Trimming fat in later years

A Cary resident is showing off the virtues of salads in the diet

Joel Council is thinking big as he's getting smaller.

Through dieting and exercise, Council, 72, has already lost more than half of his weight, which peaked at 492 pounds. Now he has enlisted about a dozen diet-conscious fellow residents at Chatham Creek Assisted Living in Cary to eat a chef salad every day at a 1 p.m. meal, where Council also arranges for speakers on health and diet.

Council, a retired teacher and social worker, hopes he's starting a trend -- one that researchers say could be crucial given the increasing effects of obesity on the health and mobility of aging Americans. Nearly one in four North Carolinians older than 65 is considered obese, according to state health statistics. That rate represents an increase of more than 25 percent since 2000.

For older people, the obesity epidemic means that they are likely gaining fat at the same time their bodies are naturally shedding muscle mass, a Wake Forest University doctor noted in research published this year. As a result, older people who are overweight are more likely to have problems with strength, mobility and carrying out daily activities such as bathing and dressing.

"Losing weight is not only beneficial for their current condition, but it's also beneficial in terms of living a disability-free life," said Dr. Jingzhong Ding, an assistant professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

Weight loss is especially beneficial, Ding said, if people have complications such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes. But not all older people should lose weight, he said.

Sometimes rapid or excessive weight loss can exacerbate frailty and even be a symptom of a condition known as "failure to thrive," which is characterized by decreased appetite, poor nutrition, inactivity and often depression. Older people and caregivers should consult with a physician -- as Council had -- before undertaking a diet.

For most, however, weight loss is good for health and mobility.

"When I weighed 492 I could barely walk," said Council, who uses a walker to exercise regularly. "I was almost a complete invalid."

Calorie limit

Council's diet, approved by his doctor, provides him with lots of fiber and high-complex carbohydrates from whole grains, beans and other sources. In addition, he has cut his intake of fat and protein, which means fewer helpings of meat, eggs and cheese.

"I eat no more than 1,400 calories daily and have at least 40 grams of fiber and no more than 15-20 grams of fat," Council said.

Council came up with the idea of the salad meal at the assisted living dining room so he could make his healthy diet available to others. He persuaded other residents to sign a petition asking the staff to offer a salad meal every day. Chatham Creek administrator Kellyanne Nece said the center first had to square the chef-salad meal with state nutritional guidelines.

"We called the state and talked to them about what was on the menu," Nece said.

The nutritional content had to remain the same as meals served to other residents, but the salad greens and trimmings were approved for residents who might otherwise get a meat, starch, vegetable and dessert. Council uses a low-fat dressing to keep fat grams to about 10 per salad.

"Nutritionally, it's not that different," Nece said. "But fresh vegetables are better than eating pasta every day."

11-pound loss

Resident Bill Bidleman, 72, lost 11 pounds in a month with diet and exercise, part of an overall loss of 40 pounds for nine residents who agreed to be weighed by the center.

"I just enjoy it because I like salad and I know it's healthy," Bidleman said.

Council said he is pleased that he has motivated others at Chatham Creek, and hopes his campaign spreads.

"You see people get bigger and bigger every day," he said. "And I know. I've been there."