The abnormal or excessive amount of accumulation of fats makes the body vulnerable to certain diseases is defined as obesity. From the definition it is clear that obesity is not weight but the mass of fat the body carries. It includes the waist circumference and body fat percentage.
Obesity is not only a cosmetic concern but is a health risk to many diseases.
How to know if you are obese
According to WHO a person is categorized as obese when the body mass index is more than or equal to 30. The way to calculate BMI is divide the weight in kilograms by the square of the height in meters.
-BMI greater than or equal to 30 is considered obese
-BMI more than or equal to 25 is considered overweight
-BMI more than or equal to 18.5 is normal weight
Prevalence in India
India ranks third in countries with most obese people
More than 135 million individuals are obese.
Prevalent rate of obesity is 11.8% to31.3% (ICMR study 2015)
Central obesity (abdominal fat) varies from 16.9 to 36.3% (ICMR study 2015)
Prevalence is much higher in women when compared to men
Punjab and Kerala are the top two obese states of India
Causes
When the calories consumed is more than calories burnt then there is fat storage in the body. The daily activities we are engaged in, need energy from food, in fact the metabolic reactions in the body need the energy from the food we eat.
-Obesity in India is rising in an alarming rate and the predisposing factors are-
-Food habits such as taking more of fast foods, high calorie foods, binge eating etc
-Wrong approach of parents- Indian parents feel happy when the child eats a lot. Food becomes a medium to show love.
-Lack of sleep results in imbalance of body hormones and thus one may crave for high calorie food.
-Stress imbalances the hormones leading to overeating.
-No physical activity- sedentary lifestyle leads to accumulation of fats without any calories burnt.
-Technology- with so much time spent on video games, phone, television etc there is less interest for outdoor activities and more munching on junk foods.
-Working status of parents- the long working hours of the parents does not enable them to keep a check on the dietary habits of the child and this leads to poor food habits.
-Certain medications such as anti- depressant, anti-seizure, anti-diabetic etc leads to weight gain.
-Genes – it determines the amount of fat and location of the fat stored
-Medical issues – underlying medical problems such as cushing syndrome, hypothyroidism, PCOD etc.
Associated health risks
Health is defined as a total well being of a person and this includes physical and mental health. Obesity has adverse effects on both physical and mental health.
Common health risks include-
Cardio vascular disease
Hypertension
Type 2 diabetes
Joint pain
Metabolic syndrome
Depression
Sexual problems
Social isolation
What to do if you are obese
A healthcare professional will be a great mentor towards the weight loss journey. All that is required to reduce few kilograms is the following 3 things –
Detoxification- drinking green tea or detox water is beneficial in eliminating the toxins and thus balances the hormones.
Balanced diet – a balanced diet must have protein, fats, carbohydrate and vitamins and minerals. After a thorough examination of the client a customized diet plan is made according to the need of the body.
Monitoring & Motivation- At times it is not easy to stick to the altered diet. This is the time when motivation plays a critical role to keep you on the track.
Follow up- it is an important part of weight loss to make sure you do not gain extra weight in future.