Though it's true that fat has it's use in the body, excessive fat is also detrimental to our health in so many ways. There is a very long line drawn that marks the difference between being healthy and being fat. Most people tend to assume that their fat is a sign of good living.
Excessive body fat accumulation both under the skin and in visceral organs is known as Obesity. A body weight 20% than it should be depending on age and sex is also considered as Obesity.
The daily deliberations of people on what their ideal body weight should be, what to eat in order to achieve or maintain a certain specific body weight has led to medical cases of extreme starvation due to dieting.
The truth is that, Body weight changes over time. The variety comes from a lot of causes. Change in diets, medications and most times change in lifestyle activities. Obesity, has been identified as the end result of most of these factors most times.
Obesity isn't simple just being fat. Other factors come to play a role. Weight and Height being one of them.
As a means of verifying if Obesity sets in, calculations called body mass index has been introduced. It is derived from weight and height and does not measure the percentage of body fat but is only and indicator for Obesity.
Body Mass Index of between 25 to 29.9 is considered as overweight and 30 is considered as obesity.
Knowing your BMI is quite easy. there are two ways to check your BMI :-
- Using BMI calculators
- Using the BMI chart.
The BMI chart indicates height in the left hand column, weight along the top bar and the center number box between the two is the BMI .
High BMI does not necessarily indicate health risk, although it indicates Obesity and possible health risks. Medical personnels should be consulted after discovering a high BMI index.
WHY AM I OBESE ?
As Obesity is in sense excessive fat, it speaks volumes to the causes. The major cause is our diet.
Consumption of high calorie foods - particularly fatty and sugary foods cause the accumulation of fat especially visceral fat ( fat around the abdomen region or waist line). The intake of these food kinds without a proper exercise schedule to balance out calorie gain and loss gradually leads to weight gain and sometimes ends as Obesity.
Some medications play important roles in body weight gain.
Living sedentary lifestyles- all day computers, video games, television and basically all activities that involve doing nothing are all important factors in weight gain.
THE LESS YOU MOVE AROUND, THE FEWER CALORIES YOU BURN.