Common causes of obesity

By Dr. G. Srikanth, Surgical Gastroenterologist and Managing director at Sahasra Hospitals.  

What is Obesity?

It is a medical condition in which excess body fat is accumulated to the extent that it may be adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems. A person is considered obese when their body mass index (BMI), a measurement obtained by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by the square of the person’s height in meters, exceeds 30 kg/m2.

What are the causes for obesity?

• Genetic disorder
• Excessive calorie intake
• Inadequate energy expenditure (physical work)
• Hormonal disorders, e.g., abnormally low activity of the thyroid gland, a metabolic disorder caused by the over production of any group of steroid hormones by the adrenal glands.

How doI know that I am obese?

It is measured by calculating the BMI (BMI = weight in kg / height in meter2)

Body weight can be graded in the following categories according to the BMI.

Weight Categories	BMI(kg/m2)
Underweight	<18.5
Healthy Weight	18.5-24.9
Overweight	25-29.9
Obese	30-34.9
Severely Obese	35-39.9
Morbidly Obese	>40

 

So what if I am fat?

Obesity does bring several life threatening medical diseases along with it. It is much more than the Unpleasant than the person’s appearance. A 25 years old obese man has a 22% reduction in expected remaining lifespan. This is approximate loss of 12 YEARS! The most common medical conditions because of obesity and diabetes, high BP and increased blood cholesterol, which can lead to heart attack, stroke (brain attack) and many more health related issues. 

What can I do to reduce my weight?

The ABC of weight loss is D and E – Diet and Exercise, with a predominant role played by diet.

Why do I not lose weight in spite of dieting?

Metabolic rate is different in every person. People with a lower metabolic rate, tend to develop obesity. Only dieting cannot achieve substantial weight loss. Once you go on a low calorie diet, initially you lose weight after sometime there will be no progress is reached. Further weight loss is either slow or no more. Frustration sets in, followed by discontinuation of the diet.

Are there any medicines to lose weight?

Yes, there are. However, these have been shown to be ineffective and associated with the side effects. There is no magic pill for the treatment of obesity.However, the best way to shred weight is physical exercise and burning calories in the process. To few morbidly obese  Bariatric surgery can make up for weight loss by considering a detailed medical check-up.

Corporate Comm India (CCI Newswire)