Table of Contents
Introduction
Obesity is a chronic medical condition determined by excessive body weight and fats. It is a growing disease worldwide, affecting all age groups, genders and socioeconomic divisions. We will discuss the causes, complications, symptoms and solutions of obesity in this blog. More than 1 billion people are suffering from obesity and it’s a controllable disease.
Body Mass Index (BMI)
BMI is a classification of the weight of people according to their height. This classification is not ideal for those who are suffering from any other medical condition. Below is a BMI table:
| Category | BMI (Kg/m2 |
| Underweight | <18.5 |
| Normal weight | 18.5-24.9 |
| Overweight | 25.0-29.9 |
| Obese I | 30.0-34.9 |
| Obeses II | 35.0-39.9 |
| Obese III | ≥ 40.0 |
Causes
1. Diet
Diet is a controllable cause of weight gain. If you take too many calories, sugar and saturated fats, you’ll get fatter. Cold drinks, alcohol, processed food, red meat, etc are the major sources of sugar and saturated fats.
2. Physical Inactivity
If you make a habit of putting your body at rest or if you don’t burn your calories by moving your body, it’ll also cause you to gain a huge weight.
3. Sleep Deprivation
Chronic sleep deprivation can disturb the hormones that are responsible for the regulation of hunger and satiety which leads to excessive appetite and cravings.
4. Socioeconomic Factors
When people can not purchase organic and healthy food due to corruption, inflation and unfair distribution, they eat unhygienic and unhealthy food, that is available at a cheaper price.
5. Psychological Factors
Stress, anxiety and depression cause emotional hunger and overeating leading to a huge weight gain.
6. Medical Conditions
Several medical conditions like hypothyroidism also can cause a lot of weight gain.
7. Genetics
Genetics can be a minor cause by providing a bigger space for fats in the body.
What Obesity Can Cause
Obesity can be controlled by taking wise life-changing steps otherwise it can cause the following diseases or medical conditions:
1. Cardiovascular Diseases
It can disturb the regulation of blood pressure, leading to the possibility of heart disease, heart failure and stroke.
2. Type 2 Diabetes
Obesity may lead to type 2 diabetes when we get fatter by putting our body at rest and eating too much sugar.
3. Cancers
Fats may help cancerous tumors in their growth, leading to different types of cancers like breast cancer, colon cancer or endometrial cancer.
4. Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is a medical condition where breathing repeatedly starts and stops. It can be caused by weight gain.
5. Muscular or Skeletal Weakness
When a person gains weight and faces difficulties in changing positions and lifting his weight he may face osteoarthritis or musculoskeletal diseases.
6. Psychological Impact
Fat people may face stress, anxiety and depression when they face difficulties in lifting their body weight or face negative comments concerning their obesity.
Solutions
Obesity can be controlled by taking these life-changing steps. These steps aren’t only beneficial to counter obesity but also to counter stress, hypertension, diabetes and other chronic diseases.
1. Diet Plan
You have to take the food with more fiber and unsaturated fats but avoid or take less food with saturated or trans fats.
Food that Decreases Cholesterol Level
Vegetables:
Eat more vegetables especially dark leafy greens (Spinach, Kale, etc), Eggplant, Okra, Brussels sprouts, etc because they are rich sources of soluble dietary fiber.
Fruits:
Eat more fruits like apples, strawberries, grapes and citrus fruits because they’re rich sources of vitamins and dietary fiber so they not only help us to reduce our cholesterol level but also helpful in other functions of the body to keep us healthy.
Fatty Fishes:
Eat fatty fishes like Eels, Tuna, Salmon, Trout, etc instead of red meat or processed meat because they contain unsaturated fats so, it doesn’t increase cholesterol levels or obesity.
Beans and Legumes:
Beans and legumes like chickpeas, lentils, black beans etc are rich sources of soluble fiber.
Whole Grains:
Grains like oats, barley and brown rice are rich sources of soluble fiber with no saturated fats.
Nuts:
Nuts (almonds, peanuts, spears, etc.) are beneficial and protective nutrients to the heart.
Vegetable Oils:
Use oils like olive, canola, sunflower etc instead of coconut and palm oil.
Dietary Precautions:
Use less red meat, processed meat, coconut oil, palm oil, pastries and baked foods because they contain higher amounts of saturated fats and cause high cholesterol levels and obesity.
2. Exercise
Running:
Run for at least 20 to 30 minutes in the morning every day. It will improve your physical health and decrease your cholesterol levels and obesity.
Muscular:
If you’re not facing any medical condition like arthritis, stretch your muscles by doing muscular exercises like squats, jumps and push-ups.
Sports: If you get bored by exercising, you can participate in sports like football, basketball or swimming.
3. Counter the Stress
Here are some tips to release your stress:
- Find proper solutions to your problems.
- Avoid meeting those people who are repeatedly hurting you.
- Try a freelancing environment if you are not ready to work under someone.
- Avoid the addiction to smart devices.
- Avoid crimes.
- Avoid sadism and controversies.
- Control your emotions.
- Avoid getting into temporary relationships.
4. Socioeconomic Management
- Avoid eating fatty and processed food from five-star hotels and restaurants. They are going to damage your health and you’ll have to spend a higher amount of money for them.
- If you’re not stable financially, keep and eye on your pocket and eat vegetables instead of unhygienic and junk food. Your health will not be affected by food poison or other disadvantages.
- Governments and NGOs should keep their eyes on the economy of the public in order to protect them.
Disclaimer:
This is a blog about obesity and how you can counter it. This blog is only for educational purposes. If you are facing obesity overweight. Remember to consult a doctor before it develops more chronic diseases. Avoid copying any of our content or you may face plagiarism issues.
Additional Information
- If you have any questions regarding this blog, feel free to ask in the comments, we will answer.
- If you want to read more about obesity, click on the link below: