Obesity Facts
BMI ONLY TELLS YOU HOW ‘BIG’ YOU ARE, NOT HOW ‘SICK YOU ARE’
What is Obesity?
Obesity is a medical DISEASE in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health. It is a lifelong progressive, life threatening disease which can impair quality of life and significantly reduce life expectancy. When weight reaches extreme levels, it is called MORBID OBESITY which is prone to develop numerous medical, psychological and social consequences.The level of obesity can be assessed based on the Body Mass Index into various
categories as shown below.
BMI = wt(kg) / [ht(m²)]
BMI is a useful general guideline and is a good estimator of body fat for most adults
between 19 and 70 years of age, however, it may not be an accurate measurement of
body fat for body builders, certain athletes, and pregnant women.
Healthy weight
BMI equal to or greater than 19 and less than 25
Overweight
BMI greater than or equal to 25 to 30
Class I Obesity
BMI greater than or equal to 31 to 35
Class II Obesity
BMI greater than or equal to 36 to 40
Morbid Obesity
BMI greater than 40
Super Obesity
BMI of greater than 50
CAUSES OF
OBESITY
This is the million dollar question that the entire world is running heather skelter to finding answers. There is no single reason as to why an individual is obese. We believe that the answer to that question boils down to a single entity called metabolism. There is a gross mismatch to the calorie intake and calorie expenditure by the body.
Below mentioned are a few known causes for obesity that may influence the bodies metabolism.
It has been well established fact thats heredity influences the distribution of fat tissue. Moreover, weight regulation in the human body depends upon various genetically determined factors such as hormones. Any abnormality in these factors could result in substantial weight gain. Almost 60% of obese people are said to have inherited this condition. There are several genetic conditions that also contribute or lead to weight gain. But this more often blamed as the cause and these are definitely reversible.
In rare cases, some may develop obesity secondary to certain hormonal disorders. This includes diseases like Cushing syndrome, hypothyroidism, hypogonadism in men and polycystic ovarian syndrome in women and hypothalamic lesions like tumours.
Certain drugs like steroids, sulfonylureas for diabetes, steroidal contraceptives and antiepileptics such as valproate may cause weight gain. Antipsychotics, antidepressants, mood stabilizers like lithium are also known to possess the same properties. Even certain unapproved medications for weight loss may cause increase in weight and hence not recommended.
Depression is most often associated with binge eating and may lead on accumulation of weight. The relationship between obesity and one's emotional set-up is now widely recognized. Over time this becomes a repetitive process and eventually leads to
obesity.
Stress remains to be a big factor in people suffering with obesity. Stress at work or stress combined with anxiety of inability to loose weight has a big counter productive effect.
Lifestyle means simply the way one lives! This has changed for a multitude of reasons over the past three decades. The term obesity was oblivion in the past but now it has become a common but unaddressed condition in the general population.
Diet is an essential part of a persons wellbeing. You are what you eat! Globalisation, ease of access to high calorie foods, Urbanisation and increased social activities has lead to a diverse food intake and eating habits.
HOW OBESITY CAN AFFECT YOU?
Obesity is a disease. It is a disease that has variable, long lasting to even life threatening effects on the body. Broadly the effects of obesity is physiological,
psychological and social.
A person suffering from obesity may harbor multiple problem, when analyzed may point to one source of all the problems, obesity. It is therefore very important to understand the obesity has a very detrimental effect on health and it has to be addressed at the earliest.
