Obesity – What Are the Causes, Effects and Cures?

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Obesity, one of the most talked about medical dilemma of the day is on rapid increase with life changing consequences, but what are the causes, effects and cures? This man-made disease is not depending on our doctors, technological advancements or even on our fine medical institutions but on our life styles choices, our physiological inheritance and sometimes our physical environments. The question then is how are we to think, live, eat, drink or exercise because all these factors impact our weight.

Isn’t it simply amazing that with such enormous advancements in science, medicine and public health in this century we still have such an epidemic in fatness especially among the young children? America,an undisputed leader in quality medicine with billions of dollars spent on disease treatment yearly yet we are among the fattest people on earth: So much to be proud of and yet so much to be ashamed of.

Causes of Obesity

There are many causes I have discovered to this problem even though there is much advancement in diagnostic technology, both at the molecular level and in genetics there are still no specific surgical or medical cures.

First let us look at the calorific needs of a person. What is a calorie: It is the unit used to find the energy value of the foods we eat and the energy used up by our bodies for normal functions of everyday living. When the calories from food intake equal the calories of energy the body uses, weight remains stable. But when more calories are eaten than the body used, the body stores the extra calories as fat, causing weight gain. It is said that approximately one pound (1 lb) of fat equals about 3,500 excess calories.

Genetic makeup: If a child inherited the excessive body fat cells of his obese parents, he will tend to eat extra food than his body needs; therefore, making him an obese individual as well. Parents it is vital that we learn how to correctly select and prepare healthy foods, learn correct life styles and model them in the home because research has shown that “children live what they learn.”

Lifestyles also play a major function in overweight. Eating big servings of unhealthy foods at restaurants and fast foods joints plays a major role in providing additional calories, salt, sugar and fats but these are the exact ingredients we need to limit.

Less time for exercise and other physical activities will definitely not help to reduce the weight. Friends, we are in big trouble because we need to move around and doing tireless recreational activities such as browsing the internet, video games, movies, couch potato before the television promote an inactive lifestyle.

Effects and Possible Complications

Obesity increases the risk of developing disease and sometimes leads to amputated limbs. Other possible complications include:

• Heart disease
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Cancers of the breast, colon, prostate, lungs
• Diabetes
• Gallbladder disease
• Arthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Breathing problems
• Bloating and stomach upsets
• Varicose veins
• Severe psychological problems

Working in the medical field, I discovered some pretty alarming facts such as:

1. 70 percent of heart disease cases in the United States are linked to excess body fat,
2. Obese people are more than twice as likely to develop high blood pressure.
3. Obese women are at nearly double the risk for developing breast cancer, and
4. All obese people have a likely 42 percent higher chance of developing colon cancer.
5. Almost 80 percent of patients with Type 2 diabetes are obese.

The danger of medical complications, mainly heart disease, increases when body fat accumulates leading to blocked arteries.

The social and psychological problems experienced by obese people are huge and sometimes difficult to treat so it becomes very challenging. Stress and discrimination is more likely to occur in schools, work, and social gatherings and sometimes are the first things people experiences. Other psychological problems include depression, massive frustration, poor self esteem, suicide, nervous tension and sometimes nervous breakdown, boredom, lack of friends, lack of confidence, poor assertiveness skills and inferiority complex.

Today I just got the sad news that a high school friend died recently of complications of obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure. He ate himself into an early grave. I know some individuals will not listen but death awaits and the sad part is: these people would pay their last dollar when faced with death for another chance at life but then it’s too late. Stop the insanity on your life and health.

Cures for Obesity

I know and believe that life style diseases such as obesity is preventable and reversible; therefore, I will continue to encourage everyone slim, or fat practice the these three cures for healthy living.

1. Positive Mental Attitude: How the body and mind work together for the success or failure of every human beings.
2. Proper Diets: Choosing and preparing healthy foods with less salt, sugar, calories, meats, cholesterol, fats and oils; but increasing your intake of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, tubers and legumes. Eradicate or drastically reduce sugary juices and increase your water intake should result in a definite reduction in weight.
3. Correct Exercises – not all exercises are appropriate for everyone but with so many different types of exercises, there is something for everyone to stay fit not fat.

Health by design not chance has its rewards but the key is knowledge. Do you have the knowledge of how the human body functions and how to prevent or reverse life style diseases? I say health is wealth, what says you?

write by Scott King