Pertinent Facts On Obesity Revealed
These Facts On Obesity.......

Are winning formulas to help you battle obesity....

Plus correct facts on obesity will help you to understand obesity in its entirety and you can appropriately reduce and treat it.

And you don't have to resign yourself to being obese. You can battle the bulge by first adopting a positive and healthy lifestyle - eat right and exercise more......

OK, before we even go into that territory, it's important you know first the facts on obesity.

You're considered obese when your weight is 20% or more above normal weight.

To measure obesity, you use body mass index (or BMI) .

You're considered overweight if your BMI is between 25 and 29.9 and you're considered obese if your BMI is over 30.

In some cases, "morbid obesity" could occur meaning you're either 50% - 100% over normal weight, more than 100 pounds over normal weight, have a BMI of 40 or higher, or you're sufficiently overweight to severely interfere with your health or normal functions.

"Morbid obesity" is a fact on obesity that reveals how dangerous it is to your health....

The BMI isn't just mere calculation per se; it's a basic fact on obesity to know whether you're obese or not.

This is due to the profound changes in our society and in its behavioural patterns over time.

Take a look at these changes which are revealing facts on obesity:

• The societal changes and global nutrition transition are driving the obesity epidemic
• Economic growth, modernization, urbanization and globalization of food markets are the main forces powering the obesity epidemic
• The rise in income and a more urbanized population have skewed towards diets high in fats, saturated fats and sugars
• The major shift towards less physically demanding work and the move towards less physical activity are increasingly prevalent
• In the US, these statistics tell you why obesity happens:

  -54% of Americans clean their plates even when they're full

  -39% eat when they see food

  -20% eat when depressed

  -19% keep eating until stuffed

  These percentages are "revealing" enough on the facts on obesity.....

This is one of the most important facts on obesity you (and I) need to know.

Obesity occurs when you consume more calories than you burn. In a nut shell, this boils down to you eating too much and exercising too little.

But these 2 aren't the only culprits as there're other factors that contribute to obesity as well:

1. Facts On Obesity - Age

As you get older, your body's ability to metabolize food slows down and you don't require as many calories to maintain your weight. Even if you eat the same and do the same activities like you did when aged 20, you pile on pounds at aged 40....

Ahem.....This fact on obesity will start your ball rolling to cut down your caloric intake.....

2. Facts On Obesity - Genetics

You're likely to be obese if one or both your parents are obese given that obesity tends to run in families.

In fact, if your biological mother is heavy as an adult, there's about a 75% chance that you'll be heavy. If your biological mother is thin, there's also a 75% chance that you'll be thin.

However, don't take to heart that your genes have doomed you to a lifetime of obesity!

This fact on obesity also shows you that those who're genetically predisposed to obesity don't necessarily become obese or they're able to lose weight and keep it off.

Genetics also affect hormones involved in your fat regulation. One genetic cause of obesity is leptin deficiency.

Leptin is a hormone produced in your fat cells, and also in the placenta. It controls weight by signaling your brain to eat less when your body fat stores are high.

If, for some reasons your body cannot produce enough leptin, or leptin cannot signal your brain to eat less, this control is disrupted and your weight gain escalates.

Ah....Looks like this fact on obesity can't help to solve your weight problem.....

3. Facts On Obesity - Gender

Women tend to be more overweight than men. This is because men have a higher resting metabolic rate than women - meaning they burn more energy, even at rest.

Sigh....This fact on obesity puts us ladies in a disadvantaged position to fight weight gain.....

One other fact on obesity - when women become postmenopausal, their metabolic rate decreases. That's partly why lots of women put on weight after menopause.

4. Facts On Obesity - Slower Metabolism

For us ladies, we've less muscle mass than men. Muscle burns more calories than other tissues including fat.

Result? We've a slower metabolism than men, and hence, have a tendency to put on more weight than men, and weight loss is more difficult.

As we age, we tend to lose muscle mass and our metabolism slows, hence, we tend to gain weight as we get older especially if we don't reduce our daily caloric intake.

Oh! Ah! That's a real hard fact on obesity for you to digest....

