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Today 65% of the adult US citizens are battling with obesity, a condition which is very much in our hands to control. It is such a trend over which we all have control and can surely take it towards such a direction where our weight no more becomes an issue of concern for us. Studies show that people who are overweight or have obesity are more likely to suffer from the diseases like hypertension, high level of bad cholesterol (LDL), stroke, diabetes and the other disorders.
What is Overweight?
Overweight is a medical condition in which a person`s BMI(Body Mass Index- - a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both adult men and women)falls within 25-29.9. Along with obesity overweight can also make a person victim of a range of disorders and as such this disorder should be avoided.
Check whether you are overweight or not?
You can calculate your healthy weight range by a simple calculation process. Your minimum healthy weight is determined by multiplying the square of your height (in meters) by 20. Your maximum healthy weight is determined by multiplying the same by 25. For example, if your height is 1.6 m, your minimum healthy weight would be 1.6 x 1.6 x 20 = 51.2kg, and your maximum healthy weight 1.6 x 1.6 x 25 = 64.0kg. This is just a tentative weight range because there may be some people who have exceptional body frame and for them this weight range may not be the ideal weight range.
Causes of Overweight
Obesity happens when a person consumes more calories than s/he burns. The reasons for this imbalance include genetic, environmental, psychological, and other factors.
- The Genetic Factors - Obesity tends to run in families, suggesting a genetic cause. Yet families also share diet and lifestyle habits that may contribute to obesity. Separating these from genetic factors is often difficult. Even so, science shows that heredity is linked to obesity.
- The Environmental Factors - Environment may also strongly influence obesity. This includes lifestyle habits such as diet and level of physical activity. The American culture tends to eat high-fat foods, and put taste and convenience ahead of nutrition. Also, most Americans do not get enough physical activity. In contradiction, Far East cultures pay enormous attention to nutrition and health food as a way of living, facts which definitely reduces the obesity problems in these areas of the world.
- The Psychological Factors - Many people eat in response to negative emotions such as boredom, sadness or anger. Most overweighed people have no more psychological problems than people of average weight. However, up to 10% of the mildly obese people trying to lose weight have binge eating disorder. This disorder is even more common in people who are severely obese. During a binge eating episode, people feel they cannot control how much they are eating and eat large amounts of food. Those with the most severe binge eating problems are also likely to have symptoms of depression and low self-esteem.
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