Obesity is a condition that can be described with excess fats in the body. However, it should be in our understanding that obesity is not of cosmetic concern but increases the risk to diseases and other health disorders. They include diseases in association with the heart, diabetes and even high blood pressure. When an individual is obese, he or she is likely to have health issues related to their weight. The good news is that obesity is a preventable and curable health condition. The key was of preventing the disease is through making changes in the diet of an individual, increase the physical activities that will make one burn calories and lose excess fate and changes in behavior. An individual is said to be obese if he or she has a body mass index (BMI) of 30 and above. BMI is one of the tools that is used in measuring obesity. Statistics show that many individuals affected by obesity are usually not aware. The essay will discuss the epidemiological results of obesity, the causes and how to treat and prevent obesity.
According to the world health organization (WHO), the number of obesity cases has reduced since the year 1975. In the year 2016, individuals summing up to 1.9 billion who are eighteen years an above were found to be overweight. Out of the 1.9 billion individuals, 650 were found to have a body mass index of more than 30 implying that they were obese. In the same years, adults summing up to 39% and eighteen years and above were found to be overweight, and 13% were dealing with obesity issues ("Obesity and Overweight," 2018). The largest population in the world lives in countries where obesity is the leading cause of death when compared to being underweight.. For the adolescent individuals, a total of 340 million are overweight or obese. When gender is put into consideration them women are affected more with the health issue than men ("Obesity and Overweight," 2018). However, the gap between men and women is small. Such is by WHO statistics for the year 2016 on obesity which shows that 39% of the population affected by obesity are men and 40% of the obese people are women.
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Obesity is a health topic that is vital to society due to the increase in the number of obese cases. According to information from the national health and nutrition examination, the number of individuals suffering from obesity as a health condition has increased from 2.3 billion to 2.78 billion (Sassi, 2010). With such an increase in the number of individuals, the health topic is an issue as there is need to research on the causes and how it can be prevented and cured. Such infections are some of the risks that are in association with obesity. Individuals who are obese are more likely to suffer from any of the mentioned medical condition (Sassi, 2010). Therefore, obesity is a health topic that is an issue that needs to be studied and be in a position to curb such medical conditions and many more.
There is some cause of obesity. The main purpose of the issue is an unhealthy diet and the eating habits of an individual. An individual can quickly gain weight than losing weight. The act of gaining weight is inevitable if one regularly consumes more calories than he or she burns. Therefore, if one eats lots of junk food that are rich in calories, then, in the long run, the individual will suffer from obesity ("What is Obesity? – Obesity Action Coalition", 2018). Other than high calories foods some beverages are high in calories and can lead to obesity. The other cause of obesity is inactiveness. Other than inactiveness and the eating habits of an individual, a combination of some risk factors can cause obesity. Such include age and quitting smoking. Obesity can occur at any age, even in young children under the age of five years ("What is Obesity? – Obesity Action Coalition", 2018). However, as one becomes old, there are hormonal changes in the body that makes one less active increasing the chances of being obese. Quitting smoking is in most instances associated with gaining of, and for that reason, it can lead to learning to wait until one becomes obese.
Obesity is a health issue that affects nearly all individuals. However, specific populations have a much higher tendency of being concerned with obesity than others. Among the individuals who are at the risk of being affected are those aged 60 years and above (Heinberg and Thompson, 2016). The reason is due to the hormonal changes that come with age making them less active. Being less active is one of the causes of obesity. Another category of individuals who are at the risk of being affected is pregnant women. During pregnancy, the woman usually increases weight. However, some women face difficulties losing weight after giving birth. Such a weight gain can lead to the development of obesity among women. Statistics show that the low-income earners are at a higher risk of being affected with obesity than the high-income earners. Avoiding obesity is tiresome if one does not have proper and safe places to exercise (Heinberg and Thompson, 2016
There are some ways in which the health issue of obesity can be solved. One is through exercising regularly. To address the health issue, one needs to apply for 150 to 300 minutes a week. The exercise should be vigorous and engaging to as to loss and prevent the gain of weight. The activities include walking, running or even swimming ("Obesity – symptoms and causes," 2018). Another way that the issue can be solved is through checking on one's diet. There is a need for an individual to have a healthy eating plan. One should focus on low-calorie foods, avoid junks, have lots of nutrient dense foods such as fruits, grains, and vegetables. One should avoid saturated fat and limit the consumption of sweets and alcohol. Setting realistic weight management goals and being consistent is another relevant solution in solving the health issue. One should consider monitoring his or her weight on a regular basis say once a week. Knowing your weight helps an individual know if he or she is making progress and helps to stick to the plan ("Obesity – symptoms and causes," 2018). The genes of an individual affect the amount of fat the body can be able to store and the areas where fat will be distributed.
In summation, obesity is a health condition that involves the gaining of weight to a level higher than 30 BMI. According to statistics, obesity affects women more than men with a close range of 1% between the two in the year 2016. The leading cause of obesity is the lifestyle of an individual. Other than lifestyle and inactiveness, age can be a cause of obesity as when one grows old, he or she goes through hormonal changes that make them less active and engages in less exercising activities ending up to gain weight. The health issue can be solved through regular exercise, changing eating habits through the consumption of foods with fewer calories and being consistent. Based on the research above, obesity is a health condition that is preventable through regular exercise.
References
Heinberg, L. & Thompson, J. (2016). Obesity in Youth: Causes, Consequences, and Cures. Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/11868-000
Obesity – Symptoms and Causes. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obesity/symptoms-causes/syc- 20375742
Obesity and Overweight. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.who.int/news-room/fact- sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight
Sassi, F. (2010). Obesity and the Economics of Prevention. Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, Number 14244, December.
What is Obesity? – Obesity Action Coalition. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.obesityaction.org/get-educated/understanding-your-weight-and- health/what-is-obesity/
