1 Juta Wanita Malaysia Ahli Kelab 3G...?

Putrajaya, 13 Jun 2007: Lebih sejuta wanita berusia antara 25 hingga 64 tahun (18.8%) di negara ini dikategorikan sebagai gemuk, sekali gus terdedah kepada risiko mengalami pelbagai penyakit kronik, termasuk serangan jantung, diabetes dan strok.

Kajian Bahagian Kawalan Penyakit Kementerian Kesihatan tahun lalu mendapati 20% penduduk dewasa dan 21% kanak-kanak di negara ini mengalami masalah 3G; gebu, gemuk dan gempal. Fakta menunjukkan, peratusan wanita mengatasi golongan lelaki.

Menurut Menteri Kesihatan Malaysia, Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, kajian itu mendapati bilangan penduduk gemuk di Malaysia kini kedua paling ramai di Asia Tenggara. Ia merupakan 19% dari golongan wanita dan 14% (kira-kira 850,000 orang) dari golongan lelaki.

Gemuk atau obesiti adalah keadaan apabila kadar lemak dalam tubuh seseorang melebihi berat jisim ideal.

Secara fizikalnya, sememangnya tubuh wanita mengandungi lemak yang lebih tinggi menjadikan mereka lebih berisiko untuk menjadi gemuk berbanding lelaki.

Masalah 3G dikalangan masyarakat negara ini sebenarnya semakin serius. Ia tidak lagi dianggap sebagai lambang sehat dan sejahtera sebagaimana tanggapan masyarakat terdahulu, sebaliknya petanda awal mengundang pelbagai penyakit kronik.

Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia (WHO) turut menyatakan, gemuk juga meningkatkan risiko untuk mendapat kanser payu dara, kanser kolon, kanser prostat, uterus, buah pinggang dan penyakit pundi hempedu menerusi perubahan hormon akibat kegemukan.

Dietary fibre

WHAT IS DIETARY FIBRE?

Dietary fibre used to be known as ‘roughage’. It comprises the edible parts of plants that are not broken down and absorbed in the human small intestine. Types of dietary fibre may also be categorised according to their physiological effects; helping to prevent constipation or helping to control blood cholesterol and glucose levels.

Depending on the type of fibre present in food, it is partly or completely fermented, by gut bacteria in the large intestine, producing gases (carbon dioxide, methane and hydrogen) and short chain fatty acids (butyrate, acetate and propionate). Gut bacteria are essential for the health of the large bowel. The short chain fatty acids are absorbed into the cells of the gut wall, where they can be used as fuel, or pass on into the blood stream. After increasing the amount of fibre in the diet, some people experience symptoms such as abdominal distension, discomfort and wind. However, the large intestine and gut bacteria usually quickly adapt to the increased intake and problems with wind usually decrease.

Types of dietary fibre usually include non-starch polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, lignin and associated plant substances. These are traditionally found in cereal foods, beans, lentils, fruit and vegetables. The term dietary fibre also includes a type of starch known as resistant starch, which resists digestion to its component sugar, glucose, in the human small intestine and passes unchanged into the large intestine. A number of types of resistant starch exist naturally and these are chiefly found in whole or partly-milled grains and seeds, pulses, some breakfast cereals e.g. corn flakes, and cooked and cooled (retrograded) potatoes. Commercially manufactured sources of resistant starch that are colourless, odourless and bland in flavour are now available. These may be used by food manufacturers to increase the total fibre content of a range of foods without affecting taste and texture.

Dietary fibre may also be broadly described according to its solubility. There are two broad types of fibre: insoluble and soluble. Oat, fruits, vegetables and pulses (beans, lentils, chickpeas) are good sources of soluble fibre. Wholegrain cereals and wholemeal bread are particularly good sources of insoluble fibre. Because insoluble and soluble fibre are found in different proportions in fibre-containing foods and have different properties, it is important to eat a variety of fibre-containing foods.

HEALTH BENEFITS (PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS) OF EATING FIBRE

Both soluble and insoluble dietary fibre can promote a number of positive physiological effects, helping to prevent constipation, lower blood cholesterol levels and control blood glucose levels. Sources of insoluble fibre can act as bulking (laxative) agents and help prevent constipation. For fibre to have the best effect on preventing constipation, an increase in fibre intake should be accompanied by an increase in water intake. Soluble forms of fibre eaten in large amounts can help reduce blood cholesterol levels. They can also help people with diabetes to control their blood glucose levels.

On the other hand, eating a diet low in fibre is associated with diverticulitis (where the bowel wall becomes inflammed and ultimately damaged) and bowel (colorectal) cancer. Increasing evidence points to a protective effect of eating a diet rich in dietary fibre on diverticulitis and colo-rectal cancer. However, it is unclear whether this is always a direct effect of the fibre or whether it is because a higher fibre content is a characteristic of a healthier diet. In other words, it may also be that people who eat plenty of fibre follow other dietary and lifestyle advice such as to eat less fat, eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, drink plenty of fluid and do more exercise.

