500+ Words Essay on Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition of accumulation of excessive body fat that may be detrimental for health. It is considered a lifestyle disease. It is one of the most neglected health problems which have lasting impacts on health. The body fat is measured with a tool known as BMI (Body Mass Index). It compares the height & weight of a person.
BMI is calculated as a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. This screening tool helps in determine the degree of health risks associated with the person. BMI indicates whether someone is an underweight or healthy weight or obese.
Body Mass Index of greater than 30 is considered to be obese, and anything between 25-29.9 is deemed to be overweight. Obesity is becoming a rising global health problem which is a considerable health burden.
Causes of Obesity
When the calories consumed in food and drinks exceed the energy used for exercise and metabolic processes in the body, weight gain occurs. The excess energy is stored as fat. There can be plenty of reasons which result in this health condition. Few major are discussed as follows.
Lifestyle & Physical Inactivity: With the invention of more modern gadgets, we are getting acquainted with doing everything at ease. It has significantly reduced the number of hours in a day for which we used to be active. Moreover, day by day we are adopting a sedentary lifestyle where people are stuck with work & there is a minimal room of exercise, sports, yoga. Nowadays people enjoy watching TV, playing video games etc. over any outdoor activity which results in calorie burns.
Food Habits: Consumption of unhealthy diets which includes junk foods, processed foods, red meat, sugary drinks, unhealthy fats, etc. has contributed majorly to obesity. Eating unhealthy food at regular intervals has also added up to the cause. Irregular food habits are also equally responsible for obesity.
Genetic Factor: Genetics also plays a significant role in controlling the factors of developing obesity. Genes play an active role in metabolism, storage & distribution of body fats. If there is a history of obesity in your family, you are likely to be on the higher side of weight. It increases the chances of weight gain.
Medical Conditions: Underactive thyroid, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are the few medical conditions which contribute to obesity.
Sleeping Habits: Research suggests that sleep deprivation can cause hormonal imbalance which increases the appetite; it pushes up the risk of weight gaining.
Obesity – A Global Challenge
Recent statistics show that more than 1.9 billion adults are overweight, and 650 million are obese globally. Approximately 2.8 million deaths are reported as a result of being overweight or obese.
American Samoa is recorded to have 74.6%, Nauru 71.1% and Cook Islands 63.7% of the global population declared as obese. These are few countries reported to have the highest proportion of the people suffering from obesity.
Other countries like Tokelau is at 63.4%, and Tonga 57.6% also follows the list closely. The US ranks at 18th position with 33% and the UK at 43rd place with 27% of the obese population. According to ICMR study 2015, the prevalence rate of obesity and central obesity varies from 11.8% to 31.3% and 16.9%–36.3% respectively in India.
As per the study, led by Majid Ezzati, professor at the School of Public Health, Imperial College London by 2025, global obesity will reach to 18% in men and severe obesity surpassing 6%. The numbers will cross 21% and severe obesity to be recorded at 9% in women.
Effects of Obesity
Laziness is one of the consequences of obesity which leads to unproductiveness. Obesity causes diabetes, and the body may become resistant to insulin. Adults are more vulnerable to this—the developed resistant lead to a high level of blood sugar, which is fatal.
With an increase in body fat, the body requires more nutrients and oxygen to support. The blood transports it through blood vessels to various parts of the body. The heart starts pumping more blood with an increase in pressure on blood vessels, leading to hypertension. The increased heart rate is also dangerous due to its inability to supply blood to various parts, which ultimately leads to heart failure.
It also leads to respiratory disorders as obese people have reduced lung capacity. These people are at higher risk of respiratory infections like asthma. As the BMI increases, so does the risk of cancer which is a fatal disease.
Obesity also causes coronary heart disease. The arteries around the heart get blocked due to fatty deposits. It prevents the passage for blood flow.
Besides health complications, obesity also causes psychological effects. Obese people are prone to depression, social rejection, negative self-esteem, body shaming.
How to maintain your body weight?
Physical Activity & Change in Lifestyle: It is possible to maintain body weight through social & personal changes. It is essential to stress on a healthy lifestyle which includes at least an hour of physical activity daily. Meditation with yoga also helps in controlling body weight. A sedentary lifestyle can be replaced with small events throughout the day like walking to markets, taking stairs instead of the lift, enjoying outdoor games instead of video games online.
Healthy Diet: A balanced diet must be followed, which includes greens, vegetables, fruits, pulses, fibres. A high protein diet with eggs, fish, and lean meats is excellent to get rid of obesity. Reducing the intake of junk food, sugary drinks, oily food & processed food can help in achieving the goals quickly.
Medical Help: Medication can also be accompanied by a balanced diet to help reducing appetite & absorption of fat. People are also going for drug therapy & Bariatric surgery to decrease the volume of the body.
Conclusion
Obesity is spreading like a global epidemic with an alarming rate. Maintaining a healthy body weight will reduce the chances of severe health problems. It also helps in enhancing the self-confidence & fills life with energy.
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