Obesity

Obesity has become a major health problem in today's society, with current obesity statistics more than two thirds of Americans considered to be overweight, almost two thirds in both the UK and Australia, and almost half of all adults in New Zealand being considered overweight or obese.

While many people only see obesity as a cosmetic problem, in truth the problem is more than just skin deep. Being overweight puts extra strain on the body and its functions. The medical complications of obesity can include Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Heart Disease and Stroke, Gout and Osteoarthritis to name a few. Other problems can include Sleep Apnea and Muscular Skeletal Strain. In extreme cases it can even result in death. In the United States for example, each year there are death in the hundreds of thousands caused by or related to obesity.

Reducing the level of obesity through weight loss of course reduces the risk of these complications and lead to a general improvement in overall health and well being. Even as little as a few pounds or kilos can have a pronounced effect.

The easiest way to accomplish weight loss is through planned eating and regular managed exercise and often this is sufficient in itself. For those times when a more concerted effort is required, there are various means of assistance available including prescription medicines, diet pills, natural remedies and even surgical procedures, all of which should only be used with medical supervision from your doctor or health professional.

When is someone considered as being Obese?

The condition of being obese is when the body has an abnormally high proportion of fat. Technically, this is defined as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or more. A BMI of 25 or more is considered as being overweight, in itself not an insignificant condition, while a BMI of 40 or more is considered Morbid Obesity and in need to immediate attention.

The body uses fat to store energy for lean times, insulation for the body, and other functions. A certain amount of fat is necessary for good health, however and abundance of fat in the body starts to cause problems by upsetting the natural balance within the body and thus triggering other illnesses and conditions.

There are many causes of obesity, mostly however it is due to calorie intake being greater than calorie burn rate. Normally, the fat in our body comes from excess calories from our food intake which under normal conditions would be only minor and so the fat deposits would also only be small. However, with today's society of high fat foods, the excess calories are way higher than normal and so the fat deposits grow slowly over time until suddenly, one is overweight. Another factor is reduced exercise that would normally burn off calories, and sometimes other medical conditions can themselves contribute to a person being overweight.