Social awareness - Daijiworld Media

Apr 7, 2015

What is obesity

Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health.

How do you know you are obese

Body mass index is a rough guide to measure obesity. It is defined as a person’s weight (in kilograms) divided by the square of his or her height (in metres). A person with a BMI of 30 or more is generally considered obese and a person with a BMI equal to or more than 25 is considered overweight.

It is not an accurate measure of obesity though, as it may not correspond to the same degree of fatness in different individuals.

What are the risks of obesity?

High BMI may result in cardiovascular diseases, mainly heart disease and stroke, diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis and some kinds of cancer like endometrial, breast and colon

Why childhood obesity is dangerous

Childhood obesity is associated with a higher chance of obesity, premature death and disability in adulthood. In addition to these future hazards, obese children experience breathing difficulties, increased risk of fractures, hypertension, early markers of cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and psychological effects.

What are the causes of obesity and overweight

A person becomes obese or overweight when there is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended. Globally there has been a rise in obesity because there is an increased intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat. Also people are less active physically due to sedantary jobs, changing modes of transporation and increasing urbanization.

How can one prevent obesity or overweight?

Watch what you are eating and reduce fats and sugar from your diet. Adding fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and fibres to your diet may help your cause. According to WHO, physical activity of 60 minutes everyday for kids and 150 minutes per week for adults is important to stay fit.

Did you know?

– Worldwide obesity has more than doubled since 1980.
– In 2014, more than 1.9 billion adults, 18 years and older, were overweight. Of these over 600 million were obese.
– 39% of adults aged 18 years and over were overweight in 2014, and 13% were obese.
– Most of the world’s population live in countries where overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight.
– 42 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2013.
– Obesity is preventable.

These studies warn about the perils of Obesity:

Obese women more likely to get cancer
Occupational sitting among women linked to obesity
High-sugar diet in fathers can lead to obese offspring
Half a million cancers a year fuelled by obesity
Obesity silently damages heart