide support for MyChart
  • email us
  • register for a community event or Parkland speaker
  • 214-590-1152
  • read more
  • provide information about Parkland jobs
  • 214-590-8073
  • read more
  • Call 911 in emergencies
  • 214-590-8362
  • Learn more
  • provide information on products and equipment
  • 214-590-4600
  • provide supplier information
  • 214-590-4600
clock
Hospital hours
  • Daily | 5 a.m. - 9 p.m.
  • Visitation hours may vary by floor
  • 214-590-8000
  • Main Retail Café: Mon - Sun | 6:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.
  • Starbucks Café: WISH Building | Mon - Fri | 5:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
  • Park Market Café: Mon - Fri | 6:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. | 8 p.m. - 4 a.m. | Sat -Sun | 7 p.m. - 4 a.m.
  • Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
  • Saturday & Sunday: 10 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
  • Always open
  • Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
  • 214-590-8831
  • Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
  • Monday - Friday: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
  • Daily | Open 24 hours
  • Daily | Open 24 hours
  • Monday - Friday: 6 a.m. - 11 p.m.
  • Saturday: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. Sunday: Closed
  • Holiday hours may be different
Pay My Bill
Parkland Financial Assistance
Clinics
Our clinics
Right Ribbon
glyph
Medical Excellence
little glyph
Level I Trauma Center
little glyph
Stroke Center
little glyph
Burn Center
little glyph
Orthopaedics
little glyph
Epilepsy Center
little glyph
Cancer Care
little glyph
Parkland Center for Clinical Innovation
little glyph
Women & Infants Services
About Us
Welcome to Parkland
General Information
Contact Us
Locations
News & Updates
Subscribe to Parkland News Flash
Medical Services
Financial Summary
Parkland by the Numbers
Parkland's History
Sustainability at Parkland
New Parkland
Stories From Our Patients
Board of Managers
Leadership Team
Reports & Disclosures
Government Relations
Media Contacts
Videos
EEO Statement
LGBT Resources
Home > About Us > General Information > News & Updates > Ten reasons (beyond your looks) to maintain a healthy weight

Ten reasons (beyond your looks) to maintain a healthy weight

Posted: 1/8/2020

News and Updates

Parkland providers say it’s about saving, savoring your life


Looking your best is an ego-booster – and a great reason to shed those extra pounds you’ve been packing around. But physicians at Parkland Health & Hospital System say there are even more important reasons to maintain a healthy weight that have nothing to do with your appearance.

“The health impacts of obesity are hard to overestimate,” said Luigi Meneghini, MD, endocrinologist and Executive Director of the Global Diabetes Program at Parkland and Professor of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center. “It adversely affects everything in our bodies, head to toe. Excess fat, particularly belly fat, is a risk factor for chronic diseases like diabetes and metabolic syndrome that can significantly decrease the quality and the length of your life.”

“Obesity and overweight are linked to increased risk for cardiovascular disease and stroke,” said Amit Khera, MD, Parkland cardiologist and Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. “Being overweight is also linked to hypertension and an enlarged left ventricle, increasing the risk for heart failure. If you want to reduce your risk of heart problems, maintaining a healthy weight is crucial.”

“Often, obesity and depression go hand-in-hand,” said Rebecca Corona, PhD, lead psychologist at Parkland. “Studies have shown that 43% of adults with depression were obese, and adults with depression are more likely to be obese than adults without depression.”

In 2019 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a report showing that U.S. obesity rates had reached historic highs, with one in three Americans of all ages – more than 100 million people – having obesity. Calling it a national crisis, the CDC data showed that the incidence of obesity in the U.S. has increased by 70% over the last 30 years for adults and by a whopping 85% for children.

National Healthy Weight Month, observed every January, is a campaign to help Americans develop new, healthy habits that will last a lifetime.

Here are some of the health benefits of maintaining a healthy weight:

1. Reduces risk of heart disease and stroke
2. Reduces risk of diabetes
3. Reduces risk of cancer
4. Reduces risk of gallbladder disease, gallstones and gout
5. Improves sleep and allows your lungs to expand fully and breathe deeply
6. Reduces risk of sleep apnea
7. Increases motivation to exercise and engage in physical activities
8. Improves mood and emotional health, decreases stress-related hormones
9. Boosts energy, improves mobility
10. Protects against age-related diseases, including dementia, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis

But what is a “healthy weight” for you?

“It’s not just a number on the scale or clothing size,” said Sharon Cox, a registered dietitian who leads diabetes education classes at Parkland’s Bluitt-Flowers Health Center. “One measure of a healthy weight is Body Mass Index (BMI) which compares your height to your weight. Guidelines recommend that adults maintain a BMI between 18 and 25. BMI over 25 indicates overweight, while over 30 indicates obesity.”

What it’s not about, Cox emphasized, is dieting. “Fad diets usually fail because they lead to yo-yo weight loss and regaining weight. Instead, focus on creating healthy meals with whole grains, beans, peas, lentils, lean protein, low-fat dairy products and a wide variety of colorful fruits and vegetables.”

Another key to maintaining healthy weight is managing your portions, Cox noted. “Taking time to measure your food after cooking is one of the little things you can do that will help you reach and maintain your healthy weight.”

Here’s what Parkland experts say you can do now to ensure a healthier future:
• Stay at a healthy weight – if necessary, lose 5 to 7% of your body weight
• Eat well – learn to make healthier choices
• Be active – do some type of moderate physical activity 150 minutes or more per week

“By making these simple lifestyle changes, millions of people can live longer and healthier lives, avoiding the very serious health complications of obesity that can include certain cancers, heart disease and diabetes,” Dr. Meneghini concluded.

For more information about services at Parkland, visit www.parklandhospital.com


< Back
Quick Links 
I want to...
small glyph See patient care services
small glyph Find out if I am pregnant
small glyph Get a birth certificate
small glyph Get my medical records
small glyph Pay my bills
small glyph Fill out paperwork
Essential Links
small glyph Community Relations
small glyph Paying for your services
small glyph Quality information
small glyph Board of Managers
small glyph Leadership team
small glyph Texas Medicaid Waiver
small glyph Vendors
External Links
Parkland Foundation
Parkland Health Plan
PCCI
Parkland Links
small glyph Contact Us
small glyph Privacy Policy
small glyphMedia Policy
small glyph Ethics & Compliance
small glyph Site Map
 Employee Screening Survey
 Careers
Donate Now
MyChart login
Vendors
Español
Footer Parkland Hospital Logo

   
Footer Address
5200 Harry Hines Blvd. , Dallas , TX 75235
Footer Phone
214-590-8000
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Linked In
Pinterest
YouTube
Google Plus
Affiliate Organizations
I Stand for Parkland
Poison Center
Copyright 2021 Parkland Health & Hospital System
Loading... Loading...