What is Obesity?

Obesity is a medical condition where abnormal or excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it poses a negative effect on the general health of the body. Obesity isn't just a cosmetic concern, but a health challenge that increases the risk of other diseases and health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and certain cancers.

Obesity which occurs as a result of having too much body mass is usually diagnosed with the use of Body mass index (BMI). Obesity in adults is usually marked by a benchmark BMI of 30 or higher, while a BMI of 40 or higher is considered severe obesity. Childhood obesity is usually measured against specific growth charts.

Healthcare consultants know that BMI has its limitations; it is still useful as a measurable indicator and alert signal, especially for obesity-related health risks.

What causes obesity?

Eating too much and moving too little, or not exercising yourself in any form, is the general cause of obesity. When you consume high amounts of energy food, especially fat and sugars, without any means of burning off the energy either through exercise, or any physical activities, this accumulated and surplus energy will be converted and stored in the body as fat.

Research studies have proved that obesity can be inherited, and that means it runs in the family. It can also be caused by physiological and environmental factors apart from types of diet intake, physical activity, and exercise choices.

Dangers Of Obesity That You Need To Know: It is easy to become obese, but very difficult to get out of it. The rate of obesity is on the increase, probably some people view exercise or physical activities as suffering. Such people prefer to stay within their comfort zone, and in the end, they become very lazy and health-prone. The health challenges associated with obesity make it a major cause of disability resulting in various diseases and conditions, such as:

• Heart disease and stroke
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Some cancers
• Gall-bladder disease and gallstones
• Osteoarthritis
• Gout
• Breathing problems, such as sleep apnea.

Studies have shown that the above health challenges relating to obesity are not for everyone who is obese, but the risk is high if you have a family history of one of those conditions.

Here's a Closer Look at Seven Dangers of Obesity:

1. Heart Disease and Stroke

Heart disease and stroke are one of the dangers of obesity. Extra weight gained from fatty food and high carbohydrate consumption without exercise or physical activities, most likely will result in you having high blood pressure and high cholesterol. A high level of cholesterol in the body affects the veins and arteries causing restriction in the free flow of blood, thus prompting the heart to use more force in pumping out blood. It results finally in high blood pressure.

High blood pressure if not corrected or regulated can lead to stroke, but this condition can be prevented by weight loss. When you lose weight through any means suitable to you, you reduce the chances of developing heart disease or a stroke.

2. Type 2 Diabetes

Most health issues that are not inherited can be prevented. And prevention is far cheaper than curing any ailment. Type 2 diabetes people are either overweight or obese. The main danger of obesity is usually the risk factors associated with it.

The risk of developing type 2 diabetes can be controlled by losing weight, eating a balanced diet, or getting adequate sleep, and the action point is to exercise more. All these help control your blood sugar levels.

3. Cancer

Different types of cancers have been linked to obesity, like cancer of the colon, breast cancer; endometrium cancer, and cancer in the kidney/esophagus region. Cancers of the gallbladder, ovaries, and pancreas are also linked with obesity. These are the reasons why obesity is a sign of danger.

4. Gallbladder Disease

Another danger associated with obesity is gallbladder and gallstone disease. Losing weight is a form of reducing obesity, but if weight loss itself is done rapidly, to the extent of losing a large amount of weight, there is a possibility that you’re more likely to get gallstones. When you lose weight at a rate of about 1 pound a week, you’re less likely to get gallstones.

5. Osteoarthritis

Most people who are obese have problems with osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is usually a joint condition that affects either the knee, hip, or back. Obese people, because of their extra pounds of weight, exact more pressure on these joints, and this action tends to wear away the tissue cushioning the joints called cartilage. The function of this cartilage is to protect the joint surface. When you lose weight, the stress on the knees, hips, and lower back will be reduced, and this action also improves the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

6. Gout

Similar to osteoarthritis, gout is also a disease that affects the joints. However, the causes of this condition differ from osteoarthritis in that it occurs when you have too much uric acid in the blood. The body has a normal range of uric acid in the system, and a high level of uric acid in the blood can form crystals that can be deposited in the joints. Gout is more common in obese people, and the more you weigh, the more likely you are to get gout.

7. Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a breathing condition that causes the person to snore heavily and briefly stop breathing during sleep. This condition occurs frequently in obese people, and the danger of this is that sleep apnea might cause daytime sleepiness, but can be improved by weight loss.

The good news is that obesity can be prevented by modest weight loss and also the health challenges associated with it. A healthier and balanced diet with increased physical activity including behavior changes can help a lot in losing weight.

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