Obesity and Overweight
Obesity and Overweight is defined as the accumulation of excessive body fat that has a negative effect on an individual Health.
Body Mass Index is a measurement of weight-for-height used to differentiate between Overweight and Obese in Adults. Body Mass index is measured as a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of his height in meters (kg/m2).
WHO defines Overweight and Obese as follow
- If your BMI is greater than or equal to 25 then you are considered as Overweight and
- If your BMI is greater than or equal to 30 then you are considered as Obese
BMI is a rough calculation of a person’s weight in relation to their height.
Main causes of Obesity
Daily eating more calories than you burn for a long period of time can lead to obesity.It also develops as a result of poor diet and lifestyle choices. Here are some Main causes of Obesity
- Consuming large quantities of fast or processed food and packed with sugar and fat
- drinking too much alcohol- alcohol contains excessive calories, and people who drink a lot are usually overweight
- drinking too many sugary drinks – including soft drinks and fruit juice
- Eating a lot than required by your body due to temptation
- Not getting enough sleep- which can lead to hormonal changes that make you feel hungrier and crave certain high-calorie foods
- Lack of physical activity- If you’re not active physically enough, then you don’t utilize the energy generated by your food choices. The extra energy that you consume is stored in our bodies as fat
- Pregnancy: Due to the fact that weight gain during pregnancy can be difficult to shed and may eventually cause weight gain.
Some health conditions are also the reason for weight gain, which may lead to obesity. These are:
- Hypothyroidism – where your thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones
- Cushing’s syndrome – a rare disorder that causes the overproduction of steroid hormones
- polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition that causes an imbalance of female reproductive hormones
Complications of obesity
Obesity has been linked to a number of health complications, some of which can be life threatening if not treated:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Certain cancers (breast, colon, and endometrial)
- Stroke
- Gallbladder disease
- Fatty liver disease
- High cholesterol
- Sleep apnea and other breathing problems
- Arthritis
- Infertility
Best treatment for Obesity / Latest treatment for Obesity
- Healthy eating plan and regular physical activity: Those who are dealing with over weight problem and obesity should follow a healthy eating plan and do exercise regularly to keep them fit and loose some pounds.
- You could also receive psychological assistance by a qualified health professional who can help you change your thinking about food and eating
- If lifestyle changes alone don’t help you lose weight, then a prescription drug known as orlistat might be recommended by your doctor. If you take it correctly it works by decreasing how much fat that you absorb through digestion. Your physician will advise you if orlistat is appropriate for you or not.
- In rare cases, weight loss surgery may be recommended.