Obesity: When Does The Weight Become Too Much?

What is obesity? What factors cause it? How to prevent the problem in time and get rid of excess weight?

What is obesity? What factors cause it? How to prevent the problem in time and get rid of excess weight?

What is obesity?

Obesity is a condition where the total proportion of fat in the body exceeds the norm. A person is recognized as obese when his weight is 20% or more higher than normal. The most traditional criterion for determining obesity is the body mass index or BMI. A person is considered overweight if their BMI is between 25 and 29.9, and obese if their BMI is over 30.

"Critically obese" means that a person weighs more than normal weight by 50%-100%, and has a BMI of 40 and above, or when excess weight seriously interferes with his health.

What causes obesity?

Obesity occurs when a person consumes more calories than they expend. Many people have this condition as a result of overeating and a sedentary lifestyle. But there are other factors that also play a role in the formation of obesity. Including:

• age _ As you get older, your body's ability to digest food slows down, and you don't need as many calories to maintain a healthy weight. This is why people report that as they age, they eat the same amount of food and engage in the same activities, but their weight increases.
• Sex . Women tend to be overweight more often than men. This is due to the fact that men have a higher metabolic rate (that is, they use more energy at rest) than women, so men need more calories to maintain their body weight. Also, when women reach menopause, their metabolic rate decreases. That is why many women gain weight after menopause.
• Genetics . Obesity (just like thinness) can be inherited. If your biological mother is slim, you have a 75% chance of inheriting this trait, and vice versa, if your mother is obese, you also have a 75% chance of being overweight. However, many people are genetically predisposed to obesity, but do not gain excess weight.
• Environmental factor . Although genes are an important factor in many cases of obesity, the environment also plays a significant role. The environmental factor also includes a person's lifestyle, his eating behavior and general physical activity.
• Physical activity . Active people need more calories than passive people. In addition, physical activity tends to reduce appetite in obese people while simultaneously increasing the body's ability to metabolize mainly fats as a source of energy. Most cases of obesity are associated with a decrease in the level of daily physical activity.
• Psychological factor . Psychological factors also affect weight gain. Many people eat in response to negative emotions such as boredom, sadness, or anger. People who have difficulty managing their weight may experience more severe emotional dependence on food and lose control of how much they eat.
• Diseases . Some diseases can lead to obesity. These include hormonal problems such as hypothyroidism (slow metabolism due to an underactive thyroid gland), depression, and some rare brain diseases that cause overeating.

 

• Therapy . Certain medications, such as steroids and antidepressants, can cause excessive weight gain.

Emotional factor of obesity

One of the most painful aspects of obesity can be the emotional suffering and complexes it causes. Many of us have formed a false stereotype of obese people as gluttonous, lazy and free-spirited individuals. That is why smooth people often face prejudice and discrimination at work, at school, when looking for a job, and when trying to build social connections. Feelings of rejection, shame, or depression are common problems for people who are overweight.

How to prevent obesity?

It is necessary to prevent obesity in the early stages. At the first suspicions, doctors recommend calculating the body mass index and if it is higher than normal, consult a doctor.

"In order to prevent obesity, it is necessary to reduce the intake of easily digestible carbohydrates, this includes all sweets, flour products, especially high-calorie ones such as pastries, cakes, butter rolls. It is advisable to use fiber, it's a variety of cereals, it's lean meat, it's vegetables and fruits," says endocrinologist Natalya Pitiryakova .

When to seek help for obesity?

You should consult a doctor if you have emotional or psychological problems related to your obesity, or if you feel that you cannot cope with the problem on your own, and in this connection your health is deteriorating.

If your BMI is 30 or more, you should consult with a nutritionist to develop an individualized diet, as well as discuss the possibility of visiting a sports club and working with a personal trainer.

Do not forget that obesity is a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases, threatens the lowering of internal organs and related problems, infertility, varicose veins, hernia, hemorrhoids and many other diseases.