Obesity is defined as an excess proportion of body fat as compared to one’s height.

The most common ways to assess one’s weight are as follows:

BODY MASS INDEX (BMI):  Calculated using height and weight.

Normal: BMI < 25

Overweight: BMI 25 to 29.9

Obese: BMI  > 30

Morbid Obesity: BMI > 40

 WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE:  Waist measurement in inches is an indicator of body fat.

Extra weight around the waist or stomach area (Apple Shaped Body) increases the risk of

Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Stroke.

CAUSES AND RISK FACTORS:

- Taking in more calories than one can burn can lead to obesity.

- Drinking too much alcohol.

- Sedentary lifestyle and not getting enough exercise.

- Our bodies have a complex mechanism to keep our weight at a healthy level. Any disturbance in this mechanism leads to weight gain.

- Childhood eating habits also have a major effect on our bodies.

- Eating Disorder is a medical condition in which there is an unhealthy focus on eating, dieting, losing, or gaining weight. These patients may become obese by following unhealthy diets.

- Medical Problems such as hypothyroidism.

- Medicines such as birth control pills and antidepressants.

- Stress, anxiety, sadness are negative emotions that trigger an urge to eat.

- Menopause in women.

- Age: As one grows older, the body’s metabolism rate slows down and one can gain weight.

- Genetics: Obesity tends to run in families.

 

MANAGING OBESITY BY CHANGING LIFESTYLE:

- An active lifestyle with regular exercise and healthy eating is the safest way to lose weight.

- Eat according to the Food Pyramid. A sample of 1,200 calories per day diet is as follows:

4 or more servings of vegetables

3 or more servings of fruits

4 servings of "smart" carbohydrates (whole grains and more)

3 servings of lean protein or reduced-fat dairy

3 servings of healthy fats

 

- Make healthy food choices and limit your portion sizes.

- Avoid artificial sweeteners, alcohol, sweets.

- Set realistic goals for weight loss. Extreme diets with fewer than 1,100 calories per day are not safe and they do not work well either as they do not contain enough nutrients. Most people who lose this way return to overeating and become obese again.

- Learn new ways to manage stress rather than snacking.

- Yoga, meditation and exercise help one overcome depression.

 

Obesity is a major health risk. The extra weight puts added stress on every part of the body and creates many risks to one’s health.

The aim should be to lose weight the healthy way while developing healthy habits for a lifetime.