Obesity is defined as having a BMI of 30 or more and is caused by eating more calories than you burn. Living with obesity can significantly increase your risk of serious health problems. Learn everything you need to know about obesity and weight loss here.

Obesity is currently an epidemic worldwide, significantly increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer and premature death.

Obesity is defined as having a BMI of 30 or more, and this is calculated by taking into account your height and weight. Obesity is now seen in children and adolescents, which only increases their risk of disease as they age.

The solution to obesity is weight loss.

Causes of obesity

Obesity and excess weight are caused by consuming more calories than you burn. A high-calorie diet combined with a long-term lack of physical activity contributes to the accumulation of fat and weight throughout the body.

The most common causes of overweight include

♦ A poor, high-fat diet
♦ A sedentary lifestyle
♦ Not getting enough sleep, which alters hormones and cravings
♦ Genetics can influence the way your body metabolizes food and stores fat
♦ Aging slows your metabolic rate, making it easier to gain weight.

Obesity symptoms

The main symptom of obesity is excessive weight and a BMI over 30. More important than the symptoms are the complications of overweight.

Having a high fat-to-muscle ratio in your body puts a lot of stress on the bones and internal organs and causes systemic inflammation. This can manifest itself as pain in the joints and in the back. Therefore, being obese and not losing weight can have serious consequences.

♦ Type 2 diabetes
♦ Fatty liver disease
♦ Stroke
♦ Heart disease
♦ Hypertension
♦ Gallbladder disease
♦ Sleep apnea
♦ Arthritis
♦ Infertility
♦ Certain cancers (breast and colon)

Diagnosis of obesity

When you have a BMI of 30 or more, you are diagnosed as obese. More precise measurements can be taken of your body fat and fat composition, such as skinfold thickness, waist-to-hip comparisons and ultrasound or MRI screenings.

Blood tests can also help diagnose obesity by examining blood glucose and cholesterol levels. Doctors also like to test for heart health, diabetes and thyroid function, as these can be adversely affected by excess weight.

Treatment of obesity

The treatment for obesity is weight loss. Your doctor will work with you to develop a plan to help you lose weight in the most effective and healthy way. This usually involves lifestyle changes such as giving up bad habits, developing an exercise routine and eating better.

In addition to this, they will try to identify if there are any triggers that are causing you to overeat or internal problems interfering with your metabolism. Diet and exercise are the best approaches to weight loss and, in extreme cases, surgery is available.

Weight loss diet

What you eat has a significant impact on whether or not you lose weight. Fad diets exist, but they don't work. As soon as you return to a normal diet, any weight you have lost will come back.

Diet pills are popular, but not always the best option as evidence of their success has been questioned . The best diet is full of balance and nutrition, and you'll need to stick to it to see results.

Your daily meals should contain a protein, a healthy fat and a low-carb source. Fad diets work by eliminating one or more of these, which is not healthy. By including these foods at every meal, you can control calorie intake, which will help you with your weight loss plan.

♦ Protein: focus on lean meats such as poultry and fish, and eggs. Protein-rich diets reduce cravings later in the day, allowing you to halve your overall snack intake.

♦ Fats: Your body needs fats, just make sure you give it the right kind, like avocado, olive oil and coconut oil.

♦ Low-carb foods: vegetables are the best source because they contain the carbohydrates you need for energy as well as plant nutrients, which help prevent disease. The best low-carb vegetables for weight loss are spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, kale, lettuce, cucumber and Brussels sprouts.

♦ Apple cider vinegar weight loss plan: mixed with water and drunk once a day, apple cider vinegar drink can help boost metabolism, flush out toxins and promote weight loss (but don't replace your meals with it).

Natural methods to lose weight

Exercise, combined with diet, is the best natural way to lose weight and overcome obesity. The right diet will offer a number of benefits, but when combined with regular exercise, you can really lose the most weight and have a healthier body.

Natural methods to lose weight

Exercise can prevent and even reverse the effects of certain diseases. Your risk of serious illness decreases dramatically once you start and stick to a regular exercise routine.

Exercise also increases your metabolism, which contributes to weight loss. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume.

Your diet has already reduced the number of calories, so by exercising, you can start to burn the calories stored as fat in the body. Working out for more than twenty minutes a day contributes to weight loss and, for best results, combine aerobic activity with strength training and core exercises like yoga.

Weight loss surgery

In some cases, surgery is an option to help reduce obesity and lose weight. Your doctor must approve these procedures, as they are considered a last resort and are only approved when your current situation is life-threatening.

There are four typical surgeries to help lose weight by reducing the amount of food the stomach can hold.

♦ Gastric bypass: Only a small part of the stomach remains, so you can't eat as much. A bypass is done, so food goes directly from your new "pouch" to the small intestine.

♦ Adjustable gastric band: a small band is placed around the top of your stomach. The band has a balloon that controls its tightness and limits the amount of food that can enter your stomach.

♦ Gastric sleeve: This removes most of the stomach, leaving only a narrow section of the upper part. Creating this sleeve also puts the brakes on ghrelin, the hunger hormone, which helps you eat less.

♦ Duodenal switch: This is a complicated procedure that removes most of the stomach and uses a sleeve to bypass the small intestine. You eat a lot less, but your body also absorbs a lot fewer nutrients.

Weight loss and obesity statistics

♦ Obesity has almost tripled worldwide since 1975.
♦ 30% of adults over 18 are overweight and 13% are clinically obese.
♦ Being overweight kills more people than being underweight.
♦ More than 340 million children and adolescents are currently overweight or obese.
♦ Obesity is preventable.

Obesity and disability

Obesity and overweight can complicate life. It is difficult to obtain a disability rating for obesity without medical proof that you are unable to lose weight or that your life has been seriously compromised.

If you notice that your weight is uncomfortable and interfering with your daily tasks and ability to perform your job, talk to your doctor about weight loss. Obesity is preventable and can be reversed, so it doesn't have to be a handicap.

Obesity and children

Childhood obesity is troubling because the extra weight the body continues to develop can expose them to serious health complications. Their risk of diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia increases dramatically.

Extra weight is also bad for growth and development, as it puts extra pressure on growing bones and muscles. The best way to prevent childhood obesity is to promote and practice healthy eating and exercise for the whole family.

What are the long-term prospects?

The best thing about obesity is that it's preventable. Unlike so many other diseases, you have the power to prevent it.

Living with obesity for a long time can dramatically increase your risk of serious health problems and can cost you years of life. With weight loss and a balanced diet, you can leave obesity behind and live a long, healthy life.