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10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT OBESITY
Obesity is a chronic disease that affects a large number of people all over the world. However, opting for a healthy eating routine and the practice of physical exercise can contribute to prevention and treatment. Check out the 10 Things You Need to Know About Obesity below:
- Obesity is characterized by the accumulation of body fat and can lead to serious health problems and even death. Brazil has about 18 million people considered obese. Adding the total number of overweight individuals, the amount reaches 70 million, double the figure three decades ago.
- In many cases, obesity is diagnosed by calculating the Body Mass Index (BMI). It is done as follows: the patient’s weight (in kg) is divided by their height (in meters) squared. According to the standard used by the World Health Organization (WHO), when the result is between 18.5 and 24.9, the weight is considered normal. Between 25.0 and 29.9, overweight, and above this value, the person is considered obese.
- There are three types of definitions when a person is overweight. Overweight is when there is more fat in the body than is ideal for healthy living. Obesity occurs when the accumulation of fat is much higher than normal, and it can even cause serious health problems. Morbid obesity is when the BMI value exceeds 40. In this case, the initial treatment, in addition to lifestyle changes, always includes medication and even bariatric surgery may be recommended.
- Obesity is a risk factor for a number of diseases. Obese people are more likely to develop problems such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, in addition to physical problems such as arthrosis, gallstones, arthritis, fatigue, esophageal reflux, bowel and gallbladder tumors.
- Obesity can also affect psychological factors, causing a decrease in self-esteem and depression.
- There are many causes of obesity. Excess weight can be linked to the person’s genetic heritage, poor eating habits or, for example, endocrine disorders. So, when thinking about losing weight, look for a specialist.
- For the treatment of obesity, doctors can use risk factors and other diseases to get a sense of the severity of the patient’s condition. For example, sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes mellitus and arteriosclerosis are diseases that indicate the urgent need for clinical treatment of obesity.
- Law 11,721/2008 determines that October 11 is the National Day for the Prevention of Obesity. The date had been created, about ten years ago, by the Latin American Federation of Obesity, but recognized, in 1999, by the Federal Government and instituted in Brazil, at the time, with the name of National Day to Combat Obesity.
- Prevention against obesity involves awareness of the importance of physical activity and proper nutrition. The sedentary lifestyle, meals with few vegetables and fruits, in addition to excess foods rich in fat and sugar precipitate the increase in the number of obese people, in all age groups, including children.
- It has been proven that social relationships and romances are less frequent among obese people, as they leave the house less often due to reduced self-esteem. Now, once the relationship exists, obesity can interfere with the sexual relationship. It is linked to reduced testosterone, which can lead to reduced libido and erectile problems in men. In women, there is a reduction in the levels of female hormone and an increase in the level of masculinizing hormones. Women have increased hair, menstrual irregularities and reduced fertility. The chances of all these problems being resolved, with a weight loss in the order of 10%, are very high.