Obesity is a relatively “young” disease that appeared and became widespread in the middle of the 20th century. The reason for this is the notorious sedentary lifestyle and the “fast food” culture that originated in the United States. Today, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), overweight affects about 1.5 billion people worldwide. The leaders are the USA and Europe, in Russia every fourth person is overweight. In some countries, the problem of overweight and obesity is addressed at the state level, but so far not much success has been achieved. Thus, the fight against excess weight is the task of each individual person.

How to determine if there is excess weight?

Where should you start the weight loss process? Of course, with an attempt to determine its presence. It would be wrong to do this “by eye”, since often the conclusion about the presence of excess weight is premature. This is due to the standards that are imposed on us by modern mass culture. The obsession with fighting non-existent “excess weight” leads to various diseases, for example, anorexia and / or bulimia. The reasons for such unfortunate consequences: the abuse of numerous “magic remedies”, dietary supplements and unbalanced diets. In Russia, overweight is generally rarely considered as a problem that should be addressed to doctors. This exacerbates this problem even more.

To determine excess weight, there is an indicator called the body mass index (BMI). To calculate BMI, you need to divide your weight (in kilograms) by your height squared (in meters). If your BMI is between 19 and 25, then you have no problems with being overweight. A BMI of 25 to 30 is overweight, and 30 or more is obese.

Causes of being overweight

Obesity is usually divided into primary and symptomatic, when excess weight is a symptom of another disease. The causes of primary overweight are: genetic predisposition, excessive food intake and lack of physical activity. With regard to heredity, scientists agree that there is a greater or lesser genetic predisposition to weight gain, but hereditary factors are always realized in close connection with a person’s lifestyle. Before “blaming genetics”, it should be noted that most often family eating habits that are passed down from generation to generation still have the greatest influence. And habits are things we can change. The same goes for a sedentary lifestyle. The conclusion is simple: everything is in your hands. However, you should not deal with excess weight on your own. It is better to entrust the matter to professionals.

Some medicines can also lead to an increase in body fat. These include corticosteroids, female hormonal drugs, antidepressants, etc. The intake of these drugs should always be as directed and under the supervision of the attending physician.

Excess weight can be the result of some pathological conditions, such as: dysfunction of the thyroid gland or pituitary gland, underdevelopment of the gonads, Cushing’s disease, as well as damage to the nerve cells of the hypothalamus.

Consequences of being overweight

Excess weight is often the cause of violations of many functions of the body. First of all, being overweight increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Excess body weight has a negative impact on the musculoskeletal system, causing foot deformity, osteoarthritis of large joints and other disorders. Also, excess weight leads to various metabolic disorders, as a result of which atherosclerosis and diabetes mellitus can develop.

Prevention of excess weight

People with a tendency to be overweight should balance the amount of food consumed and the level of physical activity. The diet must be balanced. An increase in physical activity, sports should follow a change in diet. It is important to understand what exactly served in your case as the main factor in weight gain – a change in diet or a decrease in physical activity. Then you can find the optimal solution that will be ideal for you. Another indispensable element of prevention, which is often forgotten, is regular examinations and testing. Such measures will help to identify and solve the problem at the earliest stages of its occurrence.