New Year Resolution: Let’s Gang Up Against This Pain In The A**

Obesity, what exactly is it?

Obesity is referred to as a medical disorder that arises when an individual weighs excessively. It can also be defined as the accumulation of body fat that may hinder health. Usually, the obsessed individual is subjected to an examination of the body mass described as the Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is the individual’s weight measured in kilograms per meters squared. An overweight adult accumulates a BMI higher than or equal to 25 while a BMI higher than or equal to 30 means that the adult is obsessed. An index such as the ratio of waist-to-height ratio (WtHR), and waist-to-hip size ratio (WHR) are other indices used in determining the obsessed individual. Specific factors which dispose one to obesity include – consuming excessively fats and caloric diet, a sedentary lifestyle, less sleep, activity of the gene, age factor, and pregnancy. Medical conditions such as osteoarthritis, hypothyroidism, Cushing syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are other causes of obesity.

Facts about Obesity

Based on  World Health Organization (WHO) global estimates, out of the 1.9 billion overweight adults aged 18years and above recorded as at 2016, 650 million were obsessed. During the same period, the proportion of global obsessed adults was scheduled at 13%. 11% of this proportion was male while 15% was women. When compared with the 1975 data, the global prevalence obesity index almost tripled as 2016. For children under age five, an estimated 41 million were either obsessed or overweight while about 340 million adolescents were either overweight or obsessed within the period in review. Previously, obesity was considered a health-related challenge prevalent in the developed climes. Today, it is more critical to the developing climes. For instance, In the African terrain, obesity amongst children under 5years surged 50% since 2000 while nearly half of the population of children who were either overweight or obsessed receded in Asia in 2016. By implication, between 1975 and 2016, the proportion of obsessed children surged from 4% to 18%. Globally, an increase in the association has been verified between obesity, overweight, and death. Aside from parts of Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa, there are more obsessed people than underweight worldwide.

Effects of Obesity

The results of obesity are manifold, and hence the need for all hands to be on deck in curbing this health threat. The resultant effect of obesity is just more than a simple weight accumulation. High body fat to muscle ratio weighs heavily on the bones and other internal organs. Body inflammation, a precursor to cancer, is also associated with obesity. Other health complications of obesity include the following:

• Cardiovascular diseases – Primarily, this consist of the condition of the heart, and stroke which had been the primary cause of death as at 2012
• Musculoskeletal disorders – Particularly osteoarthritis; infection of the joint
• Cancer - Including endometrial, prostate, liver, kidney, gallbladder, ovarian, colon
• Diabetes - disease influencing the use of sugar, abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates and elevated levels of glucose in the blood and urine.
• High blood pressure - Increase blood pressure to an unhealthy measure
• Fatty liver disease - Buildup of much fat in the liver
• Arthritis - Inflammation of the joint
• High cholesterol - High quantity of Low-density lipoprotein in the blood
• Infertility - Inability to conceive children
• Sleep apnea - Repeated pauses in breathing while sleeping

Conclusion:

Increase in BMI increases the likelihood of obesity. However, some of the ways by which obesity can be prevented, so that one can enjoy a healthy and longer life, include: routine exercise, reduced intake of fats and calories, increase consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes nuts, and grains, avoiding a sedentary lifestyle, healthy sleeping among others.

References

MedicalNewsToday - https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323551.php

Healthline- https://www.healthline.com/health/obesity

World Health Organization - https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight