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Preventable deaths: Only smoking is worse than obesity

Weight problems are not only a big issue for adults -- they're equally damaging to youngsters. Educators, nutritionists and researchers are trying to call attention to the crisis of youth obesity. Today's generations are struggling with their weight as never before and this burgeoning obesity epidemic is expected to have a terrible impact on their future.

What is obesity?

Recognized since 1985 as a chronic disease, obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death, exceeded only by cigarette smoking. Obesity is a condition that is caused by the excessive weight gain. It occurs due to the deposition of the large amount of fats in the body that has an adverse impact on your health.

When the body weight of a person is 20 percent or more than his ideal body weight, he is considered obese. The ideal body weight of a person depends on height, sex, age and body frame. The more obese a person is, the more likely s/he is to develop health problems. Fortunately, even a modest weight loss of 5 to 9 kgs can bring significant health improvements, such as lowering the blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Causes of obesity in youngsters

Being overweight or obese places youngsters at high risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease later in life. It's important to realise that the fundamental cause of obesity and being overweight is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended. A large calorie surplus is typically needed to cause obesity.

In India, statistics from the World Health Organisation reveal that 10.4 percent of males and 13.5 percent of women in the 20-24 year age group suffer from obesity. The increases in weight and obesity are attributable to a different combination of reasons like:

Diet: Lack of time to prepare healthy meals at home and the easy availability of take-away foods is the root cause of obesity among youngsters. Their dietary habits have shifted away from healthy foods such as fruit, vegetables and whole grains to high-calorie and processed snacks, fast food, and sugary soft drinks. They are the most targeted by fast food chains, promoting their super-size portions and all-you-can-eat offers. These foods are ridiculously high in sugar content, saturated fats, white starches and carbohydrates, with hardly any nutrients.

Sedentary lifestyle: Physical inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle are also one of the key determinants of the growing rates of overweight/obesity. Nowadays, youngsters spend most of the day working in front of the computer and then spend a significant percentage of leisure time in watching TV or playing computer games. Staying physically inactive leaves unused energy in the body, most of which is stored as fat and it also goes against our ancient 'hunter-gatherer' body cycle. Not surprisingly, it is observed that obesity rates are higher among children, teenagers and youngsters who frequently watch television or work most of the time on computers.

Genetics: Science shows that genetics plays a role in obesity. Metabolic rate, blood glucose metabolism, fat-storage and hormones, to name a few, are all influenced by our genetic inheritance. Analyses of the distributions of the degree of obesity among family members suggest that a few genes have a discernible effect on fat metabolism rate. Scientists discovered the gene, known as FTO, in a study of 2,000 candidates. A person with the FTO variant is likely on average to weigh 3 kilos (6.6 pounds) more than a person who does not have the FTO variant. Identifying obesity genes could help in preventing the condition and lead to treatments for it.

Developmental factor: Obesity results from a complex combination of factors that act at many stages throughout a person's life. These include both biological and socio-environmental factors. In early childhood, feeding practices, taste acquisition and eating in the absence of hunger can lead to obesity in the future. For example, breast-feeding may protect against obesity in later life, with the risk of being overweight later on inversely associated with the duration of breast-feeding. Other factors such as maternal diet, alcohol consumption and smoking can affect the foetus in the womb itself.

Medical illness: Certain medical conditions and medications can cause or promote obesity. These generally decrease metabolism or increase the appetite for carbohydrates, causing weight gain. These include Cushing's Syndrome (a condition in which the body contains excess amounts of cortisol, also known as 'the stress hormone'), Hypothyroidism, Insulin Resistance and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS/PCOD).

Psychological factors: Many youngsters eat in response to negative emotions such as boredom, sadness, or anger. Unfortunately, turning to food to face depression can lead to obesity. Our society places a high value on looking a particular way. If youngsters don't fit into this mold, they develop low self-esteem and body image issues that can lead to depression. Depression leads to a surge of negative emotions, which eventually leads to overeating, thus creating a vicious cycle.

Addressing these causes of obesity requires a young person to focus on lifestyle issues and make modifications to habits while still young enough to ingrain them. Clearly, these are not easy changes to make. Persistence and perseverance are the key to success.

Health hazards of obesity

Despite what popular culture has us believe, obesity is more of a health problem than an image problem. Obesity is the leading cause of many preventable diseases and deaths. An obese person has a higher risk of contracting certain illnesses due to an increase in blood pressure and cholesterol.

Research has shown that as weight increases to reach the levels referred to as 'overweight' and 'obese', the risk of the following conditions also increases:

• Heart disease: Obesity causes heart disease in an individual. Many times obesity is considered a symptom of heart disease. Due to a lot of fat deposited on the heart, its functioning is disturbed, leading to heart failure or stroke. Obesity also puts a lot of pressure on the heart, which leads to sudden cardiac arrest in some cases.

• Diabetes: Overweight people are twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes as compared to normal people. Type 2 diabetes is a major cause of heart disease, stroke, blindness, and early death. Losing weight and becoming more physically active can reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. People with a family history of diabetes are more likely to develop these problems if they are overweight.

• High blood pressure: Many medical studies have shown a relation between obesity and high blood pressure (hypertension). Being obese more than doubles the risk of developing raised blood pressure. Fortunately, even if your blood pressure is high, a modest weight loss can bring it under control. Blood pressure can drop with every kilo lost.

