foti and tofi

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150817/jsp/knowhow/story_37515.jsp

Fat outside, thin inside

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Your Health - Dr. Gita Mathai

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Human beings do not roll off a factory line like cars, identical in appearance. They vary in shape and size. They may be classified in the case of women as pears, apples or bananas or as upside down triangles, upright triangles, hour glasses, diamonds, rectangles or the number 8. These classifications are self-explanatory.

Males are classified as ectomorphs (very thin), endomorps (medium) or mesomorphs (positively obese). The athletic mesomorph is most attractive to women.

Our body type is genetic. Less than 15 per cent of the population is blessed with their perceived ideal body type. The other 85 per cent are unhappy with their shape and want to change it. Most are unsuccessful. Changing body shape requires great effort.

For years the gold standard for health was the BMI (body mass index), the weight in kilograms divided by the height in meters squared. For Indian adults the ideal BMI is now 23. If you have a BMI of 30 or more, you are obese. The fallacy is that some fit individuals like sumo wrestlers and kabbadi players have a high BMI. They are not obese - just fit and muscular. So many people fell outside the spectrum that total body fat became the new mantra for measuring health. No one should have more than 25 per cent body fat.

Total fat content of the body is not easy to measure. It requires an MRI scan. When heavy weight sumo wrestlers were checked during studies, they were found to have most of their fat deposited under the skin. They had little or no visceral fat. In short, they were FOTIs (fat outside thin inside). This was in sharp contrast to many thin individuals and size zero women who were TOFIs (thin outside fat inside).

In everyone, including FOTIs and TOFIs, extra fat gets deposited around the abdominal organs as visceral fat. This precipitates lifestyle diseases like hypertension and diabetes. The extra fat in the body acts as an independent organ. It releases chemicals and hormones. These alter mood, reduce lucid and deductive thinking and prevent restful sleep. It also increases the propensity to develop cancer. It changes the reproductive hormonal profile leading to lower fertility - and even sterility - in men and women.

People cannot change their body type - but they can work with it. This requires a controlled diet as well as exercise. For it to be effective, you should exercise non-stop for at least 40 minutes a day.

As people get older, their weight slowly climbs. This is because the metabolism slows down. Increasing the exercise and marginally reducing the food can circumvent this.

Quick look

• You may be born with an unattractive shape but you CAN work with what you have
• FOTI is healthier than TOFI
• Everyone should exercise for at least 40 minutes every day

Dr Gita Mathai is a paediatrician with a family practice at Vellore. Questions on health issues may be emailed to her at yourhealthgm@yahoo.co.in