Is Obesity a disease?
Obesity is a condition in which excess body fats gather together to the extent that it may hurt health. It is one of the common diseases in this growing world, which causes many non-communicable diseases, significant disability, and premature death. Weight loss strategies like diet plan, physical activity, and lifestyle modification can help in reducing it. A medical analysis is reserved for obese or overweight patients who have obesity-related risk factors or diseases. Obesity is calculated by taking a ratio of height to weight called body mass index (BMI), which helps in getting a measure of body fat.
Obesity is also stated as a condition of abnormal or excessive fat accumulation in tissues, to the extent that health is harmed. The number of excess fats in absolute terms, and its distribution in the body – either around the waist and trunk (abdominal, central or android obesity) or peripherally around the body (gynoid obesity) – have important health significance.
In general, obesity is identified with a higher risk of disability or premature death due to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) such as hypertension, stroke and coronary heart disease as well as gallbladder disease, certain cancers (endometrial, breast, prostate, colon) and non-fatal conditions including gout, respiratory ailments, gastroesophageal reflux disease, osteoarthritis and infertility. Sometimes due to Obesity, a person suffers from psychosocial health; this is because of prejudice against fatness.
The body mass index (BMI) is a commonly used framework for analyzing various degrees of pressure. It is calculated from the weight of an individual in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters (kg/m2).
Health problems due to overweight and obesity:
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease and strokes
- Certain types of cancer
- Sleep apnea
- Osteoarthritis
- Fatty liver disease
- Gallbladder disease and gallstones
- kidney disease
- Pregnancy problems, such as high blood sugar during pregnancy, high blood pressure, and increased risk for cesarean delivery (C-section)
Not everyone who is overweight has these problems, but the risk increases if there is a family history of any of those conditions.
Cause of Obesity:
Many factors can lead to obesity or weight gain. Significant factors include a lack of protein diet, physical workout, and elements in a person’s environment. Obesity may be caused due to some hormonal imbalance, such as underactive thyroid, Cushing syndrome and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Sometimes medicines may also cause weight gain, including some corticosteroids, antidepressants, and seizure medicines.
How to cure:
Diet and exercise are the best ways which can help in preventing obesity, but it is not enough to cure it. For treating obesity, it’s recommended to consider scientifically tested treatments, including medication, Protein-based diet and surgery where appropriate.
Conclusion:
To live a healthy life a person should include the below items in his/her routine:
- Eat more fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains.
- Exercise, even moderately, for at least 30 minutes a day.
- Cut down the consumption of fatty and sugary foods.
- Use vegetable-based oils rather than animal-based fats.