by Matthew S. Bajko Although Janet Seldon is overweight, a resident of San Francisco is healthy. "There is a difference," Seld...
by Matthew S. Bajko
Although Janet Seldon is overweight, a resident of San Francisco is healthy.
"There is a difference," Seldon said, 62, a lesbian and a lawyer who works for a local nonprofit organization, noting that people can be "in any size healthy."
Anxious to maintain a healthy lifestyle, six years ago, Seldon, he joined the San Francisco Promenade dikes. The women every Saturday gathered in Golden Gate Park and walking together.
"From this other group a group developed was lunch. We decided we wanted a bit more of healing," Seldon said. "It has to make more fun and talk with people walking."
He also participated in a study of Power Aware called UCSF conducted that she and the other participants can speak in a variety of activities, writing and about their feelings for stretching exercises and meditation.
"It worked, because it was not only focused on the amount of calories you should lose weight to eat," Seldon who disclose his current weight dropped, but said he said 15 pounds lost in recent years. "It is not to lose weight, but it is in life more active."
Seldon also participated in a study based on the DIFO San Francisco State University named shortly do for us. It was part of a pioneering study by the federal government funded more than 40 lesbians and bisexual women concentrated at risk for weight-related illnesses.
"The point is that if you focus on losing weight, you should not focus on diet and exercise. It is not the best diet may not be the best exercise," he at- said. "It is not more than that, as their emotional and spiritual needs."
Numerous studies in recent years that lesbians and bisexual adult women have shown more likely to be obese than their heterosexual counterparts. However, interventions on the weight and the national unsuitability for their needs, health experts say.
To resolve this disparity, the Department of Health and Human Services US Bureau of Women's Health launched Healthy Weight Initiative lesbians and bisexual women: the fight for a healthy community where interventions tailored to culture 12 -16 weeks in 10 US cities.
found The results of the study, published in July in a health supplement women's magazine that the intervention was effective in helping lesbians and bisexual women, to improve their health habits.
"The main objective of this study was to provide a safe and supportive environment in the country where lesbians and bisexuals only to focus on the health of women," Jane McElroy, Ph.D., Professor and lesbian in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Missouri School of Medicine.
The senior author of the study results, McElroy was also the principal investigator of life, be active, created one of the five programs in the studio.
"We hope these results encourage other communities to develop strategies to support intervention lesbians and bisexual women, the active, healthy life that they want," he said.
Of the 266 women, almost 60 percent of the study participants who have participated in different research groups in connection with, their weekly minutes of physical activity increased by 20 percent and 29 percent below their waist-up to 5 percent.
Women have taken measures were as simple as parking farther from the store entrance, a walk after dinner, or choose to take the stairs instead of the elevator, McElroy said. What they should not do, he said, the stress is on how much they weigh.
"Women should be concerned about a healthy weight. This is not for your weight, it's a good feeling physically and mentally weight," he said.
Eighty percent of study participants achieved the health goals, including the goals and objectives of physical activity and diet weight loss, while 58 percent had three or more.
"I do not think women on their weight concentrated at all. They were more on feeling healthy and physical activity," said Suzanne Haynes, Ph.D., a consultant and lesbian science senior Department of Health and Human Services to Women's Health.
The main conclusion of the study, Haynes said, is programs that have been specially designed for lesbians and bisexual women.
"If you go to a normal weight loss system that is not there. They are not suitable for lesbians and bisexual women," Haynes said. "Women do not want to get on a scale. They were of the attitude that does not matter."
Many lesbian women, Haynes said, are not as concerned about their weight as many heterosexual women, and tend to be attracted to women more, who are overweight.
"They need support and the need for security and someone will talk to them, try not to be overweight," Haynes said. "We think that someone should be lesbian or bisexual. They need a safe place to talk about these issues, and what are their concerns."
The HWLB action involved five different programs developed through partnerships between research organizations and LGBT organizations. Each program lesbians and bisexual women over 40 are overweight, and involved weekly group meetings, nutritional education and physical activity, as well as pre- and post-intervention surveys.
In the Bay Area, residents of Berkeley and San Francisco participated in the study of health care for women. And Studio-based DIFO SF State enrolled 160 women Berkeley, El Cerrito, San Francisco, Santa Rosa Sebastopol.
This study showed women care about, or how to pay attention to the present moment, and how the sense of power and comfort itself is affected by different types of food. The women have also learned what was pleasant for a type of physical activity and feels on the body good.
"A group of simple program can have a significant impact on the feeling of a woman," Health Education Professor Michele SF State Eliason, 63, a lesbian who lives and supervised the study DIFO in San Francisco. "We can take control of our own health and to help others as a community."
San Francisco resident Vinicoff Dana, 63, a lesbian who is now retired, participated in the study at SF State. She refused to reveal his exact weight, saying it takes the medical definition of obesity.
"I've never been happy with my weight," Vinicoff said, adding that does that, however, "are trying to lose weight, abandoned. It is inefficient and a burden. Every time I tried it myself I recovered every pound lost and gained more. "
Instead of worrying about how many calories or lose weight, rather than try Vinicoff to stay active. She took dance lessons, made yoga and practiced Tai Chi to the couch and out of the house.
But he acknowledged that to be alone, she struggles to a regime of exercise routine to stay committed.
"I try to get out and walk more" Vinicoff said, "but I prefer to do things with other women."
She continued to participate in programs that Eliason Difo for interested women organized continue to participate now that the federal study concluded.
"Just leave the house and to talk to other people is very good," Vinicoff said. "The support of changes After I do in my life, is also very helpful."
