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.