Obesity is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that presents a risk to health. A crude population measure of obesity is the body mass index (BMI) - a person's weight (in kg) divided by the square of his height (in meters). A person with a BMI of 30 or more is considered obese.
Obesity is a complex, serious, chronic disease involving environmental, genetic, physiologic, metabolic, behavioral and psychological components. It results from an energy imbalance - taking in more calories from food and drink than the body uses for daily needs and physical activity. This imbalance is rooted in biology, behavior, environment and culture.
Causes of obesity:
- Eating more calories than needed
- Lack of physical activity
- Genetics and family history
- Health conditions like hypothyroidism
- Certain medications
- Lack of sleep
- Pregnancy
- Quitting smoking
Obesity leads to serious health consequences like:
Obesity can also negatively impact one's quality of life and lead to psychological problems like depression and low self-esteem.
The main treatment for obesity consists of: