HEALTH TALK: OBESITY

WHAT IS OBESITY? Obesity is an excess proprotion of total body fat. Obesity occurs when a person consumes more calories than he or she can burn. It is most commonly caused by a combination of excessive food energy intake, lack of physical activity and genetic susceptibility. The health problems associated with obesity are numerous. It has been linked to several serious medical conditions like heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, gallbladder disease and gallstones,gout and breathing problems. It is believed that the more overweight a person is the more likely he or she is to have health problems. A person is considered obese if he or she weighs at least twenty percent more than the maximum healthy weight for his or her height. People with close relatives who have had heart disease or diabetics are more likely to develop these problems if they are obese. People whose weight are concentrated around their stomachs may be at greater risk of developing heart disease, diabetics or cancer than peole of the same weight who carry weight in their hips and buttocks. The good news is that losing a small amount of weight can reduce chances of developing heart disease or stroke. Dieting and physical exercise aer the mainstays of treatment for obesity. Diet quality can be improved by reducing the consumption of foods high in fats and sugar and by increasing the intake of dietary fiber.