Health Hazards Of Obesity

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.

1. Prev:How To Study Weight Loss
2. Next:Gastric Bypass Surgery – Knowing the Risks