Obesity is one of the major problems facing the modern generation, and its prevalence is quite widespread affecting many in both developed and developing regions. Its impacts are unfortunately devastating, and it causes much stress ranging from stigmatization to various illnesses and inconveniences.
However, obesity is not a disease in itself and has several distinctions. Its causes are also varied but mainly stem from unhealthy sedentary diets and lifestyles that have become a norm for the modern generation. The level of obesity around the world is significantly high and, in fact, alarming.
Obesity risks and effects
Approximately 2.8 million people die each year from overweight andobese cases. This is why organizations such as WHO (world health organization) often take several measures including awareness campaigns to educate people about the risks and effects of the condition. Obesity has various risks and symptoms that manifest in patients differently.
Its main risk is because obesity results in adverse metabolic processes that directly impact the blood pressure, insulin resistance, triglycerides and cholesterol among other things. It increases the risk of high blood pressure, ischemic stroke, coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus type II. This risk increases with increasing BMI (body mass index). With your BMI going up, it increases the risks of developing cancer of the breast, prostate, colon, kidney, endometrium and gall bladder among other places. The increase in body mass also increases mortality as it compromises the health of various organs.
Resisting obesity
Achieving good health should be the responsibility of everyone. In order to do this, you should strive to maintain a BMI of around 21 to 23 kg/m2 as this is the ideal ratio required for healthy metabolic functions. The range of 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2 is the perfect that everyone should be aiming to remain within. When you go beyond 25, the risk of obesity starts to increase.
BMI is a ratio that factors both weight and height. In 2008 alone, about 35% of people above 20 years were considered overweight, and this has continued to rise. It has nearly doubled in the last two decades. The only way around obesity is through a workout and consuming the right diet. If you already suffer overweight symptoms, you should consider ways of managing the condition and then working towards better health.
Conclusion
The level of obesity around the world is alarming, and many awareness calls are ongoing to ensure people are well informed on the negative impacts of being overweight and how they can go back to leading a healthy lifestyle. There are many encouraging stories of people once obese but have since achieved their goals of slimming back to a healthy BMI. It should not be shocking, and those who are not obese are advised to offer support and encouragement rather than stigmatizing.