Guideline No. 4
Achieve and Maintain a Healthy Body Weight by Enjoying Regular Physical Activity and Healthy Eating.

This guideline highlights the importance of a healthy weight to overall well-being. Long term studies show that overweight people are at greater risk for many diseases including cancer. Excess body weight has been associated with an increased risk of developing cancers of the endometrium, breast, gallbladder and bile duct.

What is a Healthy Body Weight?

Despite the billions of dollars spent each year on weight loss diets, close to a third of Canadians are overweight. In addition, eating disorders, especially among young women are on the increase. The current preoccupation with body weight, body image and the relentless pursuit of thinness by many Canadians has prompted health professionals to look at weight issues as they affect both physical and mental health.

The healthy weight s concept was born out of the recognition that Canadians needed to shift their attention away from body weight alone and focus on healthy living in general. Healthy living involves eating well, being active and feeling good about oneself. It is believed that the healthy living approach will help Canadians achieve healthy weight in a positive and safe way.

A Healthy body weight is a weight range (not one ideal weight) appropriate for a particular height and body build. It is a weight at which you will:

feel fit and flexible;

fell healthy and energetic;

be at lower risk for weight-related health problems.

A healthy weight shouldn't be confused with a thin weight. Be too thin or constantly trying to get thin with one diet after another is not healthy.... physically or emotionally.

How Healthy is Your Weight?

The healthiness of your weight can be measured using the Body Mass Index (BMI). Use our BMI Calculator to find out if you are overweight.

Achieving a Healthy Body Weight

There are no magic pills, potions or low calorie diets that will help you get your weight into a healthy range. Regular physical activity combined with healthy eating, not dieting, promises to be the best hope for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.

Healthy Eating

To achieve or maintain a healthy weight, follow the Healthy Eating Guidelines.

Getting Physically Active

The kind of physical activity you choose can be cost free and as simple as you like, such as walking, riding a bike, dancing, hiking, gardening, running with your dog.......

You don't need to join a gym or sign up for an expensive sport. Just make an effort to become more physically active everyday.

Don't get fooled by the term "light" or "lite". These descriptions do not necessarily mean that a food is lower in calories or fat. Foods can be "light" in texture, taste and looks, features which have no bearing on fat or calories.

Info obtained from the Healthy Eating published by the Canadian Cancer Society