Have you ever wondered if you are overweight or have a healthy weight? You are not the first to ask this question, many over the years have been concerned about their weight and regularly check to see if they are overweight or not.
In and around us, we see several humans that are extremely big and giant. But are they all obese? Is there a way of knowing if they are or not? How can you maintain and keep a healthy weight? These are some of the critical points we will be addressing in this article.
What Is Obesity?
Obesity is classified as a medical condition in which the body has accumulated excess body fat to the point that it gives a severe limitation on the overall health condition. It can make an individual uncomfortable and can make engagement in day to day activities more stressful.
Determining The Degree Of Obesity
Method 1
One of the major tools that have been used over the years for measuring obesity is the Body Mass Index (BMI). This is used for estimating the body fat mass, and it was developed in the 19th century. BMI classifies obesity according to their weight and divided it into several regions.
- BMI of 18.5 and lower are classified as underweight
- While BMI between 18.5-24.9 is classified as the normal
- BMI of 25.0-29.9 is classified as being overweight
- While BMI of 30.0-34.9 is classified as class I obesity.
- Class II obesity include BMI that falls within the range of 30.0-39.9.
- BMI above 40 is classified as class III obesity.
The BMI can be calculated by dividing the weight of an individual by the height. More clearly, it is the value of the body weight in kilogram divided by the square of height in meters. The classification can be summarised thus; less than 25kg/m2 is the normal weight, overweight individuals fall between 25-29 kg/m2 as overweight, and then those above 30 kg/m2 are classified as obese.
Method 2
The other method of measuring the degree of obesity is by determining overweight in relation to the norm in percentage. Many don’t really trust this method of measuring the degree of obesity.
If after the calculation, the value of “Preponderance.”
- Is 10% or less in an individual, then the individual is not obese
- When it falls within 10-29%, the individual has I degree of obesity
- If it falls within 30-49%, the individual has II degree of obesity
- When it falls within 50% and more, the individual has III degree of obesity
Calculations made provide only a reasonable estimate for determining obesity. Since human size, shape, physique, and other features vary, the same formula may in some situation bring a less accurate result.
Health Effect Of Obesity
It is good to consider the effect of obesity. The effect of obesity on the body is bad, it includes;
- High blood pressure: with additional fat in the body, more oxygen, and nutrients are needed to make survival easy. This will then require the blood vessel carrying blood to circulate more blood to the fat tissues. The heart is then given more work to do as it must start to pump blood through the other blood vessels. As circulation increases, the pressure on the artery walls increases. With extra weight, the heart rate increases but reduction occur in the ability to transport blood through vessels.
- Diabetes: type II diabetes major cause is obesity; this type of diabetes occurs both in adulthood and childhood. Obesity causes a form of resistance to insulin, making it hard for the hormone to regulate blood sugar. The result makes the blood sugar level more elevated with resistance to insulin. Moderate obesity can dramatically increase the risk of diabetes.
- Heart disease: Atherosclerosis a condition that involves hardening of the artery is obvious more in obese people in comparison to those who are not obese. Another heart disease is the coronary artery disease, which is more prevalent in obese people due to the deposit of excess fatty deposits building up in the arteries that supply blood to the heart. Chest pain and heart attack are other dreadful heart diseases that result from being obese.
- Joint problems, sleep apnea, cancer, metabolic syndrome, etc. can also be the result of being obese or overweight.
Dealing With Obesity
It is essential to deal appropriately with obesity and control the situation. Here are some ways of addressing the situation;
1. Changes in diet
One of the first steps you should take is a reduction in the number of calories you consume; you also need to develop a healthier eating pattern that will help you get rid of your obese condition. This will result in a slow and steady loss of weight and help you prevent growing excessively. Make healthier choices when it comes to diet by taking more of plant diets foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grain carbohydrates. Take a balanced diet with a lean source of protein meat, etc. restrict taking high carbs, and sugar-sweetened beverages.
2. Exercise and activity
It is best to engage in extra physical activities if you are fighting to fight obesity as a condition. You can maintain weight loss if you steadily keep to an exercise routine that helps you burn excess fat in your body. Many have resulted in building a home gym or visiting the gym and make use of gym equipment for obese people. Try to get at least 150 minutes of exercise daily. 300 minutes is advised when you want to get a better result. As your endurance level increase, you may increase the time spent exercising.
Keep moving instead of sitting at a spot for a long period. Take a walk to the office each day, try to park at far distances to help you walk more. Some gym equipment is also designed to help you walk for several hours. Try to use some of those designed equipment.
Must Read: Exercise Equipment For Obese Seniors
3. Medication
In situations where the condition becomes tenser, and the two steps fail to work, visiting your health care personnel will help you make the best decision on your health. They can give you the required medication that will help improve your health overall. You may be advised to undergo behavioral changes to help you get rid of the condition. In severe situations, you may be advised to undergo a surgical process to address the condition.
Conclusion
Obesity as a medical condition can be cured as long as you keep taking active steps to address the situation. The first step is understanding if you are obese or not with the tools for calculating earlier discussed. In no time, you will be back to your perfect weight if you keep working hard to reduce the weight.