VLCC fights obesity with the Orange Pledge

This campaign is aimed at encouraging people to log on to www.orangepledge.com and click on the orange button on the website as a symbolic affirmation to support and fight the scourge of obesity and lead a healthier life.

This was launched globally, across the 16 countries in which the company operates.

VLCC also unveiled Body Mass Index and Fat Percentage – A Paradox, a knowledge paper by the company’s R&D department, which busts a common myth that being thin doesn’t necessarily mean that one is healthy.

Even a normal Body Mass Index (BMI) as a measure of good health may not be entirely accurate.

Thirteen years ago, VLCC instituted Anti-Obesity Day on Nov 26 to raise awareness about the ills of obesity.

It has since evolved into a larger movement which has gained momentum as a public health campaign. The Orange Pledge is a part of this initiative.

Speaking on the occasion, VLCC Founder,  Vandana Luthra said: “Obesity is a lifestyle-related disease which concerns almost everyone, irrespective of age, gender or income group. The Orange Pledge is an endeavor to invite people to become a part of this critical public health awareness campaign and help spread the word. We support the determination of people to lead a healthy lifestyle. It has been our attempt, through constant research and study, to understand the underlying factors that cause obesity, its impact on an individual’s health and then to lay down recommendations for preventive healthcare. This knowledge paper is another step in VLCC’s ongoing efforts to make people aware of a healthier lifestyle and ensure a better quality of life. ”

The objective of the knowledge paper has been to study BMI range in relation with body fat percentage and its subsequent impact on medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart diseases and certain cancers.

In addition to that, it also suggests more accurate assessment tools to understand lifestyle-related disorders.

The sample size was a total of 983 clients, both males and females, from VLCC Wellness Centres across 4 regions in India – East, West, North and South as they fell in the BMI range of 18.5 to 22.9 (normal BMI) and 23 to 24.9 (near normal BMI).

The study infers that people with normal or near normal BMI might have the above-mentioned medical disorders owing to a high fat percentage, thus questioning the importance of BMI as a complete indicator of good health.

As BMI measures the degree of excessive body weight rather than excessive body fat, it also fails to identify the differences in body composition and body fat distribution. So it may categorise even big-boned or muscular individuals as obese.

Other commonly used indicators to determine obesity include Waist Height Ratio (WHtR), Waist Circumference (WC), Skin Fold Thickness and Bio Impedance.

WC (ideally 90 cm for males & 80 cm for females), also cannot independently predict the health status of an individual since people across different demographics may have different body frames that may support different waistlines.

However, we believe that WHtR is a better public health screening tool of assessment than BMI and better predictor than WC. It is a simple metric which even the general population can use to keep track of their health. So if the WC reaches half the height, one can sound the alarm bells.

Veena Aggarwal, ‎Head, R & D and Technical Services, VLCC Health Care Ltd., said, “The old parameters like BMI and Waist Circumference need to be relooked. A Body Composition Analysis which indicates the ratio of fat mass vis-à-vis muscle mass is more important. At VLCC, we have a scientific approach to weight-loss, so our clients not only have fitter bodies, but are also healthier medically. Therefore, timely intervention by experts and sustained lifestyle modifications can bring you a disease-free body for a happy, stress-free life.”