By SHEENA BUTLER

FN Summer Intern

Fried chicken, peas n' rice, baked macaroni and cheese, conch fritters and guava duff are all staples of the Bahamian diet.

The common denominator connecting these and most Bahamian delicacies is often the high content of unhealthy fat and starches that, when consumed regularly, can all lead to obesity.

Bahamians are dying. They are suffering from hypertension, diabetes and several life-threatening diseases that all stem from poor eating habits and lack of exercise.

Experts in the health care field are observing an alarming increase in the number of obese Bahamians within the last three decades, and this increase is being observed particularly in children.

"Children are being affected the most," said Dr. Gregory Bartlett, paediatrician and internal medicine specialist at the Rand Memorial Hospital. "The same type of dynamics that are happening globally is also what we have been seeing here."

Dietitian and certified personal trainer at Healthy Lifestyles, Renicia Bain, believes that the overwhelming number of children now being affected by obesity is propelling the problem to an even greater priority.

"It's getting to a point where our kids are being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes," Bain said. "Our adults are passing their habits to the children."

Type 2 Diabetes is characterized by the body's resistance to insulin or insulin deficiency in patients diagnosed. Its link to obesity distinguishes Type 2 Diabetes from Type 1. For this reason, the disease is commonly referred to as obesity-related diabetes.

Data provided by Grand Bahama's Department of Statistics reveal that a large percentage of deaths that occur in The Bahamas annually are due to obesity-related disorders. Seven percent of deaths in The Bahamas in 2003 were linked to Type 2 diabetes. That percentage represents 110 of the 1,649 deaths in that year. For a population of just over 300,000, this is an alarming number of its people.

Dr. Winston Forbes, cardiologist at Grand Bahama's Cardiovascular Centre, noted that between 65 and 75 percent of his patients are obese. Dr. I.E. Horsefall, general practitioner at Freeport Medical Clinic, shared similar sentiments, stating that 40 percent of her patients are also obese.

It is important to understand that there is a distinct difference between being categorized as overweight versus obese.

An overweight person weighs around 25 to 30 pounds more than the recommended healthy weight for their height and their body mass index (BMI) is between 25 to 29.99. An obese person weighs 30 pounds or more than the recommended weight for their height and has a BMI of 30 or greater. The healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9.

The departure from a time when a number of Bahamians were considered overweight to today, when more than half of the population is obese, sends a cold, harsh message of its own.

"Obesity in itself can cause heart failure," Dr. Forbes said.

The heart specialist emphasized that people that are obese but are not diagnosed with one of the diseases with which obesity is associated are still not in the safe zone. Obesity in itself is a medical condition that has to be addressed separately. It is also linked to hypertension, colon cancer, gall bladder disorders and liver diseases.

To understand and properly tackle the issue of obesity, experts say, the major causes should be recognized.

"Too much refined food is the bottom line," Bain explained. "We don't get enough natural foods; refined foods are killing us."

Bain added that the excuse that living a healthy lifestyle is expensive can be easily eliminated.

"I find that you can buy healthy foods at reasonable prices," she said. "It costs $35 a month for a membership at Healthy Lifestyles, but the road is free, the beaches are free and the tracks are free!"

In a recent survey conducted among Bahamians between the ages of 18 and 45, 57 percent categorized themselves as living healthy lifestyles. However, national statistics suggest otherwise.

Bain and others in the medical field find that many Bahamians have a warped understanding of the standards of healthy living.

"I see people who excercise every day and go home and not lose weight because they're not eating right," Bain said.

Dr. Horsefall also noted similar observations; she explained that the main reason that so many Bahamians are obese is due to poor eating habits.

"I think people are eating too much fast foods and fried foods," she said. "There are so many children that are obese because they are eating too much fast foods at school."

Health care professionals agree that the weight issues that exist in The Bahamas need to be addressed, starting from society's youngest darlings.

"We need to go into the primary schools to encourage some change in lifestyles," Dr. Forbes said.

Some of the recreational activities of Bahamians are also a cause for concern. Alcoholic beverages, known for the large number of calories that they contain, are used typically by Bahamians as a tool for relaxation and interaction with friends and family.

Dr. Forbes cited alcohol as another primary factor for high obesity rates in the country, particularly in the male population, whom he said experience "abdominal girth" as a result of excessive alcohol consumption. Obesity and alcohol consumption are both tied to liver diseases and often go hand in hand in destroying the vital organ.

A number of Bahamians who maintain healthy weights throughout their primary and high school years frequently enter society with their only source of physical activity now non-existent. With a physical education (P.E.) class no longer a weekly activity, many Bahamians fail to excercise on their own.

Dr. Horsefall explained that Bahamians can see significant results from taking part in regular excercise activity if "they can take the time to be bothered with it."

"Taking the time to be bothered with it" is slowly becoming less of an option and more of a major priority. Professionals in the medical field are urging Bahamians to see obesity as a pressing concern that can no longer be swept under the rug.

STAYING HEALTHY — Medical professionals are growing increasingly concerned about the large number of Bahamians who are not getting sufficient exercise or eating a healthy, balanced diet. Stephanie Cox is pictured here working out along with her trainer Shandra Munroe (standing) at the Healthy Lifestyles gym. (Photo by JENNEVA RUSSELL)