Obesity: the silent killer.
The prevalence of obesity has been increasing due to the changes in diet and decrease of physical activity. Turning to an urban lifestyle, the accessibility of high energy density foods with lower satiety has become more common. Our bodies are not only unfamiliar to the processed foods, but because these products are much higher in energy, our bodies are readily storing every bit of it.
Facts
Around 2/3 of the diseases are due to non-communicable disease, from which obesity accounts for a big part. Body mass index (BMI) is the most widely used indicator to investigate the health risks associated with under and overweight. It is calculated by this formula: weight (kg) / height (m) 2 . Under 18.5 the classification is underweight, 18.5-24.9 is normal weight, 25-29.9 is overweight and above 30 different classes of obesity are defined. The last group has the highest risk for developing health problems.
Obesity alters physiological responses to the external and the internal environment which indicates that it could be considered as a metabolic disease. Moreover, it is an important factor as changes in metabolic state can cause weight loss resistance in the body.
When excess fat is located in the abdominal it tightly correlates with several metabolic pathologies (insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease). On top of these, it can lead to gallbladder disease, renal failure and atherosclerosis. It is not only the health issues obese people have to face, it reaches beyond physiological aspects. It can lead to social stigmatization, lower quality treatment in the health care system and hampered access to labor.
Obesity is influenced by several things. Genetics play a very important role and childhood environment has a strong effect as well. Furthermore, the everyday environment influences build up our bodies too. Diet, physical activity, stress, socio-economic factors and smoking all play role in determining health.
Of course, the best possible option is to prevent gaining those kilograms. Childhood obesity is a growing issue and youngsters are already developing “diseases of old age” such as type 2 diabetes. Therefore keeping a healthy lifestyle from childhood is key. Having extra body weight is connected with higher rate of disease, but can be improved by lower energy intake, increased physical activity and controlling problem behavior, such as snacking too much. All these issues have several solutions to them, but they are all dependent on the individual.
What can be done?
Decreasing the energy consumed can be done with eating more satiating foods, high in fiber and water, fresh veggies and fruits to increase the volume. Physical activity can be increased on a daily basis by biking rather than taking the bus, walking to the store, taking stairs instead of the elevator or picking up a new sport with your friends. Prioritizing sleep can lead to lower hunger levels and higher energy levels in general, increasing energy levels and having other benefits that can help you to lose weight. Very few people know how much it influences our lives, but here you can read about sleep in a nutshell! If you decide to make any lifestyle changes, contact your doctor to learn more about treatment opportunities, as starting something on your own can possibly pose danger.
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