The simple change in body composition where there is more weight around your middle can lead to serious health destroying consequences.
We often pass of a little weight gain as no big deal when all the while it is wrecking havoc on our health. However, for every pound you are overweight is ten pounds the joints have to handle with every step you take.
Body composition changes are annoying but they don’t have a screaming voice that says “this is bad for you”. We disregard it and years later we find ourselves in a heap of trouble with high blood pressure, arthritis, diabetes and the list goes on.
This all stems from letting our lifestyle get out of control. If we let that little bit of weight gain go unmanaged before we know it we are dealing with frank obesity, which can lead to morbid obesity and now even a new classification of super-morbid obesity.
What is obesity?
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it has a negative effects on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems.
People are considered obese when their body mass index (BMI), a measurement obtained by dividing a person’s weight by the square of the person’s height, exceeds 30 kg/m2. A better analysis of body composition may be to look at ones percent body fat. Men should maintain their body fat in the range of 10-18% and women from 21-28%.
What causes obesity?
Obesity increases the likelihood of various diseases, particularly heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, certain types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.
Obesity is most commonly caused by a combination of excessive food energy intake, the wrong types of food, lack of physical activity, and genetic susceptibility, although a few cases are caused primarily by genes, endocrine disorders, medications, or psychiatric illness (mental). Evidence to support the view that some obese people eat little yet gain weight due to a slow metabolism is limited.
On average, obese people have greater energy expenditure than their thin counterparts due to the energy required to maintain an increased body mass. The base increase in expenditure does not account for the amount of energy needed to shed the excess poundage. This lends a problem in that obese people have a tendency to be less active and often times consume more than they need and weight continues to accumulate.
How is obesity treated?
Nutritional intake and exercising with numerous types of activity are the main treatments for obesity.
Nutritional quality can be improved by reducing the consumption of energy-dense foods, such as those high in fat and sugars (nutrient devoid yet calorie rich), and by increasing the intake of dietary fiber. With a suitable diet, anti-obesity drugs (a last resort) may be taken to reduce appetite or decrease fat absorption.
If nutrition, exercise, and medication are not effective, surgical procedures may assist with weight loss. Gastric bypass may be performed to reduce stomach volume and/or bowel length, leading to feeling full earlier and a reduced ability to absorb nutrients from food. This can lend serious health issues if not monitored.
It makes perfect sense to pay all attention to lifestyle and exercise modalities first before such extreme measures.
Obesity is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide.
Authorities view it as one of the most serious health problems of the 21st century. Obesity is stigmatized in much of the modern world (particularly in the Western world-STANDARD AMERICAN), though it was widely seen as a symbol of wealth and fertility at other times in history and still is in some parts of the world.
Obesity kills our health. It is something we must take seriously. Health is our health insurance. In 2013, the American Medical Association classified obesity as a disease. Obesity is taking over our nation.
Don’t let your life be a statistic. Don’t let it take over your life and destroy your health. Make a change today and let us help you take control of your health.
Contact us today to get started.
