Plant-Based Diet Can Help Prevent Obesity In Middle-Aged Adults

Abstract

Middle-Aged Adults have so much to be mindful about from the concerns of income, housing, employment, marriage, health concerns and to top it off how to maintain a healthy lifestyle through diet that would help prevent obesity. With the hype over so many new and so-called improved diet plans that can help some lose weight that can help control cravings, to low carbs, low fat, just to name a few. The new trend is that more Middle-Aged Adults are turning to Plant-Based diets and stepping away from being a meat lover. There is an estimated total number of roughly about 3.2 percent adults so that is about 0.5 percent who's diet is nothing more than plant-based which consumes no meat products, thus this tells us that within the United States there are 7.3 million people who are all adults that are vegetarians for the lack of better words and 1 million of them are vegans (Stark, 2015). Middle-Aged Adults whose diet consists of plant-based foods have a lower rate of heart disease, reduce stroke, high blood pressure, and fight obesity. The main first conserved is weight/obesity that is linked to unhealthy health issues that can be on unwanted sickness among middle-aged adults between the ages of 45-65yrs old. The purpose of this study was to assess whether Plant-Based Diet Can Help Prevent Obesity in Middle-Aged Adults

Introduction

Obesity is said to be a medication in which people have excess weight on their body which in turn may have an impact on their health. In the medical field, they measure a person's body mass index which is shortened to BMI when a Body mass index is above 30 is obese and if your BMI is anywhere between 25-29.9 you are considered to be a bit overweight (Blackburn, Jacobs, (June 2014). Being obese can impact one's health in many ways, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attacks, and can even lead to stroke. The break down within those who are obese is measured in body fat percentage for women it is between 32% and for men, it is between 25% (Malcolm, (April 12, 2015). When we take a closer look at what obesity is being defined as what doctors call an abnormal fat accumulation which a person can be at risk for certain health concerns as I’ve already mentioned. Being obese can shorten your life expectancy rate to down about 20 years (Flegal, Kruszon-Moran, Carroll MD, Fryar, Ogden, (2005-2014, 2016). There are many ways that doctors can tell if someone is obese and these are done with many factors (Hu, (2008).

Many methods can serve as a prevention in the combat of fighting obesity, these methods will not only help to maintain a healthy weight but can help overcomes sickness or even reverse the effects of some illness (but more information, research is needed to be performed). The preventive methods include a full range of day to day activities which mostly involve some sort of daily physical activity, decrease in sugar intake, fat intake, (there are good fats and then there are fats that are bad for the body), the increase in eating more fresh fruit, fresh vegetables and not to mentioned a good healthcare plan that has added on benefits to see a dietician or a nutrients without having to pay out the pocket (Center For Disease Control and Prevention). In middle-aged adults have a lot of chronic diseases that are associated with obesity and with this comes a decline in physical activities, and it becomes more and more impossible for them to lose the excess weight (Ekkekakis, Lind, & Vazou, (2010). The purpose of this research is to assess the benefits of a Plant-Based Diet prevention of obesity in Middle-Aged Adults.

Methods

A search was done using the ACHS American College of Healthcare and Science, PubMed, and Medscape., Some of the search words used were as followed Plant-Based Diet, Middle-Aged Adults and Plant-Based Diet, Vegan Diet. Each reference search showed a complete list of peer-reviewed articles, publications, pamphlets, test books, blogs, and published journals. There was also search that was done on the web using Google search engine, and Yahoo which showed some reliable data and information, which provided some ways that middle-aged adults can benefit from a Plant-Based Diet within a years' time will help manage and prevent obesity as well be an alternative treatment to reverse the disease.

Results

Middle-Aged Adults can benefit from a plant-based diet, which is a lot healthier than other diet plans that are out there. Studies have shown that Plant-based diets can help you manage weight, diabetes and other health issues. Since middle-aged adults sometimes can have poor eating habits, a Plant-Based diet provides them with healthy food choices that promote healing, immune system boost, and heart health as well. Plant-Based Diet is a consider a low-fat diet, there are also other Plant-Based therapies available to middle-aged adults. While on a Plant-Based Diet with regular exercises, weight loss management, Good Medicine, (2018). Starting a Plant-Based Diet doesn’t mean that you are vegan it’s just that you are choosing to take a healthier route to eating more healthier with cutting out foods that are processed, GMOs (McMacken, & Shah, (2017). Some of the benefits of a plant-based diet are as followed, but is not limited to more research and case study evidence;

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• Reduce Heart Disease
• Reduce certain Cancers
• Help improve Diabetes
• Help with Cognitive Decline

Plant-Based diet consist of nothing more than foods that are derived from plants, some of these foods are as followed

