| Obesity, a worldwide phenomenon, today has surged | | | | together taken a toll, increasing the prevalence of |
| to become one of the most deadly enemies of | | | | obesity. Sometimes, of course obesity may also be |
| mankind, afflicting mostly the rich and the affluent. | | | | the result of an interplay of hormones.Obesity |
| Obese in simple terms means excess body weight, | | | | jeopardizes an individuals health in more ways than |
| usually in the absence of an underlying disease, | | | | one. It imperils both body and mind of an obese |
| except in a small number of cases where the | | | | individual. An obese individuals distorted body shape |
| condition originates from hormonal disturbances.The | | | | and appearance can be a source both of humiliation |
| terms overweight and obese are used synonymously | | | | and discomfort. Many obese people complain of pain |
| by the commoner; however, there is some | | | | in the joints and may develop arthritis (osteoarthritis) |
| difference at the clinical level. A person can be | | | | because they have overburdened their knees and |
| considered overweight if his body weight is 10-19 per | | | | joints with their excess body weight. This is the most |
| cent more than the normal or ideal body weight. | | | | obvious health hazard that obesity invokes.Obesity |
| However, when the body weight of a person is 20 | | | | has been associated with a wide range of health |
| per cent or more than his ideal body weight, he is | | | | problems. It contributes to increasing levels of lipids |
| considered obese. As we have seen previously, the | | | | (fat) and cholesterol in the blood (hyperlipidemia and |
| ideal body weight for a person depends on his height, | | | | hypercholesterolemia respectively), leading to |
| sex, age and body frame.Thus, obesity is a condition | | | | narrowing of blood vessels due to deposition of fatty |
| of excess body weight and is usually the result of | | | | materials in coronary arteries (atherosclerosis). This in |
| excess accumulation of fat in the body. When | | | | turn causes the blood pressure levels to soar |
| energy intake is persistently greater than energy | | | | (hypertension) and increases the risk of heart attack |
| expenditure, the result is gradual accumulation of fat | | | | (myocardial infarction) and strokes.Obesity increases |
| deposits in the adipose tissue depots. Obesity does | | | | the risk of diabetes because it |
| not happen in a day or a week. It is a gradual | | | | increases insulin resistance leading to glucose |
| process taking place at snails pace when the individual | | | | intolerance. Weight reduction helps many diabetic |
| constantly maintains a positive energy balance. A | | | | patients in controlling their diabetes. Obesity can also |
| positive energy balance is usually the result of | | | | lead to pregnancy related and surgical complications. |
| excessive energy intake.High calorie and high fat | | | | Obese individuals are also more likely to develop |
| foods pamper our taste buds to an extent that most | | | | cancer. Certain cancers such as cancers of the gall |
| individuals find it difficult to refrain from them in spite | | | | bladder, endometrium, ovary, breasts and cervix in |
| of being aware of their nutrient composition. The | | | | women, and cancers of the colon and prostate in |
| ignorant certainly cannot be blamed.The other major | | | | men have been associated with excess body |
| culprit is modern urban life mechanisation and | | | | weight.Extreme obesity can also cause respiratory |
| dependence on different tools has made life easy | | | | insufficiency (hypoventilation) and may even result in |
| and increasingly sedentary. This has lead to the | | | | sudden death during sleep. Thus, because of its |
| lowering of activity levels, of daily energy | | | | association with several diseases, obesity decreases |
| expenditure and thus of our total daily caloric needs. | | | | life |
| Increased calorie intake due to consumption of | | | | expectancy. |
| processed foods and decreased activity levels have | | | | |