Obesity increases the likelihood of heart disease, diabetes
and certain types of cancer. It is a medical condition in which excess fat is
accumulated in the body as to cause health problems and life expectancy.
It is caused by excessive food energy intake, lack of
physical activities and genetic susceptibility. Dieting and exercising are the
main treatment to obesity. Diet quality can be improved by reducing food high
in fat and sugar and increasing food with dietary fiber.
BODY MASS INDEX
B = m/h where B is body mass index, m is weight in kg and h
is the square of height in meter.
Any BMI ≥ 35 or
40 kg/m2 is severe obesity.
A BMI of ≥ 35 kg/m2
and experiencing obesity-related health conditions or ≥40–44.9 kg/m2
is morbid obesity.
A "super obese" male with a BMI of 47 kg/m2:
weight 146 kg (322 lb), height 177 cm (5 ft 10 in)
A BMI of ≥ 45 or 50 kg/m2 is super obesity
weight 146 kg (322 lb), height 177 cm (5 ft 10 in)
A BMI of ≥ 45 or 50 kg/m2 is super obesity
BMI
(kg/m2)
|
Classification
|
|
from
|
up
to
|
|
18.5
|
underweight
|
|
18.5
|
25.0
|
normal
weight
|
25.0
|
30.0
|
overweight
|
30.0
|
35.0
|
class
I obesity
|
35.0
|
40.0
|
class
II obesity
|
40.0
|
class
III obesity
| |
Obesity
is one of the causes of reduced mortality. Risk is lowest with BMI between 20 –
25 in non smokers. Obesity reduces life span by 6 – 8 years. It causes several
disorders such as diabetes, high blood pressure, triglyceride and cholesterol levels in blood.
Most
of increase in energy consumption comes from carbohydrate and not from fat.
Consumption of sweetened drinks, fruit drinks, iced tea, lemon tea, vitamin
water drinks have all added to obesity. Fast food culture has definitely helped
to boost up obesity.
A 1680 painting by Juan Carreno de Miranda of a girl presumed to have Prader–Willi syndrome
With
modern facilities such as cars, lifts, electrical kitchen devices, type of work
as in case of IT field, have reduced the necessity of walking, climbing, and
manuel works.
Obesity
is due to the interplay between genetic and environment. Smoking reduces the appetite for food.
Smokers while quitting smoking gain 4 to 5 kg in body weight.
During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance obesity was often seen as a sign of wealth, and was relatively common among the elite: The Tuscan General Alessandro del Borro, attributed to Charles Mellin, 1645
Leptin
and ghrelin harmones are produced peripherally and control appetite by
influencing central nervous system. They act on hypothalamus.
A graphic depiction of a leptin molecule
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