Obesity

General description 

Obesity is a complex disorder that consists of having an excessive amount of body fat. Obesity is not just an aesthetic problem. Increase your risk of diseases and health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

If you are extremely obese it means that you have a high probability of having health problems related to your weight.

The good news is that even a minimum level of weight loss can improve or prevent health problems related to obesity. Changes in diet, increased physical activity and changes in behavior can help you lose weight. Prescription medications and slimming surgery are additional options to treat obesity.

symptom

Obesity is diagnosed when the body mass index (BMI) is 30 or more. Your body mass index is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms (kg) by your height in meters (m) square.

IMC                      State of the weight
Less than 18.5              Underweight
From 18.5 to 24.9      Normal
From 25.0 to 29.9      Overweight
From 30.0 to 34.9      Obesity (class I)
From 35.0 to 39.9      Obesity (class II)
40.0 or higher              Extreme obesity (Class III)

For most people, BMI provides a rough estimate of body fat. However, BMI does not directly measure body fat, so some people, such as muscular athletes, may have a BMI corresponding to the obesity category even if they do not have excess body fat. Ask your doctor if your BMI is a problem.

When to see the doctor
If you think you may be obese and, especially, if you are concerned about a weight-related health problem, consult your doctor or health care provider. With your provider, you can evaluate the risks to your health and analyze the options to lose weight.

Causes

Although there area unit genetic, behavioral and secretion influences on weight, avoirdupois happens once you eat additional calories than you burn through exercise and traditional daily activities. The body stores excess calories in the form of fat.

In some cases, obesity can have a medical cause, such as the Prader-Willi symptom, Cushing's syndrome or other diseases and disorders. However, these disorders are rare and, in general, the main causes of obesity are the following:

Inactivity. If you do not do a lot of activity, you do not burn so many calories. If you have a sedentary lifestyle, it is very easy for you to eat more calories every day than you use to exercise and for normal daily activities.
Diet and unhealthy eating habits. Weight gain is inevitable if you often eat more calories than you burn. The diet of most Americans has too many calories and is full of fast foods and high-calorie drinks.

Risk factor's

In general, obesity is the product of a combination of causes and factors that contribute to it, including:

Genetics. Your genes could affect the amount of body fat you store and where that fat is distributed. Genetics can also play a role in how efficiently the body converts food into energy and how it burns calories during exercise.
A lifestyle of the family. Obesity tends to occur throughout the family. If one of your parents or both are obese, your risk of being obese is greater. This is not only due to genetics. Family members tend to share similar feeding and activity habits.
Inactivity. If you do not do a lot of activity, you do not burn so many calories. If you have a sedentary lifestyle, it is very easy for you to eat more calories every day than you burn when you exercise and perform normal daily activities. Having medical problems, such as arthritis, can mean less activity, which contributes to weight gain.
Unhealthy diet A high-calorie diet, with lots of fast food, high-calorie beverages, and too large portions, but with few fruits and vegetables contributes to weight gain.
Medical problems. In some people, obesity can have a medical cause, such as the Prader-Willi symptom, Cushing's syndrome and other disorders. Medical problems, such as arthritis, can also decrease physical activity, which can lead to weight gain.
Certain medications Some medications can cause weight gain if you do not compensate them with diet or physical activity. Among these medications, we find some antidepressants, anticonvulsants, diabetes medications, antipsychotics, steroids, and beta-blockers.
Social and economic problems. Research has linked obesity with social and economic factors. It is difficult to avoid obesity if you do not have safe places to exercise. Similarly, you may not have been taught healthy ways to cook or you may not have money to buy healthier foods. In addition, the people you spend time with can influence your weight - you are more likely to be obese if you have friends or family members who are.
Age. Obesity can occur at any age, even in young children. However, as you get older, hormonal changes and a less active lifestyle increase the risk of obesity. Also, the amount of muscle in the body tends to decrease with age. This lower muscle mass produces a decrease in metabolism. These changes also reduce the calories you need, which can make it more difficult to avoid excess weight. If you do not consciously control what you eat and do not do more physical activity as you get older, you are likely to gain weight.
Pregnancy. During pregnancy, women necessarily gain weight. For some women, after the birth of the baby, it is difficult to lower that weight they increased. This increase in weight can contribute to the manifestation of obesity in women.
Give up smoking. Frequently, quitting smoking is associated with weight gain. And, in some cases, quitting smoking can cause people to gain so much weight that they become obese. However, in the long term, quitting smoking is still more beneficial to health than continuing to smoke.
Lack of sleep. Not getting enough sleep or doing too much can cause hormonal changes that increase appetite. You may also feel like eating foods high in calories and carbohydrates, which can contribute to weight gain.

Even if you have one or more of these risk factors, it does not mean you are destined to be obese. You can counteract most of the risk factors through diet, physical activity, and exercise, as well as through behavioral changes.

Complications

If you are obese, you are more likely to manifest various serious health problems, such as the following:

 . High triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol
 . Type 2 diabetes
 . High blood pressure
 . Metabolic syndrome: the combination of high blood sugar, high blood pressure, high triglycerides,     and low HDL cholesterol
 . Heart disease
 . Stroke
 . Cancer, such as cancer of the uterus, cervix, endometrium, ovaries, breast, colon, rectum,   esophagus, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidney, and prostate
. Respiratory disorders, such as sleep apnea, a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing     stops and resumes repeatedly
. Gallbladder disease
. Gynecological problems, such as infertility and irregular menstrual periods
. Erectile dysfunction and sexual health problems
. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, a condition in which fat accumulates in the liver, which can cause    inflammation or scarring
. Osteoarthritis

Quality of life

Obesity can lower your overall quality of life. You may not be able to do things you did before, such as participating in pleasurable activities. Maybe you avoid public places. Obese people can even suffer from discrimination.

Other problems related to weight that can affect your quality of life are the following:

=> Depression
=> Disability
=> Sexual problems
=> Shame and guilt
=> Social isolation
=> Lower performance at work

Prevention

If you run the risk of becoming obese, or if you are currently overweight or at a healthy weight, you can take steps to avoid unhealthy weight gain and related health problems. It is not surprising that the measures to avoid weight gain are the same as to lose weight: daily exercise, healthy diet, and the long-term commitment to control what you eat and drink.

Exercise regularly You should do 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week to avoid weight gain. Moderately intense physical activities can be walking quickly and swimming.
Follow a healthy eating plan. Concentrate on nutrient-rich, low-calorie foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Avoid saturated fats and reduce the consumption of sweets and alcohol. Eat three normal meals per day and a few snacks. You can even enjoy small amounts of high calorie and fatty foods to give you a taste once in a while. Just make sure you choose foods that promote a healthy weight and good health most of the time.
Recognize and avoid the food traps that make you eat. Identify the situations that make you eat out of control. Try to keep a diary in which you write what you eat, how much you eat when you eat, how you feel and how hungry you are. After a while, you should see certain patterns. You can plan and develop strategies to handle this type of situation and maintain control of your eating behaviors.
Control your weight regularly. People who weigh themselves at least once a week get better results by avoiding excess weight. Controlling your weight can tell you if your efforts are working and help you detect small weight gains before they become a big problem.
Be constant. Respecting your healthy weight plan as much as possible during the week, on weekends, holidays and vacations increases your chances of obtaining long-term results.