What is Obesity?
Obesity is a complex disease defined as having an excessive amount of body fat. Key terms include:
- Body mass index (BMI): A measure of body fat based on height and weight. A BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.
- Overweight: Having more body fat than normal. An adult with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight.
- Morbid obesity: Having a BMI over 40. At this level, obesity starts to seriously impact health and quality of life.
Causes
Obesity often results from a combination of causes and risk factors, including:
- Poor diet - Eating high amounts of processed foods, sugar, refined carbs and unhealthy fats
- Lack of exercise
- Genetics and family history
- Medical problems (e.g. hormone issues)
- Certain medications
- Psychological factors
- Societal factors (e.g. easy access to unhealthy food)
Health Impacts
Obesity significantly raises the risk of developing serious medical conditions, including:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
- Certain cancers
- Liver and gallbladder problems
- Sleep apnea and breathing issues
- Osteoarthritis
It can also negatively impact mental health and quality of life. Treating obesity improves overall health and wellbeing.
Treatment
Successfully treating obesity typically requires lifestyle changes in:
- Diet - Reducing calories from processed foods, decreasing portion sizes
- Exercise - Incorporating cardio and strength training
- Behavioral therapy - Identifying triggers, establishing healthy habits
In some cases, medication or weight loss surgery may also be options. A customized treatment plan tailored to the individual generally works best.
I aimed to provide an overview of obesity while avoiding anything promotional. Please let me know if you would like me to modify or expand on any part of the article.