Stay-Healthy Lessons From Around The World

By Brenda Keams for iVillage

A recent report has found that half of U.S. adults are expected to be obese by 2030 if some serious changes don't take place -- and we're clearly among the obesity leaders around the world (the global obesity statistic right now is 0.5 billion, according to Reuters).

So what can we learn from other countries? Take an around-the-globe look at these stay-healthy tricks from our various international neighbors.

1 of 12

Britain: Eat Breakfast

1 of 13

First Slide

Previous Slide

@

The Brits love breakfast, and they're 60 percent more likely to make time for it than on-the-go Americans. In America, people often eat small morning meals -- or go hungry until lunch, says endocrinologist Daniela Jakubowicz, M.D., author of "The Big Breakfast Diet." But in Britain, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and Brits make the effort to eat it -- without obsessing about calories, she adds. Why it Works: Regularly digging into a tasty, filling morning meal -- without worrying about the calorie count -- will help you shed up to 15 pounds every year, say scientists at Tufts University. Eating early improves blood sugar control and dampens hunger pangs enough to potentially help you cut 150 calories a day, say study authors. Even better? You'll feel sharper, too. Harvard studies show that breakfast ramps up production of the brain-nourishing hormone acetylcholine, which can increase focus, concentration and memory by as much as 40 percent. Recipe for Success: Don't have time to make breakfast each morning? Make a stack of these over the weekend and keep them in the freezer. Pop one in the microwave for 30 seconds in the morning and voilà, instant breakfast: Whole Wheat Pancakes with Strawberry Sauce. More from iVillage: The 13 Most Dangerous Teen Health Risks Get Your Kid Moving! Homework Dances, Camel Poses And More An A To Z Guide To Heart Health: How To Protect Your Ticker

Vegetarian Sources Of Omega-3s

Personality Traits Associated With Longevity

10 Scary Effects Of Stress

American Cancer Society Through The Years

gadgets/slideshows/298735/slide_298735_2482900_small.jpg

Oklahoma Tornado Coverage

Travis Steffen's GPS Guide

The Brits love breakfast, and they're 60 percent more likely to make time for it than on-the-go Americans. In America, people often eat small morning meals -- or go hungry until lunch, says endocrinologist Daniela Jakubowicz, M.D., author of "The Big Breakfast Diet." But in Britain, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and Brits make the effort to eat it -- without obsessing about calories, she adds.

Why it Works: Regularly digging into a tasty, filling morning meal -- without worrying about the calorie count -- will help you shed up to 15 pounds every year, say scientists at Tufts University. Eating early improves blood sugar control and dampens hunger pangs enough to potentially help you cut 150 calories a day, say study authors.

Even better? You'll feel sharper, too. Harvard studies show that breakfast ramps up production of the brain-nourishing hormone acetylcholine, which can increase focus, concentration and memory by as much as 40 percent.

Recipe for Success: Don't have time to make breakfast each morning? Make a stack of these over the weekend and keep them in the freezer. Pop one in the microwave for 30 seconds in the morning and voilà, instant breakfast: Whole Wheat Pancakes with Strawberry Sauce.

More from iVillage:

The 13 Most Dangerous Teen Health Risks
Get Your Kid Moving! Homework Dances, Camel Poses And More
An A To Z Guide To Heart Health: How To Protect Your Ticker

comments(10)

Total comments: 10 | Post a Comment

1 of 13

Rate This Tip

Rank #2  |  Average: 4

Meh Very smart

• 
  1
• 
  2
• 
  3
• 
  4
• 
  5
• 
  6
• 
  7
• 
  8
• 
  9
• 
  10

Top 5 Tips

loading...

Top 5 Tips

UserName

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

loading...

Top User Slides

← Prev|Next →

 | Become a fan

Picked These as the Top 5 Slides in the Slideshow

loading...

Users who voted on this slide

← Prev|Next →

loading...

Comments

[Stephanie Elise]

08:04 PM on 09/03/2011

I doubt using a microwave to make breakfast is 'healthy,' let alone a 'lesson' more people need to implement ...

[Susan Salomon]

08:28 AM on 09/01/2011

I think getting back to eating "real" unprocessed food is key to feeling better and maintaining a healthy weight. Eating a variety of different foods is also essential - best of all, it doesn't have to be boring! I recently read Marcelle Pick's book "Are You Tired and Wired". Besides demystifying the condition adrenal fatigue, she provides great simple, easy to make recipes and a meal plan "program" that provides a "road map" for people looking to make changes to their eating habits - it's a great first step!

[ontariogirl]

09:41 AM on 08/29/2011

Cook it yourself and enjoy.

[Elizabeth Adao]

12:15 AM on 08/29/2011

The Brazil one is so true, but Brazilians often eat white rice which isn't that healthy.

[Yvonne Serocki]

05:15 PM on 08/28/2011

Lesson number One: put your intention and attention on Spirit
Lesson number two: listen, and act on your intuition, guidance, inner knowing, and discernment
Lesson number three: rest in God, trust, abide in love, do not fear
www.newheavenonearth.wordpress.com

[Danny22tree]

09:44 PM on 08/28/2011

s pam

[Yvonne Serocki]

11:58 PM on 08/28/2011

what part of spiritual words meant to increase our collective health and uplift our world do you consider spam Danny?

[Mochilero]

04:00 PM on 08/28/2011

There is one single, simply intelligible reason why so many Americans are obese. They are not eating real food. Instead a corrupt corporatist culture manufactures toxic, denatured, chemicalized substances which are both highly addictive and devoid of nutrition.