When we eat more calories than necessary, it gets stored in our body as fat. We often do put on a little weight and that is not a big deal, but a little more fat can increase high blood pressure and high blood sugar (high glucose) in our body. Because of this, we may face many more serious health problems including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and special types of cancers.
Today, 2/3 of adults in India’s cities are known to be overweight or obese. One-third of adults are obese. From this post, you will get information to explain the health problems caused by obesity. I will also explain how overweight and obesity should be treated.
How do I know if my weight is good?
How can I tell if I am at a normal weight?
Body mass index (BMI) is the only way you can find out if you are overweight, or obese. BMI is calculated by calculating your height and weight.
A BMI of 24.9 –18.5 is in the normal range. A person with a BMI of 25 – 29.9 is considered overweight, and someone with a BMI of 30 or greater is considered obese.
Although BMI does not measure the amount of fat in one’s body, if someone’s body is very firm, then their BMI may be higher. You can consult your doctor or expert on why your BMI is high.
Why do people gain weight?
Our body needs energy which we take as calories, it is very important to keep us active and alive. But to maintain balance, we should keep in mind that how much calories we are consuming and how much calories we are burning. When a person eats excessively high calories or does not know how to use that much calory, then it starts accumulating in our body in the form of fat, which causes problems of weight gain, obesity, etc. Every person’s intake of calories is different, so everyone should balance according to their own.
What could be the other reasons?
Your DNA, surrounding environment and other factors can cause weight gain. Learn how to deal with these factors.
Family
Research suggests obesity can also be predisposed. Family, diet, and lifestyle can also affect weight. However, it is possible to manage your weight even if obesity is in the family.
The world around you and obesity
Where people live, play and work also affect weight. The fact is that obesity rates were lower 30 years ago. Since that time, our genetic make-up has not changed while things around us have changed.
The environment around us has now become such that healthy foods and walking spaces have changed and in many ways, all these things are responsible for the reduction of physical effort:
- Many people drive instead of walking.
- There is a lack of safe places to do walks or exercise.
- Many people eat outside instead of cooking at home which increases calories.
- Low-calorie, low-fat snacks are not found in most vending machines.
Overweight and obesity affect people of all income categories. People of low income are also unable to eat healthy food now and their physical activity is also decreasing. High calorie processed foods are often cheaper than fruits and vegetables due to which people have started eating them. Moreover, there is a lot of lack of starting places to play nowadays, due to which people are not able to play regular nor are able to walk, all these things are an important factor in weight gain.
Culture’s impact on obesity
A person’s culture can also affect their weight:
Some cultures use fat or sugar too much, making it difficult to keep weight down.
Due to the programs in the family, people also eat more curry food due to which it is becoming difficult to keep weight.
Reduced sleep affects obesity
Research suggests that lack of sleep is also associated with overweight and obesity. Recent studies have shown that those who sleep less have difficulty losing weight. These studies have shown that people who sleep less and want to lose weight tend to eat more calorie snacks.
Drug impact on obesity
Some medications can cause weight gain. Steroids and some medications used to treat depression or other mental health problems cause more hunger and burn calories more slowly. Make sure your doctor knows all the medications (OTC and supplement) you are taking. They can give them weight gain medicines instead.
Does my body shape matter?
Yes, where there is more fat on the body is overweight, it affects health:
When women collect fat in the hips and buttocks, they become “pear” or “pitcher”.
Males typically have fat collected around the abdomen, giving them an “apple” shape.
Of course, some men also get shaped like a pitcher and some women, after menopause, become apple-shaped.
Excess fat in the middle part of one’s body increases the likelihood of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other health-related illnesses, even if you are underweight. Therefore, talk to your doctor once.
What are the other problems associated with being overweight?
Too much weight can increase the risk of many health problems. It can also contribute to emotional and social problems.
What is the risk of health from overweight?
Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, kidney disease, and certain types of cancers maybe some of the diseases associated with excess weight. Obese men are more likely to get stomach cancer than other men. Obese women have an increased likelihood of breast (after menopause), gallbladder, uterine, or cervical cancer compared to other women.
Other diseases and health problems related to weight
- Breathing problems including sleep apnea
- Fatty liver disease,
- Gallbladder disease and gallstones
- Pregnancy problems, such as gestational diabetes (high blood sugar during pregnancy,
- High blood pressure, and increased risk for cesarean section (C-section)
Emotional and Social Effects
Excess weight can also increase emotional pain. Fat people are ugly and people make fun of them.
Because in our society, obese people feel less working, therefore they also get less employment. This leads to a lot of mental disturbances like depression, shame and low building in them.
Who should lose weight? Who should lose weight?
Doctors believe that those who have a BMI of 30 or more can improve their health by reducing weight.
If you are overweight (BMI between 25 and 29.9), experts suggest that you should avoid excessive weight gain. If you are overweight, then you can reduce the weight from the dangers of the weight given below and avoid those dangers. Experts suggest that you should lose weight if you have two problems given below:
There are some chronic family diseases. For example, a close relative of yours who is suffering from diseases such as heart disease or diabetes, you may be likely to develop these problems.
Pre-existing medical problems. High blood pressure, high LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, low HDL (good) cholesterol levels, high triglycerides, and high blood sugar (prediabetes or diabetes) can all be associated with obesity.
Increased waist size. Men who have more than 40 inches of waist and women who are more than 35 inches have a higher risk of diabetes, besides high cholesterol and triglycerides, high blood pressure, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
Luckily, losing even a small amount of weight can improve your health. This weight loss can lower your blood pressure and improve other risk factors.
For example, research suggests that people who are at higher risk of type 2 diabetes may break it or lose it by losing weight.
How to treat overweight and obesity?
For this it is best that you can reduce weight by physical exercise and healthy diet, for this you need to change your daily habits, if these changes do not reduce your weight then you A doctor should be taken by taking a checkup from a doctor and follow the instructions given by the doctor.
In some cases of extreme obesity, doctors may recommend bariatric surgery.
How can I improve my health?
Although you cannot change your genes, you can work on changing your eating habits, level of physical activity, and other factors. Try to adopt the ideas given below.
Do regular physical activity
Try these tips to start or maintain an exercise program:
At least 2.5 hours a week, you should do heartburn and sweating exercises. For this, you should do fast walking, swimming, any sport or such activity.
You can also do it in equal parts of 10 minutes, like a 10-minute brisk walk, 10-minute dance, taking out dogs and running in the park, you can do all these activities.
Adults should exercise 150 minutes or 2.5 hours per week of moderate-intensity to be healthy. Aerobic physical activity is the activity that speeds up your heartbeat and breath. Walking is an example of a moderate-intensity aerobic activity. Walking at a brisk pace for 30 minutes per day, 5 days a week will help you meet your goal of 150 minutes per week. But any 10-minute physical activity is good for you. If you cannot walk for 30 minutes at a time, you can walk 3 times for 10-10 minutes.
To get more health benefits and control your weight, you should walk more than 150 minutes a week. You should aim to walk 5 days a week or 300 minutes or 1 hour daily. The more you walk, the more health benefits you will get!
Eat better
Eating healthy foods has significant health benefits including weight loss. To start eating better, try these tips:
- Eat the rainbow. Have half the fruits and vegetables on your plate.
- Eat whole grains, oatmeal, whole wheat bread, and brown rice, avoid processed foods.
- Eat good protein like seafood, lean meat, eggs, beans and nuts without salt
- Instead of sugary drinks, drink less sugary tea, low-fat milk or water.
Remember, weight control is a lifelong endeavor. Starting now with small steps can improve your health. A healthy diet plan and regular physical activity help a lot in making you healthy.