Obesity (By- Dr Acharya’s Esthetiques & Global Homoeopathy)
Overweight and obesity are both chronic conditions that are the result of an energy imbalance over a period of time. The cause of this energy imbalance can be due to a combination of several different factors and varies from one person to another.Individual behaviors, environmental factors, and genetics all contribute to the complexity of the obesity epidemic. Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an negative effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems.Weight gain usually involves the combination of consuming too many calories and not expending enough through physical activity.
How do we measure if someone is obese ?
Body Mass Index (BMI)
BMI Categories:
- Normal weight =18.5-24.9
- Overweight = 25-29.9
- Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
When you eat more than you use, it is stored in your body as “fat”. Causes :
- Global shift in how we eat
- Western diet of processed food
- Higher sugar, fat and calories in what we eat
- Less nutrients
- Reduced intake of vitamins and minerals
It makes you more likely to have conditions including:
- Heart disease and stroke.
- High blood pressure.
- Diabetes.
- Gallbladder disease and gallstones.
- Osteoarthritis.
- Gout.
- Breathing problems, such as sleep apnea (when a person stops breathing for short episodes during sleep) and asthma.
Causes of Obesity
- Inactivity
- Unhealthy diet and eating habits.
- Pregnancy
- Lack of sleep
- Certain medications
- Medical problems
- Age
- Social and economic issues.
Guidelines :
- Have a balance of energy and healthy weight
- Limit how much fat we eat…we need to eat some..but not too much.
- Increase fruits and vegetables
- Limit sugars
- Increase exercise to at least 30-60 minutes per day on most days!
