Table of contents:
- Definition
- What is obesity?
- How common is this condition?
- Signs & symptoms
- What are the symptoms of obesity?
- When should I go to the doctor?
- Cause
- What causes obesity (overweight)?
- Risk factors
- What increases my risk for obesity (overweight)?
- Medicines & Medicines
- What are the treatments that can be done to treat obesity?
- What are the usual tests to detect obesity?
- Home remedies
- How can lifestyle changes or home remedies help regulate obesity rates?
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Definition
What is obesity?
Overweight aka obesity is the accumulation of fat that is not normal or excessive in the body. This condition if allowed to continue can affect the health of the sufferer. Yes, this condition not only affects the physical appearance of the sufferer, but also increases health risks such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
Obesity is one of the biggest health problems worldwide. Besides being able to cause physical health problems, this condition can also cause psychological problems, such as stress and depression.
Obesity and excess body weight (overweight) are two distinct concepts. Overweight is a condition in which there is excess weight gain. However, weight gain is not only caused by excess fat, but can also be caused by muscle mass or fluids in the body. These conditions can have a dangerous impact on health.
How common is this condition?
Obesity is one of the most common conditions that can be experienced by both children and adults. A person is at high risk of experiencing this condition if he does not maintain a diet and do enough exercise.
Overweight is usually suffered by people with administrative jobs or offices who tend to adopt a sedentary lifestyle, aka lazy to move. You can protect yourself from this condition by reducing the existing risk factors. So, please consult a doctor for more information.
Signs & symptoms
What are the symptoms of obesity?
Actually there are no definite signs of obesity. Indeed, obese people tend to look fatter and bigger. However, it should be understood that obese people are not necessarily obese, while those who are obese are definitely obese.
To determine whether a person is obese or not, there are several ways to determine it, namely by measuring:
- Body Mass Index (BMI)
- Waist size
- Waist to hip ratio (RLPP)
- Skinfold thickness uses a measuring instrument called a skinfold
- Body fat levels using a bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) tool
Of these various methods, measuring BMI is the most frequently used method because it is quite easy to do. This BMI calculation uses body weight and height. The formula for calculating BMI is:
BMI = body weight (kg) / (height (m) x height (m))
People with a BMI greater than 25 can be categorized as overweight , at 30 or more is considered obese, and at 40 and above is a serious level of obesity.
Now you don't need to bother calculating your BMI using the manual method. Hello Sehat has providedBMI Calculator which can be used easily by just clicking the image below.
For most people, BMI can be used to measure the fat content in the body. However, BMI does not directly measure body fat.
For example, for some people, the BMI of the athletes who are performing body building (increase muscle mass) certain can be categorized as obese because their muscles are overdeveloped to look big and strong, even though they do not have excess fat.
If we rely solely on BMI, we will not get an accurate measure of obesity. So, consult your doctor for details about your obesity level.
This condition can increase the risk of developing dangerous diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes and coronary heart disease. This situation also improves arthritis which causes shortness of breath, sleep apnea, and get tired quickly.
From the explanation above, there may be symptoms of obesity that are not mentioned. If you have questions about side effects, please consult a doctor.
When should I go to the doctor?
If you think you may have this condition, especially if you are concerned about weight issues, see your doctor immediately. You and your doctor can measure your health risks and discuss ways to lose weight. See your doctor regularly to give you the best diagnosis and treatment method that suits your needs.
Cause
What causes obesity (overweight)?
Obesity is caused by excessive calorie levels in the body. This accumulation of excess calorie levels can be caused by various factors (multifactorial). The interaction between these various factors causes a person to become obese.
Risk factors
What increases my risk for obesity (overweight)?
Here are some factors that can cause weight gain and obesity:
1. Genetic
Genetics, aka heredity, is one of the biggest components that can lead to obesity. Children of obese parents are much more at risk of obesity than children whose parents have ideal body weight.
In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, it was found that people who carry the FTO gene usually tend to eat lots of fatty and high-sugar foods. In addition, people with these genes also usually take longer to feel full. Well, this is what makes people with the FTO gene more likely to be obese.
Even so, it does not mean that obesity is entirely determined by genetics. The reason is, what you consume also has a big effect on genes that can trigger obesity. Yes, if you have the obesity gene and you have unhealthy habits, then it will increase your risk many times to be obese.
Conversely, if you have the obesity gene, but you regularly adopt a healthy lifestyle by paying attention to food intake and diligent exercise, then your risk of obesity will decrease.
Junk food is a type of food that is high in sugar, fat, salt and oil. This combination, coupled with the smell of food and various other flavors, makes the food junk food feels good so it's addicting. Without realizing it, people who often eat junk food accumulate a lot of calories and fat in the body.
