Health

Overweight and obesity are serious, chronic medical conditions associated with a range of debilitating and life threatening conditions and poses one of the greatest threats to human Health and well being. The World Health Organization has declared that obesity is a disease reaching epidemic proportions globally, providing staggering figures showing more than 1 billion adults worldwide are overweight and that at least 300 million of these people are clinically obese.

Fact: Being overweight or obese affects your Health.

There is an increased risk of Health problems related to obesity and overweight, ranging from the psychological to the physical.

• Low self-esteem
• Social isolation
• Depression
• psychological disorders
• Heat intolerance
• Breathlessness on exertion
• Tiredness
• Type 2 diabetes (non-insulin dependent)
• Hyper-insulinenia, insulin resistance, glucose intolerance
• Dyslipidemia
• Gall bladder disease
• Kidney stones
• Sleep disorders
• Respiratory Problems
• High blood pressure
• High blood cholesterol
• Cardiovascular disease (CVD) – including heart attack, congestive heart failure, sudden cardiac death, angina and abnormal heart rhythm
• Stroke
• Some cancers such as bowel cancer, cancer of the kidney, endometrium, breast, colon and rectum, esophagus, and prostate
• Osteoarthritis
• Back problems
• Gout
• Fatty Liver Disease
• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
• Fertility complications
• Pregnancy complications
• Stress urinary incontinence
• Death

Other contributing risk factors are…

• Smoking
• Sedentary lifestyle
• High-fat, energy dense diets, consuming more calories then the body needs

Childhood Obesity

What is frightening is that the number of children globally, who are overweight or obese is alarmingly increasing. According to World Health Organization, an estimated 22 million children under five are estimated to be overweight worldwide. In the USA, the number of overweight children has doubled, and the number of overweight teens has trebled since 1980. In Australia, the number of children and teens has doubled in the last 15 or so years. It is estimated that between 20 to 25 percent of them are now overweight or obese as adults.

Overweight and obesity in children and adults is a global epidemic. Preventing and managing obesity in children is a priority.

Some Hard Facts…

“If you go into adulthood, turn 20, morbidly obese, it’s estimated that a male will lose 12 to 13 years of life, or has lost 12 to 13 years of life at that point. A female, eight years of life. Now that’s a frightening number. We sort of think we’ve got a lot of life to go, but in reality they might have 60 years to go and they’ve lost 12. They’ve lost 20% of their life expectancy.

Using a body mass index of 20 as a base line, and give that value of one, by the time they get to BMI 35 which is severe obesity, they’ve got 93 times the risk of having type 2 diabetes. It’s actually you weight against that risk.”

Professor Paul O’Brien

Centre for Obesity Research and Education

As mentioned earlier, over 1 billion adults worldwide are overweight and at least 300 million of them are obese. Obesity levels range between 10 to 25% in most of Western Europe. In large parts of the American continent they are between 20 to 25%. The obesity levels are particularly high amongst ethnic groups such as American Indians, Hispanic Americans, Australian Aboriginals and Pacific Islanders.

ObesityInAmerica states that more than 80% of people with Type2 Diabetes are obese or overweight and that a majority of patients diagnosed with PCOS are also either overweight or obese. Overweight teen girls are susceptible to developing PCOS. Associated with PCOS in adolescents are insulin resistance, excess insulin in the blood and overweight.

Benefits Of Weight Loss

Weight loss plays an integral part in managing and reducing overweight and obesity and provides many short and long term health benefits. From five to 15% of total body weight loss can lower an individual’s chances for developing heart disease or having a stroke. Weight loss can improve blood pressure, cholesterol levels, decrease inflammation throughout the body and can lower a overweight or obese persons risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. Imagine then, after seeing that long list of health risks above, how a person can lower their health risks and improve their life overall by participating in weight loss and increasing their physical activity.

Regular exercise and change of Diet can significantly improve our health and well being and reduce the level of health risks.

Resources:

Australian Government Department of Health and Aging

National Institutes of Health

National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development

Article by Kimberley Potter, a qualified Sports Massage Therapist who specializes in Women’s Health & Fitness issues. For information and tips on Women’s Health and Fitness, please visit http://healthyfitnesslifestyle.com

Author: Kimberley Potter
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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