• Nuts
• Seeds
• Legumes
• Fresh Vegetables and Fruits

Considering that plant-based meals have no meat in them, and others do have few meat byproducts in the ingredients (Tuso, Ismail, Mohamed, Ha, Benjamin, & Bartolotto, (Spring 2013). When it comes to plant-based diet even though it contains some meat, fish and other dairy products, but its focus is on whole foods and not processed foods which are not healthy for middle-aged adults. There are a few foods that are not considered plant-based these are as followed some mushrooms, fermented and pickled foods such as cheese, and yogurt and alcoholic drinks (Campbell, Colin, Jacobson, Howard (2013). When we think about a plant-based diet will the calories be enough to maintain a healthy lifestyle and can also lead to preventing obesity? The calorie intake is anywhere between 1,500 for middle-aged adults this is a diet that consists of foods that are full of fiber, rich in vitamins, minerals. Plant-Based Diet along with the serving size as followed, but it’s not limited to the list you may have or what was given to you from your Holistic Health Consultant as followed below.

• Whole Grains – 3 servings per day which includes brown rice, oats, whole or wheat pasta, and quinoa
• Dark Leafy Greens – 2-3 servings per day
• Legumes – 3 servings per day which includes beans, lentils, chickpeas
• Berries – 2-3 servings per day which includes Berries which are considered low calorie

Other Vegetables 3 servings per day which includes sweet potato, and carrots (Taylor, (2018).

Discussion

Is there enough evidence that points in the direction, that a plant-based diet can lead or even prevent obesity in middle-aged adults? The first things that we do know and understand that plant-based diets are very low in saturated fat and free from cholesterol, but very rich in fiber and let's not forget that it provides a host of minerals, vitamins and as well antioxidants. Other research has also shown us that this type of diet helps lower the risk of heart disease in middle-aged adults (Hever, (201t's not just understanding what a plant-based diet is, it's also understanding the dietary rules and understanding just because you limited to plant-based foods which sometimes can include meat, you are not a vegan or a vegetarian. Middle-Aged Adults need to maintain a healthy diet due to aging, health and other lifestyle changes. Yet more research and group studies should be done to see if a plant-based diet can be linked to the prevention of obesity, but also at the same time the prevention of health conditions that come along with obesity. Recommendations can come from a personal healthcare provider on how effective plant-based diet can help the body in weight management, because most middle-aged adults have already taken steps in improving their diet, while yet some still eat processed foods for the most part and these are those who are at risk the most in developing obesity and other health conditions. It has always puzzled me that when people that are not considered to be middle-aged adults under the age of 40 seem to be healthy at least, but it’s as soon you reach the age of 45 and above which is considered to be middle-aged that you see the most people that are obese and have issues with weight management and some even have died due to being overweight (Ha, (2019).

Recommendations

Upon review of so many studies and papers and also from asking questions from friends and family, My recommendation would be that a Plant-Based Diet would benefit someone that has Type 2 Diabetes with diet management and a good support system, you can either reverse the illness and at the same time loss the weight and improve the blood glucose levels. Middle-Age Adults that are researching Plant-Based Diet and thinking about making some natural health food changes should first talk with their local doctors to see if they can benefit from a Plant Based Diet; depending on age and or other factors some middle-age adults may not be able to benefit from just a Plant-Based Diet, other things are start preparing the body; because once you cut out certain foods that are not healthy your body starts going through changes as the body start to notice that whatever foods that you was eating at the time you no longer consume them so thus your body gets rid of the unwanted toxins and heals, thus this requires detoxing the body and cutting out all sugars, saturated fats, a lot of starchy foods. Ongoing studies are still needed to determine if there is a cause for the exists that are between Plant-Based Diet and the intervention of obesity in middle-aged adults (Chen, et al (2018).

Conclusion

A Plant-Based Diet is beneficial to middle-aged adults when it comes to the prevention of obesity that aligns with the prevention of health conditions. Which will help them maintain a healthy lifestyle by cutting out foods that are unhealthy and introducing them foods that are plant-based which they may not normally eat and cutting out some meat and process food products? The results are weight loss, some health conditions turned around, which will no longer be a need for conventional medications (Palmer, S. (2018). Plant-Based Diet is more convent for those who want to overcome the barriers of being obese other illnesses and or diseases that are associated with obesity. The results are simple Plant-Based takes the place of other meal prep limiting the intake of calories, sugars and other unwanted nutrients that the body does not need. Also, Plant-Based Diet is very different from a Vegan or Vegetarian Diet as you can eat meat and Fish for the consumption of protein but knowing what meats and fish to eat when it comes to plant-based diets that include those foods.

References

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