Obesity pandemic is rapidly spreading all over the world and is a major factor for rising incidence of chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension. 40% of men and 30% of women are overweight while 25% of men and 27% of women are obese, according to an extensive International study. The obesity survey was conducted on 168, 159 people aged 18 to 80 in 63 countries by INSERM (France health institute) researchers. This is the largest ever study was conducted on Obesity incidence and the results are alarming. The results of the survey were published in the “Circulation”, an American Heart Association journal. Image Courtesy: China.org Researchers took waist circumference as a tool to measure obesity as Waist circumference (Abdominal Adiposity or visceral fat) is more accurate marker of diabetes and heart disease than BMI. More than 30% of men and 50% of women have more than recommended waistlines and are at high risk for diabetes and heart diseases. Canada and South Africa are the top countries in obesity (average BMI IS 29) while Eastern Asia has only 7% obese people. For men, 5.5 inches increase in waist circumference will increase heart disease incidence by 35%. More number of people are becoming obese due to change in lifestyle and eating habits. Obesity pandemic will show severe effects in future due to rise in childhood obesity rates. Government should ban junk food ads and parents should encourage exercise activity in children by controlling TV watching habits. … [Read more...]
New indicator to evaluate Obesity related diseases
Body-Mass index (BMI) is replaced by Waist-to-Hip ratio (WHR) as a better indicator to evaluate a person’s health status. WHR is ratio between waist and hip circumferences. For women, waist to hip ratio should not be more than o.8. For men, waist to hip ratio should not be more than o.95. Older people with high waist to hip ratios have a higher mortality risk than those with high body mass index. WHR is the best obesity indicator for assessing heart attack and other obesity related disorders like stroke and diabetes. As per WHR, fat is more important than person’s weight to decide health status. WHR indicates the proportion of fat stored on your body around your waist and the hip. Fat is stored in the body in two ways. Around the abdomen –Apple shape. Around the hip – Pear shape. Your health is affected not only by amount of fat, but also where that fat is stored. Abdominal fat is more important in assessing your health status. It changes the hormonal levels to cause inflammation which in turn leads to clogged arteries. Clogged arteries may gradually cause heart attack. Please comment on this article. … [Read more...]
Health problems due to Obesity
Obesity till recently seen as a disease of developed countries. It is not a cosmetic concern. Obesity is ultimately life threatening. Many Health risks are due to obesity. In the America, more than 3 Lac deaths are linked to obesity annually.In India, 120 million urban Indians are seriously obese. The Indian capital, New Delhi, is called as Obesity capital where 45% males and 55% females suffering from severe obesity. According to World health organization, the Obesity epidemic is increasing faster in developing countries than in the developed world. The prime cause for Obesity is Life style changes as a result of affluence and sedentary life style. We are taking more food with high calories and not burning enough of it with exercise. We know that fat is ugly, but many unaware that it is dangerous as well. Increased work hours and tremendous stress making it difficult for allocating time for exercise. One out of ten urban Indian children is overweight. India is now under fat Tsunami. Obesity in the western countries is associated with poverty while in developing countries; it is the problem of rich. A stout person is always a laughing stock. Health probelms in Obese persons: Obesity leads to life threatening medical conditions. 1. Rise in Blood pressure: If body weight is increased by 1 kg, the heart has to pump the blood more blood. Heart needs to work harder unnecessarily. It leads to heart attack. 2. Stroke: Due to Obesity, The blood supply to the brain is suffered and in tern leads to their rupture. It causes paralysis due to loss of blood supply to that brain tissue. 3. Sleep Apnoea 4. Breathlessness 5. Heart Diseases: hardening of blood vessels due to bad cholesterol and reasons explained above. 6. Rise in Cholesterol levels due to more fat and calories in the obese persons. 7. Stones in the Gall bladder: Fat, females and >40 years are risk factors for Gall stones. 8. Type 2 Diabetes: Obesity increases risk for type 2 diabetes. It makes diabetics insulin resistant. 9. Large bowel cancers: Due to fat food intake . 10. Infertility: Especially women who are obese are more prone to infertility. 11. Osteoarthritis: Bones become thinner and have to bear more weight. Joints are also affected. 12. Shape of the body: There is an increased cardio vascular disease in men with waist measuring more than 101 cm. (in women it is 89 cm). People whose belly is like apple fruit shape are at higher risk of heart diseases than pear shaped ones. So, Obesity is not a cosmetic problem, it is a medical condition. … [Read more...]
