Thursday, February 19, 2009

Obesity and its effect on health

Obesity, overweight or fattiness is a disease of affluence, caused by overeating and lack of physical activity. It is linked to so many serious conditions like hypertension, diabetes and heart attacks, that it becomes necessary to prevent it or cure it if it is present.

Normal Body Weight


A simplified formula is to consider maximum normal weight at a height of 5 feet as 55 kg for men and 52 kg for women, and add 2 kg per inch of extra height. Thus for a man of 5 feet 8 inches, his maximum weight should be 55 + (8 x 2) = 71 kg.

Indicators of Obesity


The best indicator of obesity and need for weight reduction is the girth of the abdomen because it is the abdominal collection of fat which is the most harmful. All you need is a measuring tape; measure at the level of the navel.


All men who have a girth of 94 cm (37 inches) and
women 80 cm (32 inches) should not add weight. At 102 cm (40 inches) for men and 88 cm (35 inches) for women adverse effects of obesity start appearing.

Corresponding figures for bodyweight are 10 per cent above maximum desirable weight. At this level weight reduction becomes mandatory.



Effects of obesity on Health


Effect of obesity on joints and ligaments:

Obesity is a vicious cycle of physical inactivity causing obesity and obesity leading to more inactivity. It perpetuates itself with the following ill effects on the body. The extra weight puts an extra load on your heart and lungs, making you breathless on exertion. Under the heavy weight of the body, the weight-bearing joints of the lower back, hips and knees start creaking and develop degenerative changes and osteoarthritis. The ligaments and muscles around the joints ache.

Obesity may lead to diabetes:

The extra fat makes your body insensitive to the action of insulin (insulin resistance). Insulin resistance leads to poor utilization of sugar, raising blood sugar levels and diabetes. Type 2 diabetes, which accounts for almost 95 per cent cases of diabetes in India, depends to a large extent on obesity for its appearance and perpetuation.

Obesity and the heart diseases:

Obesity elevates and aggravates blood pressure. The lipid profile of the obese is usually disturbed, leading to rise of blood cholesterol; this brings about early degeneration and fatty obstructions in the arteries of the heart and brain. Through its links with hypertension, diabetes and lipid abnormalities, obesity is an important risk factor for heart attacks.

The above mentioned conditions are just the tip of the iceberg. Innumerable diseases including psychiatric illness and cancers are either directly or, indirectly to obesity.

Even a 5 to 10 kg reduction in body weight has a marked beneficial effect on health. Calorie Reduction Required to lose Weight. Each gram of fat is equal to 9 calories. To lose one kg of fat, you have to forego 9000 calories, i.e., 300 calories per day for one month. If you are a sedentary person but physically active, you need about 25 calories per kg of ideal (not actual) body weight to maintain yourself. If you consume 20 calories per kg of body weight and remain physically active, you will lose weight at the rate of about 1 – 1 ½ kg per month. Do not lower the intake below 1200 calories; the body metabolism will be slowed down and it will be counterproductive.

This article is also published in India Study Channel

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