Obesity, a worldwide phenomenon, today has surged to become
one of the most deadly enemies of mankind, afflicting mostly the rich and the
affluent. Obese in simple terms means excess body weight, usually in the
absence of an underlying disease, except in a small number of cases where the
condition originates from hormonal disturbances.
The terms overweight and obese are used synonymously by the
commoner; however, there is some difference at the clinical level. A person can
be considered overweight if his body weight is 10-19 per cent more than the
normal or ideal body weight. However, when the body weight of a person is 20
per cent or more than his ideal body weight, he is considered obese. As we have
seen previously, the ideal body weight for a person depends on his height, sex,
age and body frame.
Thus, obesity is a condition of excess body weight and is
usually the result of excess accumulation of fat in the body. When energy
intake is persistently greater than energy expenditure, the result is gradual
accumulation of fat deposits in the adipose tissue depots. Obesity does not
happen in a day or a week. It is a gradual process taking place at snails pace
when the individual constantly maintains a positive energy balance. A positive
energy balance is usually the result of excessive energy intake.
High calorie and high fat foods pamper our taste buds to an
extent that most individuals find it difficult to refrain from them in spite of
being aware of their nutrient composition. The ignorant certainly cannot be
blamed.
The other major culprit is modern urban life mechanisation
and dependence on different tools has made life easy and increasingly
sedentary. This has lead to the lowering of activity levels, of daily energy
expenditure and thus of our total daily caloric needs. Increased calorie intake
due to consumption of processed foods and decreased activity levels have
together taken a toll, increasing the prevalence of obesity. Sometimes, of
course obesity may also be the result of an interplay of hormones.
Obesity jeopardizes an individuals health in more ways than
one. It imperils both body and mind of an obese individual. An obese
individuals distorted body shape and appearance can be a source both of
humiliation and discomfort. Many obese people complain of pain in the joints
and may develop arthritis (osteoarthritis) because they have overburdened their
knees and joints with their excess body weight. This is the most obvious health
hazard that obesity invokes.
Obesity has been associated with a wide range of health
problems. It contributes to increasing levels of lipids (fat) and cholesterol
in the blood (hyperlipidemia and hypercholesterolemia respectively), leading to
narrowing of blood vessels due to deposition of fatty materials in coronary
arteries (atherosclerosis). This in turn causes the blood pressure levels to
soar (hypertension) and increases the risk of heart attack (myocardial
infarction) and strokes.
Obesity increases the risk of diabetes because it increases insulin resistance leading to glucose intolerance. Weight reduction
helps many diabetic patients in controlling their diabetes. Obesity can also
lead to pregnancy related and surgical complications.
Obese individuals are also more likely to develop cancer. Certain cancers such
as cancers of the gall bladder, endometrium, ovary, breasts and cervix in
women, and cancers of the colon and prostate in men have been associated with
excess body weight.
Extreme obesity can also cause respiratory insufficiency
(hypoventilation) and may even result in sudden death during sleep. Thus,
because of its association with several diseases, obesity decreases life
expectancy.EzineArticles.com by : Kevin_Pederson