Obesity & Overweight | Yes! Of Course, You Are What You Eat!

What Are The Risks Of Obesity?

When you’re obese, your overall quality of life may be diminished. You may not be able to do things you used to do, such as participating in enjoyable activities. You may avoid public places. Obese people may even encounter discrimination. Obesity usually results from a combination of causes and contributing factors, including:

» Genetics

Firstly, your genes may affect the amount of body fat you store, and where that fat is distributed. Secondly, genetics may also play a role in how efficiently your body converts food into energy and how your body burns calories during exercise.

» Family lifestyle

Obesity tends to run in families. If one or both of your parents are obese, your risk of being obese is increased. That’s not just because of genetics. Family members tend to share similar eating and activity habits.

» Inactivity

If you’re not very active, you don’t burn as many calories. With a sedentary lifestyle, you can easily take in more calories every day than you burn through exercise and routine daily activities. Having medical problems, such as arthritis, can lead to decreased activity, which contributes to weight gain.

» Unhealthy diet

A diet that’s high in calories, lacking in fruits and vegetables, full of fast food and laden with high-calorie beverages, and oversized portions contribute to weight gain.

» Medical problems

In some people, obesity can be traced to a medical cause, such as Prader-Willi syndrome, Cushing’s syndrome, and other conditions. Medical problems, such as arthritis, also can lead to decreased activity, which may result in weight gain.

» Certain medications

Some medications can lead to weight gain if you don’t compensate through diet or activity. These medications include some antidepressants, anti-seizure medications, diabetes medications, antipsychotic medications, steroids, and beta-blockers.

» Social and economic issues

Research has linked social and economic factors of obesity. Avoiding obesity is difficult if you don’t have safe areas to exercise. Similarly, you may not have been taught healthy ways of cooking, or you may not have money to buy healthier foods. In addition, the people you spend time with may influence your weight — you’re more likely to become obese if you have obese friends or relatives.

» Age

Obesity can occur at any age, even in young children. But as you age, hormonal changes and a less active lifestyle increase your risk of obesity. In addition, the amount of muscle in your body tends to decrease with age. This lower muscle mass leads to a decrease in metabolism. These changes also reduce calorie needs and can make it harder to keep off excess weight. If you don’t consciously control what you eat and become more physically active as you age, you’ll likely gain weight.

» Pregnancy

During pregnancy, a woman’s weight necessarily increases. Some women find this weight difficult to lose after the baby is born. This weight gain may contribute to the development of obesity in women.

» Smoking

Quitting smoking is often associated with weight gain. And for some, it can lead to enough weight gain that the person becomes obese. In the long run, however, quitting smoking is still a greater benefit to your health than continuing to smoke.

» Lack of sleep

Not getting enough sleep or getting too much sleep can cause changes in hormones that increase your appetite. You may also crave foods high in calories and carbohydrates, which can contribute to weight gain. Even if you have one or more of these risk factors, it doesn’t mean that you’re destined to become obese. You can counteract most risk factors through diet, physical activity and exercise, and behavior changes.

What Complications Are Related To Obesity?

If you’re obese, you’re more likely to develop a number of potentially serious health problems.

Including:

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

In addition, there are other Overweight related issues that may affect your quality of life.

Including:

• Depression
• Disability
• Sexual problems or Low libido
• Shame and guilt
• Social isolation
• Lower work achievement

What Are The Preventive Measures?

In theory, anyone can become morbidly obese. For someone to gain weight and become morbidly obese, they must consume more calories than their body can burn and use. After all, the body stores unnecessary calories as fat. As more and more calories are consumed, the fat stores grow larger, leading to obesity or, as worst-case, morbid obesity.

Whether you’re at risk of becoming obese, currently overweight or at a healthy weight, you can take steps to prevent unhealthy weight gain and related health problems. Not surprisingly, the steps to prevent weight gain are the same as the steps to lose weight. Such as daily exercise, a healthy diet, and a long-term commitment to watch what you eat and drink.

» Exercise regularly

Important to realize, you need to get 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week to prevent weight gain. Moderately intense physical activities include fast walking and swimming.

» Follow a healthy eating plan

Focus on low-calorie, nutrient-dense foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Avoid saturated fat and limit sweets and alcohol. Eat three regular meals a day with limited snacking. You can still enjoy small amounts of high-fat, high-calorie foods as an infrequent treat. Just be sure to choose foods that promote a healthy weight and good health most of the time.

» Know and avoid the food traps that cause you to eat

Identify situations that trigger out-of-control eating. Try keeping a journal and write down what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you’re feeling, and how hungry you are. After a while, you should see patterns emerge. You can plan ahead and develop strategies for handling these types of situations and stay in control of your eating behaviors.

» Monitor your weight regularly

By the same token, people who weigh themselves at least once a week are more successful in keeping off excess pounds. Monitoring your weight can tell you whether your efforts are working. And can help you detect small weight gains before they become big problems.

» Be consistent

Sticking to your healthy-weight plan during the week, on the weekends, and amidst vacation and holidays as much as possible increases your chances of long-term success. Left untreated, a person with obesity can develop any number of more serious health conditions. These conditions can be limiting and potentially fatal. Be that as it may, when treated, obesity can be reversed, and the chances of developing other medical conditions are greatly reduced. Diet and exercise are the most effective, long-term solutions to reversing morbid obesity.

Summing Up,