Obesity Defined, Causes, Health Effects & Treatment — Health Fix Guide

Obesity is a growing and severe health problem today, and it’s no secret that obesity has become a significant health issue. Depending on individual genetics, age, and other factors, it can have a distinct impact on each individual. However, there are still many questions about obesity that people want to be answered. This article will discuss what causes obesity, how it affects your health, and why you should care about it.

Definition

The term “obesity” refers to having too much body fat accumulated to the extent that it may harm health. It can result from either a gain or loss of excessive weight, with the latter commonly referred to as being “overweight” or “obese.”

Many people think being overweight means you’re fat, but it’s not true. The term “overweight” refers to an ideal weight range- however, there are different ways of measuring BMI:

• For adults, the healthy range is 18.5–24.9 kg/m2;
• For children 1–17 years old, an ideal BMI should fall between 5–11%.

Obesity is a severe condition that affects your health in many ways, such as breathing, walking, and sleeping. People who are obese may also have problems like high blood pressure or diabetes that can lead to heart disease or stroke if left untreated for long periods. Some cancers also develop more often among people who are overweight or obese than those who aren’t overweight at all!

Causes

When it comes to obesity, the causes are complex, and there is no single factor that can be attributed to it. The reasons may be genetic, environmental or lifestyle related.

Some common examples of obesity causes include::

• Genes — Inheriting specific genes from your parents may affect your weight. If you have certain genetic traits or mutations, you’ll likely gain weight even if you’re eating healthy and exercising regularly.
• Lifestyle — Your lifestyle plays a massive role in whether or not you develop obesity over time. For example, if someone has low levels of physical activity and poor eating habits (such as overeating), they may gain more weight than someone who eats healthier foods but doesn’t exercise as much or go running every day!
• Diet — A poor diet can lead to excessive caloric intake, which leads to gaining extra pounds on top of what was already their thanks mainly to our genes.”
• Hormones — Some hormones, like cortisol and insulin, affect your weight by causing you to store fat more quickly than others.

The numerous causes of being overweight or obese include these common factors. You must understand all these factors to make lifestyle changes to help you reach your goals if you want to lose weight.

Health Effects

Obesity can be a major risk factor for many severe health conditions. It can lead to diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and other diseases. Obesity also affects your mood and self-esteem, making you feel ashamed about your body size.

Obesity is linked to depression and social isolation as well as other problems such as high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol levels (hyperlipidemia), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) — which occurs when your body doesn’t use insulin properly — gallbladder disease or sleep apnea syndrome, among others.

If you are older than 35 years old with a BMI 30 or higher(obese), then you should see an endocrinologist who specializes in obesity management because this condition can indicate another serious illness like thyroid dysfunction or pituitary gland tumors.. Those must be treated immediately to prevent diseases from worsening and resulting in permanent harm, such as vision loss.

It is important to note that obesity can be a symptom of an underlying condition or disease. That’s why it’s so important to visit your doctor if you are overweight or obese, especially if you have other health issues such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

Treatment

Obesity is a chronic condition that can be difficult to treat. It’s not something that heals overnight. It will take time, effort, and dedication to overcome. If you’re overweight, it’s essential to understand that there are several ways to lose weight. One of the most common methods is diet and exercise. You can exercise alone or with a medical professional who regularly monitors your progress.

Another option is bariatric surgery. Bariatric surgery involves removing some part of the digestive system (the stomach) so patients can no longer eat as much food before feeling full. In addition, this type of treatment also has been found effective at reducing cravings for unhealthy foods and helping people maintain their weight loss long-term after surgery is completed successfully!

Depending on your situation, other options may be available: lifestyle changes like eating fewer sweets, medications such as thyroid hormone replacement therapy, or even something completely different like acupuncture! The critical thing here is that each person has to find what works best for them individually when trying various treatments available today, so they don’t give up hope prematurely because nothing seems quite right yet.”

The most important thing to remember when losing weight is that it can take time. It’s essential to keep going even if you see immediate results. Keep working hard, and don’t let yourself get discouraged!

In conclusion, we hope you have found this article informative. We aim to ensure you have all the information about obesity to make healthy decisions for yourself or your loved one. Remember that many other factors are at play regarding body weight, including genetics, environment, and age.

Let us know your concerns or questions in the comment box below. To hear from you is a pleasure we truly value 🙂

Originally published at https://healthfixguide.com on March 25, 2023.