Sixty-three percent of the United States population are overweight ,and obesity is on the verge of surpassing smoking as the number one cause of preventable death.

Heart disease, cancer, depression, diabetes and kidney problems are all linked to being overweight, or having a body mass index of 25 or more, and obesity, a condition marked by a body mass index of 30 or more.

This is the bad news that came along with a message on weight management given by Dr. Ralph E. Carson at a free health seminar held in The Cinema on May 6. Carson is a registered dietician and nationally recognized expert , published author and speaker in the fields of eating disorders, weight management, exercise physiology and child obesity.

The forum was sponsored by Monarch Health Sciences, an international weight management company created by experts in the areas of weight management, exercise, nutrition and psychology.

Carson is co-founder and chief science officer of Monarch and is joined on the company's medical advisory board by other leading experts, including Orangeburg surgeon Dr. Randolph Smoak, former president of the American Medical Association and former Chair of Council of the World Medical Association.

Carson has helped develop what many weight management experts have termed a "balanced obesity solution" to include a dissolution of the idea that the nation's 17,284 published diets actually work against obesity. His lesson to audience members included how each could stick to a weight-loss and fitness program, and undergo a healthful acceleration of the slow weight loss process.

"My purpose is to talk about prevention," said Carson, citing that while studies have shown a strong genetic link in obesity incidence, the issue has even more to do with lifestyle.

"Who my parents are provides ammunition and how I live pulls the trigger," he said, summarizing a theory in today's "toxic environment" of overeating and excessive weight gain.

"Supersize is not meant to be a verb," he said, citing that Americans are eating two and a half times more than what they need to maintain weight. "As omnivores, we eat everything that doesn't eat us first, and we have an intense desire for sugar and ... fat."

He said dieting does not work because "the human body is not protected from gaining weight, it is protected from losing weight."

Depriving the body of carbohydrates, proteins, or other nutrients to be able to fit in a bathing suit or favorite dress is not the way to go and will backfire, Carson said.

The five components of his comprehensive weight management program are a balanced diet, personal motivation, behavioral and lifestyle changes, a moderate exercise program and accountability to a counselor or coach.

Exercise alone will not help you lose weight, especially since a person would have to walk 60 to 70 miles to lose one pound of body fat. Exercise is important only when coupled with an understanding of knowing how to diet and how to increase your metabolism, Carson said. He said having a support system, particularly with a physician or other health care provider, is also key in fighting against obesity and overweight.

He said there is no "quick fix or magic pill" in dieting, including the high-fat, low-carb fundamentals included in the popular Atkins diet.

"I'm married to no diet," he said, citing that low-fat, high-protein diets were also popular at one time before fading away in ultimate failure to keep weight down. Carson said the key is finding balance in eating a diet filled with foods containing all the daily essential nutrients, including carbohydrates. Referring to the meat eaten on the Atkins diet, Carson said red meat contains an acid that can easily lead to blood clotting, which then leads to an increased risk for heart attack. He said the diet's eating principles can also be associated with the eventual destruction of the memory center of the brain.

"What will happen is people will self-destruct. You can't stay off of carbohydrates forever. It's all about balance," he said, citing that any diet that relies on depravity of any kind is not healthy.

He said convenience, taste and cost matter most to consumers when deciding what to eat, but today's fast-paced society which is becoming increasingly more reliant on eating out needs to reverse that trend.

"Sixty cents of every food dollar is spent eating out, so we're kinda at the mercy of what people have to serve," he said, before also warning about taking too many vitamins and other health supplements.

"Don't start playing doctor. Other than a bacterial infection, most times the body heals itself," he said, citing "a diet of moderation and healthy food" will help start that process. Helping the body get the right nutrients and become activated through exercise and other physical activity is key, Carson said.

Orangeburg resident Susan Bateman, Monarch's southeast representative, said the company is about educating the Orangeburg and other communities about the importance of education and implementing a supportive, well-balanced weight management program in the fight against obesity.

"Monarch knows that they're no magic pills. It's going to have to be education and cognitive behavior. I am very passionate about health. I've been in the obesity prevention field for the last four years," said Bateman, stressing that people need to take a proactive rather than reactive approach to weight loss.

"My plea is for people to understand that it's going to take personal responsibility. It's not the quantity of life (that matters), it's the quality of life," Bateman said.

Monarch Health Sciences has its own "Forever Fit" program and more information about the medical services company can be found at the website www.monarchhs.com/fit4life, or by contacting Monarch's Southeast representative, Orangeburg resident Susan Bateman at 803-531-1113.

T&D Staff Writer Dionne Gleaton can be reached by e-mail at dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or by calling 533-5534.

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