5. Facts On Obesity - Overeating

When you're overeating plus having diets that're rich in fat or sugar, you'll pack more pounds into your body. Studies have shown that diets high in fat contribute to weight gain.

Foods high in fat or sugar have high energy density (i.e. They've lots of calories in small quantity).

You should use this fact on obesity to start eating a normal, balanced, healthier diet....

6. Facts On Obesity - Diet Rich In Simple Carbohydrates

Simple carbohydrates are sugars, fructose, desserts, soft drinks, beer, wine, etc.

Carbohydrates increase your blood glucose levels, which in turn stimulate insulin release by your pancreas and insulin promotes the growth of fat tissue and can cause weight gain in you.

Some scientists believe that simple carbohydrates contribute to your weight gain because they're more readily absorbed into your blood stream than complex carbohydrates (pasta, brown rice, grains, vegetables, raw fruits, etc.), hence cause a more pronounced insulin release.

This higher insulin release contributes to your weight gain.

Hey! Come on, now that you know this fact on obesity, start to cut down carbohydrates in your diet....

7. Facts On Obesity - Frequency Of Eating

How often you eat could affect your bodyweight.

Studies have shown that people who eat small meals 4 or 5 times per day, have lower cholesterol levels and lower and/or more stable blood sugar levels than people who eat less frequently, say 2 or 3 large meals per day.

The probable explanation is that small frequent meals produce stable insulin levels, whereas large meals cause large spikes of insulin after meals.

You and I maybe should start to practise this fact on obesity, eh?

8. Facts On Obesity - Psychological Factors

You likely eat a lot when you're emotionally disturbed - bored, sad, depressed or angry. Most probably, you'll lapse into binge-eating - you eat large quantity of food and feel that you can't control how much you eat.

This fact on obesity shows that about 30% who seek treatment for serious weight problems have difficulties with binge eating.

9. Facts on Obesity - Medications And Drugs

Medications and drugs that can cause weight gain include:

Antidepressants, steroids, high blood pressure pills, diabetes medications, certain hormones such as oral contraceptives and others.

Perhaps this fact on obesity will lessen or totally take you off from your dependency on drugs? A good thing actually.

10. Facts On Obesity - Illness

There're are some illnesses that can cause obesity.

These include hormone problems such as hypothyroidism (poor thyroid function which slows down metabolism), depression and some rare diseases of the brain that can lead to overeating.

We now look at the other obesity facts.

Who's At Risk Of Becoming Obese?

Children, teenagers, adults - all are at risk of becoming obese.

Statistics in the US show that for children aged 6 years or older and teenagers, more than 15% of them are overweight and for adults, more than 100 million are overweight.

Women are slightly more at risk of becoming obese than men.

Race and ethnicity can be risk factors as well - in adolescents, obesity is more common among Mexican Americans and African Americans.

These "risky" facts on obesity will explain "hardcore" weight problems in some of us......

If you're obese, one of the most "painful" realities you face would be the emotional suffering obesity brings. You'll often face prejudice or discrimination at work, at school, while looking for a job and in social situations.

Because of this, you'll experience feelings of rejection, shame, or depression.

The society also wrongly stereotypes you as gluttonous, lazy, or both, if you're obese.

(Note: More and more evidence however contradicts this assumption)

With society now emphasising greatly on attractive physical attributes that include a slim and slender body, you'll feel ostracized and "out of place" because of your obese body.

This emotional fact on obesity will help you to better address obesity-related emotional problems.

If you're obese, it's bad for both your body and mind.

Obesity isn't just a cosmetic consideration; it's a serious health dilemma directly harmful to your health.

In the US, roughly 300,000 deaths per year are directly related to obesity, and more than 80% of these deaths are in those with BMIs of more than 30.

Let's see how obesity affects your health:

• You feel lethargic, tired and uncomfortable most of the time
• You wear down your joints and put extra stress on other parts of your body
• With the extra weight you carry, it's hard for you to keep up with friends, play sports or even just to walk
• You've breathing problems such as asthma and sleep apnea
• You've hips and knee joints that may require surgery
• If you're an obese teenager, you may have high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, liver disease, and type 2 diabetes that once were thought to be problems only for adults

  You've teen-aged children? Then this fact on obesity comes in handy to start planning out a healthier menu and a more active lifestyle for them....

