akasleepingbeauty
My favorite place to run is Disney!!
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2000
- Messages
- 914
There was an article in our paper today about a family that sought advice from a nutritionist. The nutritionist came in to advise the whole family on how to eat better, make better choices, etc. - the usual. The family was husband, wife, and 2 daughters (6 and 10). The mother was particulary concerned about the girls as one she felt ate too much (the 10 y/o) and the other she felt ate too little. She was also concerned that the family as a whole ate too few fruits and vegetables.
The general advice from the nutritionist was as expected - more fruits and vegetables, low or no-fat milk, less sugar etc. Nothing really surprising or out of the ordinary.
What REALLY REALLY griped me was the nutritionist's general suggestions to this family about weight. She recommended that the family maintain the recommended weight by the following guidelines:
Women:
100 lbs. for the first five feet and 5 lbs. for each inch over that
For an "average" frame person (can just meet thumb and middle finger around your wrist) use the above calculation.
For a "large" frame person (thumb and middle finger don't meet around wrist) add 10%.
For a "small" frame person (thumb and middle finger overlp around wrist) subtract 10%.
For men the only difference is 106 lbs. for the first five feet and 6 lbs. for each inch above.
I have read this kind of thing before but I really thought it was considered outdated and would never have expected it to be quoted by a "modern" nutritionist in this manner.
This would mean that the mother in this family would need to either weigh 99 lbs (small frame), 110 lbs (average frame) or 121 lbs (large frame). Doesn't that seem quite thin for a 41 y/o woman on average?
For me it would mean I am supposed to weigh 108 (5'4" small frame). I weighed that in high school and college and was just about the skinniest person I knew. I cannot believe that anyone would recommend I weigh that much at this point in my life (I am 40). I can indeed use to lose some weight but having a goal of 108 would seem very wrong to me at this point in my life. Even my 87 y/o grandmother who is tiny and frail would just barely make the cutoff using this guideline - yikes!!
I do realize that most Americans are overweight and that there is an obesity crisis in this country but I really find it hard to believe that it would even be reasonable to expect any significant portion of the population to be able to follow this guideline even with healthy eating and exercise.
I just find this kind of "general" weight loss recommendation that has no regard for age or anything except "frame" to be reckless and dangerous. I can't imagine someone reading that and actually believing that this is a healthy recommendation for every woman and man. The things that would have to take place for many many people to reach these weights would be dangerous and life-threatening and to give no other guidelines or recommendations seems so irresponsible. I just can't believe that a good nutritionist would be that cut and dried with weight recommendations.
Okay, that is my gripe for the day. I just hate to see an article that seems so healthy on the outside ("family seeks healthier eating advice from nutritionist") turn out to be something so wrong for so many people who might read it.
The general advice from the nutritionist was as expected - more fruits and vegetables, low or no-fat milk, less sugar etc. Nothing really surprising or out of the ordinary.
What REALLY REALLY griped me was the nutritionist's general suggestions to this family about weight. She recommended that the family maintain the recommended weight by the following guidelines:
Women:
100 lbs. for the first five feet and 5 lbs. for each inch over that
For an "average" frame person (can just meet thumb and middle finger around your wrist) use the above calculation.
For a "large" frame person (thumb and middle finger don't meet around wrist) add 10%.
For a "small" frame person (thumb and middle finger overlp around wrist) subtract 10%.
For men the only difference is 106 lbs. for the first five feet and 6 lbs. for each inch above.
I have read this kind of thing before but I really thought it was considered outdated and would never have expected it to be quoted by a "modern" nutritionist in this manner.
This would mean that the mother in this family would need to either weigh 99 lbs (small frame), 110 lbs (average frame) or 121 lbs (large frame). Doesn't that seem quite thin for a 41 y/o woman on average?
For me it would mean I am supposed to weigh 108 (5'4" small frame). I weighed that in high school and college and was just about the skinniest person I knew. I cannot believe that anyone would recommend I weigh that much at this point in my life (I am 40). I can indeed use to lose some weight but having a goal of 108 would seem very wrong to me at this point in my life. Even my 87 y/o grandmother who is tiny and frail would just barely make the cutoff using this guideline - yikes!!
I do realize that most Americans are overweight and that there is an obesity crisis in this country but I really find it hard to believe that it would even be reasonable to expect any significant portion of the population to be able to follow this guideline even with healthy eating and exercise.
I just find this kind of "general" weight loss recommendation that has no regard for age or anything except "frame" to be reckless and dangerous. I can't imagine someone reading that and actually believing that this is a healthy recommendation for every woman and man. The things that would have to take place for many many people to reach these weights would be dangerous and life-threatening and to give no other guidelines or recommendations seems so irresponsible. I just can't believe that a good nutritionist would be that cut and dried with weight recommendations.
Okay, that is my gripe for the day. I just hate to see an article that seems so healthy on the outside ("family seeks healthier eating advice from nutritionist") turn out to be something so wrong for so many people who might read it.
