Disease of Obesity

Disease of Obesity

Obesity is a complex progressive disease according to the World Health Organization. It is defined as having excess or abnormal fat accumulation that can have an adverse effect on your health. Since 1995, worldwide obesity has nearly tripled which is very alarming. Obesity can and is affecting adults as well as children.

Measuring Obesity
A person’s BMI is calculated to check whether they are healthy or not. BMI stands for Body Mass Index and it measures whether your weight is healthy according to your height. For adults, 30 to 39.9 means you are obese and a BMI of 40 or above means you are severely obese. A better way to measure excess fat is checking the waist size. Generally, men with a waist size of 94 cm or more and women with a waist size of 80 cm or more are more likely to develop obesity-related health problems.

Causes of Obesity
So, what causes obesity? Obesity is caused when you consume more calories mostly through fatty and sugary foods, than you burn off through physical activity. This excess energy is stored in the body as fat. Certain health conditions like hypothyroidism can also cause obesity but if they are controlled by medicines, usually they don’t lead to obesity.

Risks
Moving on there are numerous health risks that are a result of obesity. It includes diseases like:
Cardiovascular Diseases

• Coronary heart disease
• Hypertension
• Varicose Veins

Respiratory Diseases

• Breathless
• Hypoventilation syndrome
• Sleep apnea

Gastrointestinal Disorders

• Gallstones
• Hernia
• Fatty Liver

Metabolic Disorders

• Insulin resistance
• Hyperlipidemia
• Diabetes mullites

Prevention and Treatment
Obesity prevalence continues to increase at a worrisome rate which is why obesity needs to be treated in order to reduce obesity related health risks and to increase the life expectancy of people. A few ways of preventing obesity are:

1. Dietary Restrictions
   Restricting calorie intake can help to reduce obesity. Low calorie diets (LCD), which provide 100–1500 kcal/day, resulted in weight loss of 8% of baseline body weight over six months but on long run most of the lost weight is regained. Other diets include Very Low Diets, meal replacements and more. Calories restrictions on their own has shown impressive results.
2. Behavioral Therapy
   In the treatment of weight loss and maintain it, behavioral therapy can be very crucial. Self-control is essential in achieving positive results. Behaviors like eating quickly and eating while watching TV should be avoided.
3. Physical Activity
   Energy balance and reduction in fat storage are possible by doing physical activity. Studies have shown that regular exercise can improve the physical and mental health of individuals which is why exercise can help obese individuals lose weight.
4. Pharmacotherapy
   Individuals with BM<27 and BM>30 are advised drug treatments in case there is a medical risk. Weight loss medications should be used only as an adjunct to dietary and exercise regimes coupled with a program of behavioral treatment and nutritional counseling.
5. Bariatric Surgery
   Bariatric surgery is a surgery for weight loss. A few types of bariatric surgery include laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (also called the lap band), gastric bypass, a sleeve gastrectomy, and biliopancreatic diversion

Overall, obesity is a very serious disease accompanied by various health issues like thyroid, heart diseases. There is no quick fix for obesity but hard work definitely pays off. There are different ways of losing weight but maintaining that weight is also very important in the long run.