Obesity is now so dangerous to health that the number of obese people worldwide has tripled since 1975. In 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults aged 18 and over were overweight. Of these, more than 650 million adults were obese and had obesity-related problems. According to the National Family Health Survey, the number of obese people in India has doubled in the past 10 years.
Through research, we have learned that obesity is difficult to treat and may require long-term changes in lifestyle and diet. Several researchers have emphasized that obesity accounts for 80-85% of the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The study shows that the urban population is more prone to obesity compared to the rural population.
Obesity tends to run in families, suggesting a genetic contribution. However, family members tend to share the same dietary and lifestyle habits. The environment also plays a role in obesity. Environmental factors include what and how often a person eats, the person's activity level, and behavioral factors.
Obesity is on the rise in children, with catastrophic consequences for the younger population, which affects the newborns of these adults. In 2016, an estimated 41 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese.
Causes of obesity?
The main cause of obesity and overweight is an energy imbalance between consumed and expended calories. The latest trends were:
• excessive consumption of high-calorie, high-fat foods
• Decreased physical activity due to the sedentary nature of many forms of work, changing modes of travel and increased urbanization.
What are the general health consequences of being overweight and obese?
• cardiovascular diseases (mainly heart disease and stroke), which were the leading cause of death in 2012;
• diabetes
• problems with the musculoskeletal system (especially degenerative joint diseases)
• certain types of cancer.
Childhood obesity is associated with a higher likelihood of obesity, premature death, and disability in adulthood.
Low-calorie, low-fat diets along with exercise are generally recommended for the treatment of obesity. "Extreme" diets and appetite suppressants are generally only appropriate under very specific conditions and under strict supervision.
Definition of obesity by BMI and overweight
