Obesity

Obesity is a term used to describe body weight that is much greater than what is healthy. If you are obese, you also have a much higher amount of body fat than is healthy or desirable.It is a chronic (long term) disease that is difficult & time consuming to treat. Medically it can also be called as a state of body in which there is generalized accumulation of excess adipose tissues leading to more than 20% of desirable weight.

Obesity or overweight can damage the body by its mechanical & metabolical adverse effects on normal body functions. It invites disability, diseases & premature death.

Causes of Obesity

Obesity is caused by ingesting more energy than is expended over a long period of time. Our body needs calories to sustain life and be physically active but to maintain weight, we need to balance the energy we eat with energy we use or spend. It is usually cuased due to one of the following factors or a combination of factors such as:

1. Family History & Genetics Your genes also may affect the amount of fat you store in your body and where on your body you carry the extra fat. Children adopt the habits of their parents. A child who has overweight parents who eat high-calorie foods and are inactive will likely become overweight too. However, if the family adopts healthy food and physical activity habits, the child's chance of being overweight or obese is reduced.

2. Eating & Drinking Habits

• Nibbling between meals is common among housewifes and is a potential cause for obesity; especially if snacking is there in addition to existing meals.
• Some may eat faster, taking less time to chewing. They tend to consume more food at each meal.
• Obese persons respond to external cues to eat rather than internal hunger signals. They eat when it is mealtime or when they are surrounded by tasty food instead when they are hungry.
• Drinking too much alcohol also causes extra pounds of weight in our body.
• Our food is not properly digested if we drink water with food or just after food which leads to extra fat accumulation or obesity.

3. Physical Activity People who live an active life are much less likely to gain weight than those who spend most of their day sitting in front of computer or tv.

4. Environmental & Social Factors Environment includes world around us - our access to places to walk & healthy foods, e.g. today more people drive long distances to work instead of walking, tend to eat out or get 'take out' instead of cooking, or have vending machines with high-calorie high fat snacks at their workplaces.

5. Age As you get older, you tend to lose muscle, especially if you're less active. Muscle loss can slow down the rate at which your body burns calories. If you don't reduce your calorie intake as you get older, you may gain weight. Midlife weight gain in women is mainly due to aging and lifestyle, but menopause also plays a role. Many women gain around 5 pounds during menopause and have more fat around the waist than they did before.



6. Lack of Sleep Studies find that the less people sleep, the more likely they are to be overweight or obese. People who report sleeping 5 hours a night, for example, are much more likely to become obese compared with people who sleep 7–8 hours a night.
People who sleep fewer hours also seem to prefer eating foods that are higher in calories and carbohydrates, which can lead to overeating, weight gain, and obesity over time.
Hormones that are released during sleep control appetite and the body's use of energy. For example, insulin controls the rise and fall of blood sugar levels during sleep. People who don't get enough sleep have insulin and blood sugar levels that are similar to those in people who are likely to have diabetes.
Fat distribution around the waist ("apple shaped" figure, intra abdominal fat) carries more risk than fat distributed on hips & thighs ("pear shaped" figure, fat under skin).

7. Other Causes Some drugs such as steroids, anti-depressants and some medications for psychatric conditions or seizure disorders may cause weight gain. These drugs may slow the rate at which body burns calories, stimulate appetite, or cause the body to hold on to extra water.

Risks & Dangers of Obesity: 

Some of the dangers of being overweight include developing:

• High Blood Pressure: When you have excess body fat, your body retains sodium. When your body retains sodium, blood volume increases and blood pressure rises. High blood pressure causes your heart to work harder, which is dangerous for the heart & can lead to stroke.
• Diabetes: Obesity is the leading cause of type 2 diabetes. Excess fat makes your body resistant to insulin. When your body is resistant to insulin, your cells can't get the energy they need.
• Fatty Liver: It occurs when fat builds up in liver cells & causes injury or inflammation in liver. It can sometimes lead to severe liver damage, cirrhosis(build up of scar tissue that blocks proper blood flow in liver). People who have diabetes are more likely to have fatty liver disease.
• Abnormal blood fats: A diet high in saturated fats increases the level of LDL (bad) cholesterol.
• Osteoarthritis: Excess weight adds pressure to joints and wears away at the cartilage that protects them.
• Sleep apnea: A fat person may have more fat stored around his neck. This may make airway smaller, difficulty in breathing, loud snoring or altogether. The more overweight a person is, the greater more severe the sleep apnea will be.
• Cancer: Fat cells make harmones that effect cell growth & leads to higher risk of developing many different kinds of cancers of colon, esophagus, kidney etc.
• Gallstones: Obese people have more cholestrol which may lead to gall bladder stones or enlarged gall bladder. Gallstones are more common in people who are overweight.
• Physical Discomfort: As fat accumulates, it crowds the space occupied by your organs. People who are overweight may have difficulty breathing, walking, sitting or weak pelvic muscles.

Click here to assess your health risks associated with your weight.

Treatments

• Most people can lose weight by eating a healthier diet and exercising more. Even modest weight loss can improve your health. Sticking to a weight reduction program is not easy. You will need a lot of support from family and friends.You may need to have calory diet around 1500Kcal.
• Regular walk and exercise for one hour.
• Use Super Body Cavitation Sculptor Weight Loss treatment for effective & immediate weight loss. One session can easily reduce upto 2 inches of belly fat.
• Far Infrared Sauna Bath rejuvenates skin & helps in weight loss.
• Low frequency vibratory massage for reducing belly fat or fats on thighs, arms, lower back etc. It is used for half hour on fatty areas which mobilizes fat tissues and reduce waistline for 2-3 inches in a month.
• 9 Ball Jade projector & ceramic heating mat is also helpful in reducing weight. 9 Ball Jade massager is applied by giving pressure on para spinal region and abdomen.
• There are many over-the-counter diet products. These include herbal remedies. Most of these products do not work and some can be dangerous. Before using an over-the-counter or herbal diet remedy, talk to your health care provider.
• Follow some Natural Tips for weight loss
  
• Weight-loss surgery may be done to help you lose weight if you are very obese and have not been able to lose weight with diet and exercise.
  Surgery alone is not the answer for weight loss. It can train you to eat less, but you still have to do much of the work. You must be committed to diet and exercise after the surgery.Talk to your doctor to learn if this is a good option for you.
  You may have complications from these surgeries. One problem some people have is throwing up if they eat more than their new small stomach can hold. Check out our article on dangers of weight reduction surgical treatment.