ways to fight obesity
Or what made you read this article?
- Of course, your worries and consciousness about your physical appearance have made your search and read something like what you are reading right now.
- Well, today, obesity is not left just a cosmetic problem but a serious health problem as well. Losing weight isn't just about looking good, it is about feeling good, living a comfortable life, about making it more productive. And of course, above all, to keep you away from those awful health consequences associated with excessive weight.
- All health research and growing evidence loudly convey a straight and clear message that if you are overweight you are more prone to various health problems, like cardiovascular, neurological, psychological, and many more.
- On the other hand, healthy and steady weight loss can help you get over and stay away from all harmful effects associated with obesity.
- You will be wondering to know that by losing as little as 10 to 20 pounds, your body dramatically improves your immune system and you find a better health status, at the same time significantly diminishing your risk of disease.
What is Obesity?
There are different answers given to this question is quite different ways. Some consider it as a percentage above normal weight using weight and height as parameters.
One more difficult question to define is whether a person who is 10 percent above ideal or a person who is 100% above ideal shall be considered Obese. Even this ideal weight is too difficult to define.
See what obesity has to gift you
Diabetes
- Noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type 2 diabetes) is the most common type of diabetes, which reduces your body's ability to control blood sugar. Diabetes is behind most heart diseases, kidney diseases, stroke, and blindness and is a major cause of death today.
- As per clinical studies, obese people are twice as likely to acquire type 2 diabetes as people who are not obese. But you can easily steer clear of this risk by losing weight and by increasing your exercise.
- Moreover, if unfortunately, you have type 2 diabetes then losing weight and becoming more physically active can keep control of your body sugar level. And if you are on medicines then weight loss and exercise can decrease the amount of medication you need.
Cardiovascular diseases and Stroke
- Various cardiovascular diseases and stroke has become a few of the major causes of death and disability. Overweight people are more prone to suffer from high blood pressure, which is considered the major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
- You will be surprised and happy to know that losing a small amount of weight can dramatically diminish your possibility of developing heart disease or a stroke.
Cancer
Obesity brings several types of cancer with it. It includes cancer of the uterus, cervix, ovary, gallbladder, breast, and colon in females. Men who are overweight have a great risk of developing cancer of the colon, rectum, and prostate.
Osteoarthritis
- Another consequence of obesity is osteoarthritis, which is a common joint disorder affecting the joints in your knees, hips, and lower back.
- Weight loss can reduce stress on the knees, hips, and lower back and has been evidenced to improve the symptoms of osteoarthritis.
Sleep Apnea
- Obesity brings one more serious and difficult-to-treat disorder which is sleep apnea. It is a serious condition closely associated with obesity in which a person stops breathing for short periods and starts snoring during sleep.
- The risk for sleep apnea increases as body weight increases. Yet again, weight loss spectacularly reverses this risk.
Gallbladder Disease
If you are overweight then assume you are very prone to having gallbladder disease and gallstones. And the risk increases with your weight.
Gout
- Gout is a common disease found in overweight people and the risk increases with increasing pounds on the body. The excess of uric acid deposited in joints makes the life of overweight people tiresome.
- So, if you are overweight, you must have got an idea of what health consequences you may encounter.
- But no worries! Just by losing as little as 5 to 10 percent of your body weight, you can see improving many of the health problems linked to obesity.
- Remember, slow and steady weight loss of no more than 1 pound per week will provide you with the safest results and health benefits. Very rapid weight loss can cause you to lose muscle instead of fat.
- Furthermore, it also increases your risk of developing other problems, like gallstones, gout, and nutrient deficiencies.
- Making stable and sensible changes in your eating, lifestyle and physical activity habits is the best way to lose weight and keep it off over time.
Obesity in Women
Women are always fascinated by the subject of nutrition. The presence of obesity has increased by almost 15 percent in the last decade.
Measurement of Obesity
- Use of any measuring tools such as fat calipers or water submersion technique where the percentage of fat is determined in the body and considered within acceptable or non-acceptable standards will be a good indicator of obesity.
- However, Waist-hip ratio measurement is also considered a good method of determining the risk factors due to obesity. This method especially takes into account the distribution of fat in the body.
What is BMI?
The most common measurement of obesity is through the use of the Body Mass Index (BMI) scale. It is based on the ratio of weight over height squared (kg/MxM).
BMI = weight kg divided by (height in meters)2
Or Weight in lbs x 703 divided by (height in inches)2
Based on BMI, we can classify patients into one of the five categories
- BMI of 18.5 - 24.9 means Normal
- BMI of 25.0 - 29.9 means Overweight
- BMI of 30.0 - 34.9 means Obesity class 1
- BMI of 35.0 - 39.9 means Obesity class 2
- BMI of >= 40.0 means Obesity class 3
Most medical sources define a BMI of 27 or higher to be obese. The drawback of the BMI scale is that it does not consider musculature or fat distribution.
How food is related?
- It is interesting to know that repeat dieters often learn to cope with their emotions by using and changing their food habits.
- Studies done by Policy and Herman showed that eating brings upon different personality traits, like passivity, anxiety, and emotionality and mind that these are the characteristics that are generally used to describe women in stereotypical ways.
- However, food should not be taken as a moral and personality judgment tool for women of any gender and age.
- So, people need to look closely and carefully at their association with food and it is better and safer to focus on food as a need of the body rather than relating to underlying emotions.