From high heart rates to helping kids lose weight, Dr Jeff answers your health questions
DR JEFF FOSTER is The Sun on Sunday’s new resident doctor and is here to help YOU.
Dr Jeff, 43, splits his time between working as a GP in Leamington Spa, Warks, and running his clinic, H3 Health, which is the first of its kind in the UK to look at hormonal issues for both men and women. See h3health.co.uk and email at drjeff@the-sun.co.uk
Q) I’M a slightly overweight, 56-year-old man. I wear a Fitbit watch and over the last six months my resting heart rate has been 47-57bpm. Normal rates are 60-100bpm. Is this anything to worry about?
Alan Jones, Braemar, Aberdeenshire
A) Health tech has developed to a point where users gain huge amounts of data about their health but the skill in medicine is not just about obtaining data, it’s how we interpret it.
Many people come to clinic after their gadgets have shown abnormal readings, but they have no actual symptoms. Had they not been wearing their device, they would never have had any concern.
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In your case, you need to consider whether the device is picking up the reading properly. Do you have any symptoms such as missed beats, palpitations or chest pain?
For those with a history of being athletic, a pulse of 50 can be normal. If you feel fine, are exercising without problems and have no symptoms then don’t worry. If you have symptoms or don’t feel right, see your doctor.
Send your questions to: drjeff@the-sun.co.uk
Q) HOW can I help my eight-year-old daughter lose weight? She is very active but is constantly hungry, with a never-ending appetite.
I worry about her health as she is much bigger than the children in her school year, but she is also tall. I want to keep her healthy without damaging her mental health or confidence.
Carly Pearce Milton Keynes, Bucks
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A) Childhood obesity is rising and can lead to some major health problems, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, in the future.
There are lots of little things we can do but a healthy weight is primarily achieved through improving dietary intake, portion control and physical activity.
It’s important to recognise that every child is different and to take into account behaviour, environment, genetics and culture.
The key to a healthy lifestyle for children comes from the messages we promote as parents, such as setting an example with when and what we eat, and our physical activity.
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A simple starter for you is to substitute some high-calorie foods for low-calorie ones (such as vegetables and fruit) and look at very slight reductions in portion size.
A dietician could be helpful in this area, as we want to make sure your daughter retains a positive mental approach to eating as she gets older.