Currently, obesity is an epidemic. If you or a loved one is obese, it is vital to begin losing the weight immediately. While many people realize that being obese is not good for them, few understand the extent to which health professionals research obesity to determine how negatively it can impact your overall health. Through the study of research obesity it has been determined that one of the best moves you can make for your overall wellness and longevity is to start taking steps to remove yourself from this dangerous zone.
Obesity is at Epidemic Levels
The first fact about obesity that you need to understand is that being overweight truly has become on epidemic in Western society. A variety of traceable factors have led to these high numbers of people who are overweight. Among the reasons include easy access to cheap food and general lack of physical activity. These conditions have resulted in growing number of adults and children who are overweight and even obese.
Determining Obesity Via Body Mass Index
The body mass index system (BMI) is one method used to determine if someone is or is not obese. This system provides information about other weight range categories as well, such as if someone is of normal weight, overweight or underweight. Those who have a BMI of 30 or above are considered to be obese.
BMI is calculated using two measurements, which includes one’s height and weight. Essentially, your weight is divided by your height in order to achieve the BMI number. While this system is not without its controversy, most medical professionals consistently rely on the BMI as a general gauge.
Obesity is a Preventable Cause of Death
One fact that you need to know about obesity is that it will reduce your life expectancy. While there are few medical conditions that cause obesity, generally it is a preventable condition. As a result, your lifespan can effectively be increased through weight loss. In fact, obesity is one of the leading causes of preventable death today.
Obesity Can Cause Type 2 Diabetes
In recent years, Type 2 diabetes has been categorized as an epidemic in America. This form of diabetes can be very destructive to the human body. At the heart of this epidemic is the rise in obesity. It is no coincidence that the rise in diabetes has gone hand in hand with increased levels of obesity. In the past, childhood Type 2 diabetes was a mercifully rare occurrence, but now these rates have dramatically increased.
The medical consequences of Type 2 diabetes can be substantial, ranging from organ failure, such as renal failure, to blindness and heart disease. A host of harmful and life threatening conditions can emerge as a result of Type 2 diabetes.
Obesity and Other Medical Consequences
While cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure are already quite compelling reasons for people to fight obesity, there are yet more medical problems that have been shown to be a result of being overweight. Obesity can also cause the body to become insulin resistant. This allows this large volume of fat in the body to make its way into the body’s organs, like the liver, which can cause fatty liver disease. Back pain, gout, kidney and gallbladder problems, as well as migraines, have all been linked to obesity. The list of medical conditions associated with obesity can be rather long and quite disturbing.
