What is obesity?
Chronic obesity, which is characterized by an excess of subcutaneous adipose tissue relative to the rest of the body weight and impacts practically every organ and tissue in the body, is linked to an increased death rate.
Obesity is essentially a disease that shows as a metabolic illness with a rise in body weight of 10% or more and an excessive buildup of fat. This weight gain is accomplished at the expense of adipose tissue, resulting in a body fat percentage of greater than 30% in women and 25% in males.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends estimating nutritional status using body mass index (BMI), which is calculated by dividing body weight (in kilograms) by the square of height (in meters).
- BMI of Malnutrition (BMI 18.5)
- BMI for a healthy body weight (18.5 – 24.9)
- BMI of being overweight (25.0 – 29.9)
- Obese BMI (> 30.0)
CAUSES
Although the exact etiology of obesity is unknown, it is undeniable that it results from an excessive intake of calories from food and the subsequent utilization of those calories by the body, with an unfavorable predominance of fat deposition in adipose tissue. The center of the sense of hunger and satiety, which is in a region of the brain called the hypothalamus, is where two fundamental sensations, hunger and satiety, are intricately regulated. These brain regions regulate the process of eating itself, which is influenced by hormones, digestive system stimuli, higher brain centers’ stimuli, and nutrients in circulation. Centers in the hypothalamus that work to maintain current body weight stability may be impacted by total body adipose tissue mass.
The following are some potential and prevalent causes of obesity:
Bad eating habits include skipping breakfast, constantly nibbling when there is no set time or place for a meal (also known as “unconscious eating”), eating large meals late at night after skipping breakfast, not chewing food enough, etc.
Physical inactivity – obesity is more common in people who rest while sleeping, watching TV, working long hours at a computer, or driving a lot. The less physical activity a person gets, the faster blood vessel changes occur. Obesity is rare in people who take breaks for walks, sports, or recreation.
Psychological Factors – When reaching for food is a form of solace, psychological factors might have an effect and cause emotional overeating. Food is sometimes the only source of satisfaction left because it is the most common outcome of discontent, uncertainty, disappointment, and anxiety. Pre-existing obesity can cause feelings of isolation and sluggishness in some people, which can lead to depressed emotions.
Genetic inheritance and familial predisposition to obesity – children emulate their fat parents (who serve as role models for them) and develop into obese adults due to genetic predisposition and familial inheritance. In the poll of obese people, 58 percent reported learning that their mother and 43 percent of their father were obese. Around 50% of children in a family will be obese if one parent is.
Disorders of endocrine gland secretion – Less often occurring causes of obesity include diseases of endocrine gland secretion (hormonal disorders), particularly of the thyroid and adrenal glands, ovaries, and pituitary gland. They often develop secondarily, meaning that problems with these glands’ function may result from the thickness that already exists.