HOW MUCH FIBRE DO WE EAT?

Most people do not eat enough dietary fibre. The average intake in Britain is 12g per day and it has been recommended that this rises to an average of 18g per day for adults. Children need proportionally less. For pre-school children, however, introduction of fibre-rich foods should be done gradually. Too much fibre can make the diet so bulky that young children become full before they have eaten sufficient food to satisfy their need for essential vitamins, minerals and energy. The major sources of dietary fibre in the British diet are whole-grain and high-fibre breakfast cereals and bread (because they are rich in fibre and are eaten frequently).

A diet rich in fibre is usually lower in fat and contains more starchy foods, fruit and vegetables. Very high intakes of dietary fibre can reduce absorption in the small intestine (see figure) of some minerals from food as these are bound by the fibre in insoluble complexes. However, fermentation in the large intestine can release some of the bound minerals so they can eventually be absorbed into the blood stream. The amount of vitamins and minerals lost through eating a diet rich in fibre is not likely to be significant unless an individual’s diet is already poor.

Source: British Nutrition Foundation

Tips Kekal Sehat

* Minum air secukupnya ( 8 hingga 10 gelas sehari). Air membantu tubuh dalam proses menyah toksik dalam badan.

* Elakkan snek dan makanan segera kerana mengandungi bahan perasa seperti sodium. Ungsur kimia ini adalah toksin yang boleh menganggu fungsi organ tubuh.

* Lebihkan mengambil protin berasaskan tumbuhan / ogranik seperti kacang soya. Protin haiwan biasanya tinggi kolesterol, tetapi tidak bermakna anda menghindarkannya terus.

* Yogurt rendah lemak adalah baik kerana ia mengandungi bakteria baik yang boleh membantu penyerapan nutrien. Peningkatan usia sering diiringi kehilangan enzim penting yang berfungsi memecahkan gula dalam produk tenusu. Jadi ada baiknya anda mengurangkan pengambilan hasil tenusu dan gantikan dengan yogurt.

*Pastikan bekalan air anda bersih. Dapatkan sistem penapis air yang berkualiti. Ingat, pengambilan air yang bersih dan mencukupi
boleh merangsang awet muda.

*Berhati-hati dengan kafein. Ia terdapat di dalam kopi dan sebagainya. Kafein sebenarnya bersifat toksik kepada badan dan menyebabkan pengoksidanan kulit, menjadikannya cepat berkedut.

*Jika anda impikan berat badan ideal yang langsing menawan, jauhkan makanan berasaskan lemak tepu, berprotin tinggi dan banyak kolesterol dalam diet anda.

*Amalkan diet berasaskan tumbuhan organik dan karbohidrat kompleks. Ia bukan sahaja mengekalkan aras gula dalam darah, malah turut memanjangkan hayat alteri anda.

Ubat Tahan Selera Bawa Maut

London, 1 Mac 2007: Agensi pengawal ubat Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu telah mengeluarkan amaran, pengambilan ubat penahan selera mengandungi bahan anorectics secara berkebihan boleh memberi kesan kesihatan yang serius kepada pengguna; malah boleh menyebabkan kematian!

Berikutan itu, Lembaga Pengawal Narkotik Antarabangsa (INCB) telah meminta pehak berkuasa mengambil langkah tegas untuk mengawal penggunaannya di negara di beberapa negara dan kian menjadi ikutan di seluruh dunia.

Laporan menyatakan, pengambilan ubat pelangsing yang mengandungi bahan dikenali sebagain anorectics ini boleh mendatangkan kesan sampingan tiba-tiba panik, bersikap ganas, suka berkhayal, mengalami masalah pernafasan, sawan, koma dan kematian.

Anorectics adalah ubat terkawal yang hanya boleh diambil dengan pengawasan doktor. Namun akhir-akhir ini ia semakin mudah diperolehi melalui internet.

Secara amnya ia digunakan untuk menahan selera dan rasa lapar dalam merawat kegemukan. Persidangan Psikotropi Ke IV 1971 menyenaraikan 14 bahan anorectics. Lima daripadanya menguasai pasaran ubat penahan selera: phentermine (45 %), (23 %), fenproporex amfepramone (18 %), mazindol (9 %) dan phendimetrazine (4 %).

Brazil, Argentina, Republik Korea, Amerika Syarikat, Singapore dan Hong Kong adalah diantara negara yang pernah mencatatkan penggfunaan tertinggi ubat-ubatan berkaitan.

INCB turut menegaskan, kawalan dan penguatkuasaan oleh kerajaan akan dapat mengawal penggunaan bahan ini seperti yang telah dibuktikan kejayaannya di Chilie, Denmark dan Perancis.

Sumber: INBC