What is obesity?
Obesity is a health condition involving the storing of excess fat in the body to such an extent that it adversely impacts health. It is a complex issue with multiple interrelated causes, including:
- Genetics: research suggests that genes can influence how fat is stored and where it's distributed. However, genetics alone do not predetermine obesity.
- Lifestyle choices: eating a high-calorie diet with minimal physical activity greatly increases obesity risk. Environmental factors promote this, making exercise and healthy eating highly challenging.
- Medical causes: conditions like hypothyroidism, insulin resistance, Cushing's syndrome, etc. can promote weight gain and obesity in some cases.
- Mental health issues: conditions like depression and emotional trauma are linked to disordered eating patterns or physical inactivity, raising obesity risks.
Body mass index (BMI) is commonly used to measure obesity levels by calculating your weight-to-height ratio. A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is overweight, while 30 and above is obese. Other screening tests like waistline measurements, body fat percentage estimates, etc. also assist diagnosis.
Obesity complications include:
- ✔️ Diabetes
- ✔️ Heart disease
- ✔️ High blood pressure
- ✔️ Certain cancers
- ✔️ Respiratory issues
- ✔️ Joint problems causing limited mobility / chronic pain
“Obesity is a complex disease involving an excessive amount of body fat.” - Dr. HormoneHarmony of HormoneHarmony
If struggling with unexplained weight gain, persistent failed dieting attempts, or obesity health impacts, please