Overview
Obesity affects people regardless of age, country and ethnicity. It is caused by too much of fat accumulated in the body. This is often the result of overeating, alcoholism, lack of proper exercise and in some cases hereditary. Any person who crosses the 29 body mass index mark is considered as obese. Though often found among the rich, people of low income too are not spared from this health disorder.
Extra fat accumulated in the body plays the villain in obesity. Not all cases are person induced. Medicines such as oral contraceptives, corticosteroids and antidepressants are known to trigger obesity. Hormonal imbalance and certain hereditary factors such as hypothyroidism and Polycystic ovary are also known to cause obesity.
An obese person will be overweight and looks huge. He/she is often laughed at by others. Obese are affected both internally and externally. Besides physical appearance, there are many health problems that affect the obese. Type 2 diabetes is often associated with obesity . Some other diseases that are obesity induced are sleep apnea, liver and sleep disorders and some cancers. Lungs, air passages, etc. are also affected by obesity, hence obese children often suffer from asthma and other respiratory problems. The countries that have more obese population are usually the developed and industrialized ones thanks to their change in lifestyle and altered eating patterns.
Help and support
The symptoms of obesity are often the symptoms of the diseases that they suffer. Besides, high cholesterol, breathing difficulty, joint pain and high BP will be common for them. The severity of the problems depends on how obese the person is.
There are many ways in which this disorder can be diagnosed:
Body mass index calculation by dividing the weight by height.
Test to measure the fat underneath the skin.
Blood test will reveal any medical conditions that induces obesity.
Electrical measurements.
Wait and hip ratio is crucial in deciding obesity.
Water displacement is another test to asses this ailment.
Overcome
In case of lifestyle induced obesity, there are many ways to tackle it. The best and important thing is to stick to a healthy diet. A good nutrient enriched diet will help a person to reduce weight and feel comfortable. Sweets and confectioneries should be avoided very strictly. Sodas and starch filled food should be excluded from the list. Proper meal timing needs to be charted out and stick to it. Regular exercise also helps a lot in burning fat. Also remember, one should not skip meals.
Medication is not known to work wonders but acts as a support system along with the exercise and diet programs. Medicines are also for short durations. In extreme cases of obesity, surgery is recommended to reduce the size of the bowel. Side effects of medications ranges from nausea to life threatening diseases. It is never advisable to go for self treatment and diets in cases of obesity. Obese people are prone to depression and low self esteem. This can be overcome by proper counseling and support from loved ones.
