Healthy Weight Management
Maintaining a healthy body weight is important for your overall health and wellbeing. A low kilojoule, low fat diet with regular physical activity is still an ideal way to help you lose or maintain your weight. With a POINTS value of 1½ on the Weight Watchers Program, a 250mL serve of Pura Tone is a no fat milk with essential calcium and nutrients needed for healthy weight management. Pura Light Start is just 1% fat with a great creamy taste.
Dairy and Weight
Some people mistakenly believe that dairy foods are fattening, removing them from their diet when they are trying to lose weight. Eating too much, without adequate physical activity can lead to weight gain!
Exciting research shows that a low kilojoule diet, rich in dairy nutrients may actually help with managing your weight. There are many nutrients in dairy foods which are important for a healthy weight management plan. In particular, protein may help you feel fuller. Low GI foods may also help keep you feeling fuller for longer.
The National Health and Medical Research Council Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Overweight and Obesity recognise that higher calcium, reduced kilojoule diets may be beneficial for healthy weight management, particularly dairy calcium.
Milk is a nutritious and important part of a healthy diet. If you are watching your weight simply choose low or reduced fat milk like Pura Tone or Pura Light Start to help you keep your fat and kilojoule intake down.
Are You a Healthy Weight?
Finding out whether you are a healthy weight is simple. Calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) by inputting your weight in kilograms and height in metres, below:
Your BMI gives you an indication of whether you are in a healthy weight range, as below:
- Under 20 - underweight
- 20 to 25 - healthy weight
- 26 to 30 - overweight
- Over 30 - very overweight or obese
It is important to remember however that BMI calculations may overestimate the amount of body fat for some people including body builders, high performance athletes and pregnant women. BMI calculations can also underestimate the amount of body fat for some groups including the elderly, and people with a physical disability who may have muscle wasting.
For some people it may be better to use your waist circumference. This will indicate whether you are carrying an unhealthy amount of weight around your middle, which can place you at greater risk of ill health.
| Health risk | Waist circumference | |
|---|---|---|
| Men | Women | |
| Increased risk | more than 94 cm | more than 80 cm |
| Substantially increased risk | more than 102 cm | more than 88 cm |
If your BMI or waist circumference is high you should take action to manage your weight. Choosing a low fat diet, rich in fruit and vegetables, whole grain breads and cereals, lean meat and low fat dairy foods, plus regular physical activity may help.
For further weight loss advice speak to your doctor or an Accredited Practicing Dietitian. (Visit the Dietitians Association of Australia website to find a dietitian, www.daa.asn.au )
Note: references are available on request.