Understanding Obesity
In today’s busy world Obesity is becoming very prominent problem.Globally 2billion adult are obese .
Obesity is an excess proportion of total body fat.A person is considered obese when his or her weight is 20% or more than Normal weight required for individual’s height & age.
The most common measure of obesity is the body mass index or BMI.A person is considered overweight if his or her BMI is between 25 and 29 &A person is considered obese if his or her BMI is over 30.So There comes a very vital role of Diet & Nutrition assistance in today’s world.
It is not only that Obese people need this assistance but also for underweight people & most importantly for the third group of individuals , who are at exact balanced normal healthy weight.
Because maintaining the state of health is far more difficult than attaining it. These abnormal weight variations not only have social stigma but also have deep acting health hazards…
• Obesity affected individuals are at increased risk of number of serious disease including cardio-vascular disease (CVD) , Type 2 Diabetes and certain cancers (particularly breast and colo-rectal cancer), all of which are associate with premature mortality
• Metabolic and cardio vascular disease aggregate specially with abdominal obesity ,it is associate with a substantial disturbance in other cardio-metabolic risk factor that give risk to dyslipidemia and insulin resistance
• Obesity related health risks can be reduced scientifically with effective weight loss, such that the loss of 10kg is associated with a 20-25% reduction in mortality
• Underweight individuals have many micro & Macro Nutrient deficiency disorders
• Underweight also increases stress on all vital systems of our body , giving rise to serious illnesses.
Let us today talk of Obesity:
Obesity is a complex disorder, influenced by genetic, emotional, and socio-cultural factors.Obesity occurs when a person consumes more calories than he or she burns. So For many people this boils down to eating too much and exercising too little. But there are other factors that include:
• Age : As you get older, your body’s ability to metabolize food slows down and you do not require as many calories to maintain your weight.
• Gender : Women tend to be more overweight than men. Men have a higher resting metabolic rate (meaning they burn more energy at rest) than women, so men require more calories to maintain their body weight. Additionally, when women become postmenopausal, their
metabolic rate decreases.
• Genetics : Obesity (and thinness) tends to run in families. In a study of adults who were adopted as children, researchers found that participating adult weights were closer to their biological parents’ weights than their adoptive parents’.
• Environmental factors: Though genetics is an important factor , a person’s environment also plays a significant role. Like lifestyle behaviours such as what a person eats ,activity of individual, is he or she getting enough sleep , Endocrine disruptors, such as some foods that interfere with lipid metabolism.
• Physical activity : Active individuals require more calories than less active ones to maintain their weight. Additionally, physical activity tends to decrease appetite in obese individuals while increasing the body’s ability to preferentially metabolize fat as an energy source.
• Psychological factors : Psychological factors also influence eating habits and obesity. Many people eat in response to negative emotions.
• Illness : Although not as common as many believe, there are some illnesses that can cause obesity.
These include hormone problems , psychological disorders & some diseases.
• Medication : Certain drugs, such as steroids and some antidepressants, may cause excessive weight
gain.
Obesity treatments have two objectives:
1.To achieve a healthy weight.
2.To maintain that healthy weight.
Successful and permanent weight loss is best achieved as a result of increased physical activity, changing how and when you eat, and modifying your behavior.
– Dr. Asmeeta Karbhari.
