Obesity
What is Obesity?
Most people think of obesity as being very overweight.Health professionals define overweight as an excess amount of body weight that includes muscle, bone, fat, and water. Obesity specifically refers to an excess amount of body fat. People who are obese are very overweight and at risk for serious health problems. We all need a certain amount of body fat for stored energy, heat insulation, shock absorption, and other functions, but an excessive amount can be dangerous. W omen have more body fat than men. Men with more than 25 percent body fat and women with more than 30 percent body fat are obese. Obesity is not just a physical appearance problem; it is a health hazard. Obesity is bad for both body and mind .Several serious medical conditions have been linked to obesity, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension , high blood pressure, liver disease, osteoarthritis and stroke. In obese women, problems with the reproductive system are very common. Obesity is also connected to higher risks of certain types of cancer, such as cancer of the colon, rectum, or prostate, gallbladder, breast, uterus, cervix, or ovaries. Apart from the health dangers Emotional suffering may be one of the most painful parts of obesity. Overweight people feel unattractive and are more likely to be depressed. O bese people often face discrimination in the job market, at school, and in social situations. Feelings of rejection, shame, or depression are common.
Obesity Symptoms
Being a little bit overweight may not cause too many noticeable problems. However, once you are carrying a few extra kilograms (or pounds), you may develop symptoms that affect your daily life.Short-term Obesity Symptoms
Day-to-day, obesity causes problems such as:
- snoring,
- difficulty sleeping,
- breathlessness,
- inability to cope with sudden physical activity,
- increased sweating,
- feeling very tired every day
- and back and joint pains.
Obesity can also cause changes that you may not notice, but that can seriously harm your health, such as:
- high blood pressure (hypertension), and
- high cholesterol levels (fatty deposits blocking up your arteries), and
- type 2 diabetes - a chronic (long-term) condition that is caused by too much glucose in the blood.
Psychological Obesity Symptoms
In addition to the day-to-day problems of obesity, many people may also experience psychological problems (problems to do with mental health). These may include:
- having low self-esteem,
- having low confidence levels,
- feeling isolated in society, or
- having a poor self-image (not liking how you look),
- having reduced mobility leading to a poor quality of life.
