Obesity, a worldwide phenomenon, today it 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 small number of cases where the condition originates from hormonal disturbances. Obesity is a very serious concern and the health hazards of obesity are keenly felt all over the world. While the most obvious effect that it has on a person is related primarily to his or her aesthetic features, the role it plays in the progression of a number of other conditions is substantial. Conditions such as heart failures, respiratory tract illnesses and blood pressure problems are all significantly worsened by obesity and can have life threatening consequences.

Before getting into the details of how one can control the condition, it is important to understand the different factors that play a role in the development of the condition. For instance, while some people can always point the finger of blame at factors that are out of their control such as hereditary and genetics, most cases will see the problem as being the result of a combination of two factors – an unhealthy diet as well as a lack of proper and adequate exercise.

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 week or two. It is a gradual process taking place at a snails pace, when the individual constantly maintains a positive energy balance. A positive energy balance is usually the result of excessive energy intake.

Obesity

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. An unhealthy diet is a common cause for obesity because of the fact that most of us live very hurried and busy lives. This makes us rely heavily on the convenience of fast foods like burgers and hot dogs.

While these foods are easily achievable as also very good to the taste buds, they completely lack any of the vitamins, nutrients and minerals that our body would require for proper functioning. Most of these fast foods are all packed with a number of empty calories that serve no other purpose than being simply converted into fat cells and stored in the fat tissues of the body. These ‘empty calories’ are very different from the normal calories that are an essential requirement for the body. The calories thus got by the body only go on to settle in the body and increase body fat. This would therefore make the person lazy as also overweight. The key to dealing with obesity lies in ensuring that you consume the precise number of calories that your body requires to function properly. This should also be aided with the right amount of exercise to burn off any of the excess fat cells already present in the body. Consulting a dietician or nutrition expert will help you calculate the correct number of calories required by your body and also help you develop a diet plan that best suits your daily schedule.

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.