Well, this is what causes you to gain weight which in turn triggers obesity. If you are obese, then you are at risk for other chronic diseases.
3. Certain drugs
Many prescription / over-the-counter medicines can cause weight gain as a side effect. For example, antidepressants have long been linked to weight gain slowly.
Some other drugs that can trigger weight gain are diabetes drugs and antipsychotics, which are often used to relieve mental problems. These drugs alter the functions of your body and brain, causing an increase in appetite and a reduction in your metabolic rate. This is what triggers weight gain.
4. Stress
Who would have thought, stress can actually be a cause of obesity. Yes, stress is very likely to cause obesity. The reason is that when you experience stress, it will be easier for you to eat more, especially sweet foods, in order to simply relieve stress and improve your mood.
Even though without realizing it, consumption of food at times like that will actually make you eat more food, which in turn will accumulate calories, sugar, and fat in the body. Well, this is what causes you to gain weight.
5. Lazy to move
With televisions, computers, video games, washing machines, smart phones, and other modern convenience devices, most people's lives have become more relaxed. Unfortunately, this actually causes many people to do minimal physical activity.
Even though the lack of physical activity can cause a slowdown in metabolism in the body. Yes, the less you move, the more calories you burn.
As a result, more calories will accumulate in the body. It's not even just a matter of calories. Physical activity that drinks also affects the performance of the insulin hormone in the body. If insulin levels in the body are unstable, it is closely related to weight gain.
6. Not getting enough sleep
Research has found that if you don't get enough sleep, you double the risk of becoming obese. This risk applies to both adults and children. This is based on research conducted at the Warwick Medical School at the University of Warwick.
Experts in the study reviewed evidence in more than 28,000 children and 15,000 adults. The results clearly showed that lack of sleep significantly increased the risk of obesity in both groups.
Lack of sleep can lead to obesity through increased appetite as a result of hormonal changes. If you don't get enough sleep, you produce Ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates appetite. Lack of sleep also results in your body producing less leptin, a hormone that suppresses appetite.
If you do not have these risk factors it does not mean you cannot develop obesity. These signs are for reference only, so it would be better if you consult your doctor for more information.
Medicines & Medicines
The information provided cannot replace medical advice. ALWAYS consult a doctor
What are the treatments that can be done to treat obesity?
Maintaining a balanced diet, exercising, and having surgery to reduce weight. Yes, an active lifestyle, exercise, and a healthy balanced diet are the best ways to lose weight and maintain health.
You can consult a nutritionist to measure the level of calories that you can consume every day. During a consultation session, usually a doctor or health nutritionist can provide information about:
- How to choose healthy foods
- Choose healthy snacks
- How to read nutritional content before consuming it
- Healthy way of processing food
- Adjust the diet
Remember that losing weight regularly can help you get to your ideal weight. Don't forget, also balance it with regular exercise for at least 30 minutes every day. You should also know about eating restrictions junk food when stressed through several techniques to reduce stress, such as yoga, exercise, or medication. Call your doctor if you experience excessive stress.
Several medications can reduce weight but also have side effects. Use this method if the previous methods were not effective, and do the treatment under the supervision of doctors and health professionals. This is so that efforts to reach the ideal body weight will run more optimally and do not interfere with your overall health.
If you are obese (weight 100 percent over your ideal body weight or BMI over 40) and fail after using several methods of reducing fat, you may want to consider surgery, such as minor surgery on the stomach and stomach region. We recommend that you consult a doctor for more information.
What are the usual tests to detect obesity?
To diagnose obesity, your doctor will check your physical condition by asking about your medical history, diet, and exercise habits.
Then, the doctor will suggest two methods to measure the level of health risk associated with your weight:
- Body Mass Index (BMI)
- Measure your waist circumference
- Waist size
- Waist to hip ratio (RLPP)
- The thickness of the skin fold uses a measuring instrument called a skinfold
- Body fat levels using a bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) tool
Home remedies
How can lifestyle changes or home remedies help regulate obesity rates?
The following activities and home remedies can help you manage obesity:
- Tell your doctor about your overall health condition.
- Tell your doctor what medicines you use, including vitamins, herbs, and supplements. Contact your doctor if you experience side effects from these medications.
- Join a community that deals with weight loss.
- Take time to do physical activity, including exercise every day.
- Understand the current state of your weight, weight index, and body fat
- Call your doctor if you experience diarrhea or low blood sugar after surgery.
- Understand your body condition so you can plan activities according to your body condition.
- Set realistic goals, don't lose weight drastically in a short period of time as it will be easy to come back.
- Record the activities undertaken and the food consumed every day. That way you know your daily habits.
If you have any questions, please consult a doctor to find a better solution for your condition.
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.