Written by Ong Hian Beng, AA Pharmacist

Obesity is defined as a condition where excessive fat accumulates in the body that may impair health. The fundamental cause of obesity is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended. Obesity is usually determined using the Body Mass Index (BMI), a measurement of weight relative to height. An individual with a BMI value of more than 25 is considered overweight while above 30 is termed obese. An obese individual may

experience breathlessness, increased sweating, snoring, feeling tired, back and joint pain and also unable to cope with sudden extreme or sudden activities.

Health Complications

Obesity is one of the important risk factors to many others cardiovascular diseases. When fat deposits around blood vessel, this causes more pressure use to pump blood around the body leading to hypertension. Fat deposition also induces the formation of plaque which leads to blockage of blood vessels in different parts of the body. In the long run, osteoarthritis may occur when heavy upper body weight exert a large force onto both of the knee joint over a period of time.

Other health complications related to obesity also include type 2 diabetes, certain cancers (breast, colon, and endometrial), gallbladder disease, fatty liver disease, hyperlipidaemia, sleep apnea and other breathing problems, as well as infertility.

Risk Factors  

Obesity usually results from a combination of causes and contributing factors, including:

Sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activities

Certain medical problems

Age

Increased intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fats

Certain medications

Pregnancy

Lack of sleep

High alcohol intake

Social and economic factor

Quit smoking

Let’s Do It Together

Lifestyle Changes:

Engage in regular physical exercise of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity in a week.

Focus on diet with low-calorie, nutrient-dense foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Practise healthy eating habit with each meal eating on time and limited snacks in between.

Intake of dietary supplement such as green coffee and garcinia cambogia, some of the popular natural herbs that help with increased metabolic rate, appetite suppressing and colon cleansing.

Better stress management and avoid using food as a way to release stress.