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Obesity
Risk factors for becoming obese
Diagnosing obesity
Complications of obesity
Treating Obesity
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Obesity
Obesity has reached epidemic levels over the last 2 decades.
This goes for both industrialized countries and the developing
world. One in four Americans is obese and that number shows no
signs at present of decreasing. Obesity is not to be confused
with overweight. Using the
Body Mass Index (BMI), which uses
both height and weight to measure body fat, obesity refers to
a BMI of over 30. Overweight is when the BMI value
is between 25-29.9. Using these numbers, it can be concluded
that 1 in 4 Americans is obese, and close to 60% of adult
Americans are overweight or obese. These figures are
staggering and have profound repercussions on the overall
health of the population. In addition, childhood obesity is
more prevalent than ever. Obese children face far greater odds
of becoming obese adults than do average weight children.
What is obesity?
The technical definition of obesity is having a BMI of over
30. Obesity results, quite simply, from having an abnormally
high amount of body fat.
Are there health risks?
Obesity, aside from the significant social stigma and
prejudice it produces, puts people at risk for very severe
health conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure,
stroke, cardiovascular disease and several types of cancer.
The average human body has between 30-40 billion fat cells.
The body can happily support some extra fat, as fat is vital
for storing energy and insulating the body. Once that healthy
line has been crossed, body fat can have profoundly negative
health implications, to the point of being life threatening.
Obesity is managed through weight loss which itself can
usually be achieved through a combination of healthful diet,
increased physical activity and behavior modifications. When
these efforts fail, both prescription medication and surgical
procedures are available.
It is extremely important that any obese individual thoroughly
discuss any weight loss plan with a qualified health care
practitioner. Incorporating new foods and exercise into your
lifestyle should be done with caution and under a doctor's
supervision.
What causes obesity?
If you take in more calories than you expend, you gain weight.
Caloric intake must be balanced with energy expenditure to
avoid gaining or losing weight. Calories that the body does
not burn up as energy are stored as fat. There are many
factors that can contribute to obesity; however, too high a
caloric intake (overeating) and too little or no exercise are
the most important and most common causes.
The
American
Obesity Association offers excellent advice, information
and resources for all those fighting obesity. The
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National
Institute of Health offers excellent articles and research
on obesity and
health issues. Use the search box to access obesity
related information. |
