Obesity - Balance Medical Clinic

What is obesity?

Obesity is a complex health condition characterized by having an excessive amount of body fat that increases the risk for other serious diseases and health issues. Body mass index (BMI), which measures a person's weight and height, is commonly used to determine obesity. Obesity affects over 650 million adults and children globally.

So what is the underlying cause of obesity? Simply put, when a person takes in more calories from food and drinks than they use for daily bodily functions or physical activity, those extra calories are then stored as body fat. These factors contribute to obesity:

• Diet - A diet high in saturated fat, sugar, and low in fiber and nutrition can promote weight gain, especially when portions are excessive in calories.
• Inactivity - Sedentary lifestyles with little physical activity at work, commuting, or at home are risk factors. Lack of regular exercise slows metabolism and burns fewer calories.
• Genetics - Some people may be genetically predisposed to gaining weight more easily. However, genetics alone do not guarantee obesity. Lifestyle and environment play essential roles.
• Medications - Certain medications for the treatment of illnesses may have weight gain as a side effect, which increases odds of obesity over time.
• Environment - Access to healthy food options, safe spaces for exercise, and exposure to healthy lifestyle messages from an early age impact obesity risk over the long-term.

Obesity is associated with increased chances for developing other serious health conditions like Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, fatty liver disease, and more.

The key recommended first steps to tackle obesity are improving one's diet to reduce high-calorie and processed foods while increasing fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and fiber. Combining a healthier diet with regular physical activity, even light exercise, significantly boosts weight loss results. Additional options to explore may include FDA-approved weight loss medications, weight loss surgery, or supervised weight loss programs from facilities like Balance Medical Clinic.

The above overview covers the basics about obesity - what it means, what leads to it, associated health risks, and how to begin managing it. Let me know if you have any other questions!