5 Facts About Obesity That You Should Know About
Obesity is defined as having too much weight, especially fat on the body (which means you have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher). The most prevalent cause of being obese is when a person consumes more calories than they expend. Obese people are more likely to develop certain health issues, negative repercussions, and worries.
This means that being overweight or obese increases a person's chance of developing a variety of illnesses and health problems. In this article, we have gathered five facts about obesity that you should know about.
1. Obesity is quite common
Obesity affects 36.5 percent of people in the United States. Around 32.5 percent of adults in the United States are overweight. Overweight or obese adults account for more than two-thirds of adults in the US.
But obesity is also common in children. In 2019, 38.2 percent of kids under the age of five were overweight or obese. Obesity affects over 17% of American children aged 2 to 19. That's more than 12.7 million kids in the United States. Obesity affects one out of every eight preschoolers.
2. Obesity can be caused by several factors
Obesity is generally caused by a significant prevalence of the number of calories ingested over calories burned. Recently, there has been a rise in the consumption of high-fat and high-sugar foods. Obesity risk has risen as a result of a lack of physical exercise due to an increasingly sedentary lifestyle.
But you should know that obesity can occur not only due to a lack of control over one's eating habits. Human control over some genetic, behavioral, hormonal, and metabolic systems is limited. Pregnancy, adolescence, and medical problems like PCOS, can also increase your risk of obesity. Children are also more prone to obesity due to genetics and poor parental food habits.
3. Losing weight can be difficult
In most cases, obesity is manageable. It can be avoided by eating healthier foods and being more physically active. Obese people can reduce their calorie intake from fats and sweets, increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, and exercise on a regular basis.
However, if your BMI is over 40 and you need to lose more than 100 pounds, or if your BMI is over 35 and you have obesity-related health issues, you may benefit from weight loss surgery. This option can help you lose weight by making food pass through your lower intestine faster, signaling to your brain that you're full.
4. Obesity can significantly affect your life
Being overweight reduces life expectancy by two to four years, while extreme obesity reduces life expectancy by ten years. More than a fifth of five-year-olds and a third of 11-year-olds are overweight or obese, therefore obesity is most likely to influence today's children. This means that they may live a shorter life than their parents.
Obesity can increase your risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, as well as sexual and gynecological issues. Cardiovascular diseases (mainly heart disease and stroke) can also be caused by obesity. Being overweight or obese can also lead to osteoarthritis (a severe degenerative joint condition).
5. Carbohydrate restriction can help people lose weight
You will lose weight if you stick to a 1200 calorie diet. But you should know that your caloric needs may differ from a 1200 calorie diet. People find it incredibly difficult to maintain a low-calorie diet for an extended period of time. A low-carb diet, in which people get around 30% of their calories from protein and the rest from low-glycemic foods, is frequently easier to stick to since it causes fewer hunger pains.
Low-glycemic-index foods (non-starchy vegetables, nuts, legumes, and some fruits) don’t boost blood sugar fast, which might make you feel hungry. Following a meal, this eating strategy can assist in lowering blood sugar and insulin levels.