• Cancer: Several types of cancer are associated with obesity. In women, these include cancer of the uterus, gallbladder, cervix, ovary, breast and colon. Overweight men are at greater risk of developing cancer of the colon, rectum, and prostate. For some types of cancer, such as colon or breast, it is not clear whether the increased risk is due to the extra weight or to a high-fat and high-calorie diet, these, of course, being strongly associated with weight problems as a consequence.

• Osteoarthritis: Obesity is found to cause osteoarthritis. Due to the excessive weight, there is more pressure put on the joints of the legs, which leads to the loss of synovial fluid that lubricates the joints. As a result, an obese person may suffer from osteoarthritis.

• Gallbladder disease and gallstones: The risk of gallbladder disease and gallstones increases as body weight increases. Note that rapid weight loss can actually increase your chances of developing gallstones. Therefore, you should aim for a gradual weight loss of about one pound (about half a kilo) a week.

• Gout: Overweight and obese people may suffer from gout, caused by high levels of uric acid in the blood that affect the joints. Uric acid sometimes forms into solid stone or crystal masses that become deposited on the joints. An obese person is four times more likely to get gout than a non-obese person. However, with weight loss, the uric acid levels in the blood decrease.

• Liver disease: Obesity is a greater risk factor for liver inflammation and damage than alcohol intake. It increases the risk of liver damage seven-fold and combining obesity with heavy drinking is like adding fuel to the fire.

• Sleep apnea and breathing problems: Sleep apnea is a condition where a person stops breathing for a short time during sleep. This is a serious breathing condition that is associated with obesity. Sleep apnea can cause a person to snore heavily. Sleep apnea in obese persons can result in a reduction in testosterone production and a reduction in the amount of growth hormone produced by the pituitary gland.

• Reduced sperm count: The sperm count of obese men is found to be lower than that of the normal men. This happens because the production process of sperms is disturbed by the excessive deposition of fat around the testes, where sperms are produced.

• Problems in pregnancy: Obese women face a problem getting pregnant, as their hormone levels are disturbed due to the presence of excessive fat in the body. Even after the deposition of sperms in the ovule, the ovulation cycle fails as the excessive weight puts a stress on the channels that supply food to the egg.

Even if you are not overweight now and health problems related to obesity have a tendency to run in your family, it is important that you try to keep your weight steady. Genetics are at work here and if you have family members with weight-related health problems, you are more likely to develop them yourself.

Drop some weight the safe, healthy way

For those who struggle with those extra pounds, here are a few simple tips:

• Write down your weight loss goals: To lose weight, you must start by writing down your weight loss goals. Many people ignore this step, and that is why they see no results even after putting in so much effort. Therefore, write down your goals on a piece of paper. Any number works, so don't strain yourself too much.

• Follow a balanced diet: No food group is harmful. Your body requires carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals, fibre and yes, even the 'main culprit' -- fat. Your body needs them all but only in required amounts. Therefore, eat everything yet maintain the portion size. Following a balanced diet is the best weight loss plan.

• Eat home-cooked meals: We all love to eat out in style. But did you know you tend to put on more calories by eating meals at restaurants? Not only do we tend to choose foods rich in calories but also tend to eat larger portions. Keep your fine-dining plans for the weekend. This will help you to maintain a routine and subsequently, lose weight faster.

• Eat six times a day: A slow metabolic rate cannot burn the fat stored in your body fast. Increase your metabolism by applying a trick for eating. Eat small meals six times a day instead of taking three heavy meals.

• Eat more till the noon: Take most of your calories before noon, because studies state that the more you eat in the morning, the less you'll eat in the evening. Moreover, you will have a bigger chance to burn off those early-day calories than late-night calories.

• Eat slowly: It is observed that eating slowly makes people feel contented even with a small amount of food. Inculcate this habit. Enjoy every bite of food and get slimmer.

• Skip the desserts: We all love celebrating birthdays and occasions with scrumptious desserts. In that case, stick only to the occasion. Avoid binging on desserts for the sheer temptation! This will help you indulge in an occasional dessert without really feeling guilty!

• Reduce sodium intake: Water retention by the body is a major cause of obesity. Sodium plays a major role in water retention and thus, needs to be taken only in required amount.

• Cardiovascular exercise: Cardiovascular exercises such as swimming, skipping, cycling, running and jogging, aerobic exercises and climbing stairs are the best among the fast ways to lose weight. Spend at least a half hour on any one of them for five days a week and see the change within a month.

• Get enough sleep: Most people need about 8 hours per night. If you're not allowing your body to recuperate each night, you have very little chance of successfully losing body fat quickly and safely.

• Drink plenty of water:Drink a minimum of 10 glasses of water daily. Water benefits your body in several ways. It boosts metabolism, detoxifies, reduces water retention and most importantly, makes you feel full thereby cutting down your intake of food.

• Treat yourself occasionally: If you want to lose weight fast, it does not mean you have to punish yourself. Treating yourself regularly with friends will maintain a healthy balance in life. It will also curb your craving for desserts and sweets. An occasional treat will keep your mind happy and you won't have that sinking feeling every time you pass the sweetshop!

These simple points can be really helpful if you follow them correctly and you will definitely be several pounds lighter. Furthermore, your muscle mass, metabolism and overall health won't be affected.