Obesity: A preventable lifestyle disorder that claims 4.7 million premature deaths yearly
Obesity (Being Overweight) is a condition involving excessive or abnormal body fat accumulation that increases the risk of health problems. Obesity is not just a cosmetic concern but a medical problem that increases the risk of other health problems (heart disease, diabetes, high BP (Blood Pressure), and certain cancers).
Fast Facts:
- Worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975
- Obesity is preventable
- 13% of adults worldwide are obese, and obesity is responsible for 4.7 million premature deaths yearly
What causes obesity?
Eating more calories than you burn in daily activities on a long-term basis can lead to weight gain and obesity.
Apart from high-calorie intake and a sedentary lifestyle, there are specific causes and health conditions that you cannot control but may lead to obesity.
Common specific causes of obesity include:
- Genetics: It can affect how your body processes food into energy and how fat is stored
- Age: Older age can lead to less muscle mass, a slower metabolic rate, and weight gain
- Pregnancy: Weight gain during pregnancy may be challenging to lose and might eventually lead to obesity
- Lack of sleep: Hormonal changes due to lack of sleep may make you hungrier and increase your cravings for high-calorie food leading to weight gain and obesity
- Hypothyroidism: A condition that is caused due to an underactive thyroid where the thyroid gland does not produce enough of certain essential hormones, which in turn affects the metabolism and leads to obesity
- Osteoarthritis: The condition typically characterized by pain that limits your physical activities leading to obesity
- Cushing syndrome: The condition is characterized by having high cortisol levels (the stress hormone) in your system, which affects your metabolism leading to obesity
- Prader-Willi syndrome: A rare genetic condition (present at birth) that causes excessive hunger leading to obesity
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): It is a condition that causes an imbalance of female reproductive hormones, which affects metabolism and may, in turn, lead to overweight and obesity
How Is Obesity Diagnosed?
Body mass index (BMI) is a tool commonly used to diagnose obesity. It is the weight-for-height ratio, and any adult with a BMI of 30 and above is considered obese.
Other more accurate measures include:
- Waist-to-hip comparisons
- Skinfold thickness tests
- Screening tests (ultrasounds, CT, and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans)
Measuring the fat around your waist is also a good predictor of your risk for obesity-related diseases.
Health Complications of Obesity
People with obesity are more likely to develop several potentially serious health problems, which include:
- Heart disease and strokes: Obesity contributes to high blood pressure and abnormal cholesterol levels, which may lead to heart diseases and strokes.
- Type 2 diabetes: Obesity affects how the body uses insulin to control blood glucose levels, raising the risk of diabetes.
- Cancers: Being obese may increase the risk of cancer in the women’s reproductive system (uterus, cervix, endometrium, ovary, breast), digestive system (colon, rectum, esophagus, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidney), and others such as prostate.
- Digestive problems: Obesity may lead to heartburn and is a risk factor for gallbladder disease and liver problems.
