Obesity

Obesity is a medical condition characterized by the excessive accumulation of body fat to the extent that it may a negative effect on health. It is typically defined by a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher. BMI is a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters (kg/m²), and it provides a rough estimate of whether someone is underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese. Obesity increases the risk of several chronic diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, and osteo-arthritis.

Causes of Obesity 

The primary cause of Obesity is energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories applied. Other factors which contribute to Obesity include:

• dietary habits. Consumption of un-nutritious and high-calorie food products like fast foods and processed snacks can lead to weight gain.
• Physical inactivity means a sedentary lifestyle with little physical activity tends to reduce the number of calories burned. Therefore the person becomes more prone to weight gain.
• Genetical. Genetic background can impact on how the food is processed and where fat is stored, with some individuals more prone to Obesity than others.
• Metabolism and Hormonal factors. Metabolic and hormonal disorders including hypothyroidism and Cushing's syndrome may lead to gain weight.
• Environment and Socioeconomic factors. Urbanization, transportation methods, limited access to healthy food options and Socioeconomic status also contribute to the growing rates of obesity.
• psychological factors. Stress, depression, and emotional factors may encourage eating much more than is needed, thus contributing to obesity.

Health Consequences 

Obesity causes a plethora of serious health complications:

• Cardiovascular diseases. Hypertensions, coronary heart disease and stroke are furthermore common in individuals with obesity. 
• Type 2 Diabetes. Obesity is a major risk factor for the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
• Cancer. Increased levels of obesity are linked to greater susceptibility to breast, colon, endometrial and liver cancers. 
• Osteoarthritis. Excess weight results in higher stress on joints, especially at the knee and hip, leading to a greater risk of osteoarthritis.
• Sleep Apnea. Obesity happens to be a major cause of obstructive sleep apnea where the patient's breathing intermittently stops and starts during sleep.
• Reproductive Problems. In women, obesity makes a contribution toward infertility, irregular menstruation and complications while pregnant.   

Prevention

Obesity can be prevented by a combination of healthy lifestyle choices:

• Balanced Diet; to low down sugar, saturated fats, and processed foods so as to increase fruits, vegetables, whole grains, learn proteins, and healthy fats.
• Physical Activity; engage yourself into aerobic activities, weight training, and basically exercise to maintain a healthy weight.
• Behavioral Changes; proper eating habits, control of portions, and control of emotional eating can assist in the prevention of excessive weight gain. 

Treatment 

For individuals who are already obese, options include:

• Lifestyle changes; are the first, in order, of weight loss therapies recommended for an individual that is already overweight.
• Counseling or support groups: help improve alternate choices to address emotional eating and develop future strategies for controlling weight.
• Prescription medications; to reduce appetite on desire. They are used when lifestyle changes are ineffective for certain individual cases.
• Surgeries either which will Reduce the size of your stomach for people who are morbidly obese, (types include gastric bypass). 

Global Prevalence 

The prevalence of obesity is on the rise at the globe because of very dangerous rate. WHO have reported that worldwide obesity had almost tripled between 1975. In more than 1.9 billion adults were overweight, and of these, over 650 million were obese. The rates of childhood obesity also increase, with about 340 million children and adolescents aged 5-19 classified as overweight or obese or obese in 2016.

Conclusion 

Obesity represents a constellation of genetic, environmental, and behavioral factors as they are tied together as part of a multi-faceted medical condition. These add to the intensified problems due to this condition and the rising incidence. Tackling obesity involves a multi-pronged strategy of prevention via lifestyle changes, early treatment-and the initiation of medical treatment where deemed necessary.