What is Obesity?

Obesity is a term used to describe excessive body fat. This weight can come from body water, fat, bone and muscle. Obesity occurs when you start consuming more calories than your body uses. Many factors can affect your weight such as not being physically active, consuming high fat foods and genetic makeup. Being obese can have a lot of complications on your health such as the risk of cancer, arthritis, stroke, heart disease and diabetes. 

What causes obesity?

• Consuming excessive calories- Nowadays people eat more food than in the previous generation. This used to happen in the developed nations, but now this trend has spread across the world. People also consume a lot of sweetened drinks which leads to the formation of carbohydrates. Fast food can also increase weight to a great extent. 

• Leading a stationary lifestyle- With the arrival of dishwashers, washing machines, remote controls, video games, computers and televisions, people have become less active and refuse to do their work on their own. The lesser active you are, the fewer calories you tend to burn. Engaging in physical activities is also beneficial for you as it keeps your insulin levels stable. This prevents you from developing diabetes. 

• Not sleeping- Studies suggest that if you don’t sleep enough, you can get obese. Both children and adults face this risk. Studies show that sleep deprivation can lead to obesity due to increased appetite as a result of changes in hormones. Lack of sleep also makes your body produce less amount of Leptin (a hormone which reduces appetite). 

• Medications- Some medications which make people put on excessive body weight. People who are already overweight should select some alternative therapy to avoid getting obese. 

How to treat obesity?

• Dietary changes- It is recommended to reduce the intake of whole grains, vegetables and fruits. It is important to reduce the consumption of fats, refined carbohydrates and sugar. A low calorie diet is usually prescribed by a dietitian or a health care professional. 

• Physical activity- It is advisable to engage in physical activities like walking, jogging, playing outdoor sports to lose weight. 

• Prescription medications- These medications should be considered as the last resort if the patients find it very difficult to lose weight. 

• Weight loss surgery- This is also known as Bariatric Surgery. This procedure is recommended for only morbidly obese people. 

• Obesity- Medline Plus, Health Topics, NIH, U.S. Nati