• If you're an obese adult, you're more likely to develop heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, bladder problems, and, in women, problems with the reproductive system and greater risk for certain cancers such as breast or colon cancer

  What a "shocking" fact on obesity.....




• You're more likely to be depressed. That can start a vicious cycle - you may feel sad or angry and eat to make yourself feel better. Then you feel worse for eating. And when you're feeling depressed, you don't incline to go out and exercise

  Not a beautiful fact on obesity, huh?

• High blood pressure in women is more significant than in men. The risk of developing high blood pressure is also higher if you're apple-shaped (you accumulate fats around your abs) than if you're pear-shaped (you accumulate fat around your hips and thighs). Fat in your abs increases your risk of type 2 diabetes

  You'll be on more alert mode when comes to blood pressure with this fact on obesity....

• You're at risk of developing coronary artery disease, which increases 3 to 4 times in women who have BMIs of more than 29.

  This fact on obesity shows that for every 1 kg increase in your body weight, the risk of death from coronary artery disease increased by 1%. If you already have had a heart attack, there's increased likelihood of a second heart attack

• Facts on obesity have linked obesity to cancer of the colon in men and women, cancer of the rectum and prostate in men, and cancer of the gallbladder and uterus in women
• You'll have higher chance of developing gallstones, gout and gouty arthritis, osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis)of your knees, hips, and the lower back, sleep apnea (a sleep disorder in which a person's breathing is interrupted many times during the night.

  Sleep apnea can be a serious problem for obese children as it can cause learning and memory problems) and Pickwickian syndrome (obesity, red face, underventilation and drowsiness)

You should remember the above health facts on obesity to steer a clearer course for your health.

Why It's Difficult To Lose Body Fat?

Several hormones in your body impact ingested calories stored as body fat. If any of these hormones are out of balance,you can gain weight even though you may eat less.

One hormone that exerts a significant effect on your hunger and fat storage is insulin.

Insulin is produced by beta cells in your pancreas mainly in response to high levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood. Insulin enables your liver to store excess serum glucose.

It also stimulates your liver to form fatty acids that're transported to adipose cells and stored as fat. The net effect of insulin is the storage of carbohydrate, protein, and fat in your body.

If you eat a poor diet, it can induce your pancreas to secrete large amounts of insulin. Eventually cells in your body become resistant to insulin.

As this happens, your body stabilizes blood glucose by producing higher levels of insulin. The effect of high insulin production is weight gain.

(Note: The long-term result is often Type II diabetes in which blood glucose levels become unstable even though insulin levels remain dangerously high).

As you accumulate excess body fat, you develop a chronic condition known as hyperinsulinemia, meaning your pancreas constantly secretes too much insulin and your body is unable to effectively utilize it.

Excess insulin occurs and it prevents stored body fat from being released, even when you go on a crash diet!

The impact of excess insulin in causing weight gain has been an accepted scientific fact on obesity.

Some scientists have postulated that it's not possible for you to lose significant body fat as long as you've excess insulin in your body.

A noticeable effect of excess insulin is the constant hunger you get, which results in a vicious cycle in which overeating causes more and more body fat to accumulate, which in turn causes even greater amounts of unwanted insulin to be secreted from your pancreas.

The only way to reverse obesity is to correct the multiple metabolic disorders that induce your body to store ingested calories as fat rather than to burn them as energy.

So, smile as this fact on obesity is going to set you free.....

You've digested the facts on obesity.

Now it's time to make a decision to do something about it.

One thing - being of normal weight isn't looking a certain way -it's feeling good and staying healthy......

And it's never too late to make changes in your eating and exercise habits to control your weight, and those changes don't have to be as big as you might think.

Maintain a healthy weight. And the keys to healthy weight are regular exercise and good eating habits.

Try to exercise 30 to 60 minutes, 4 or 5 times per week.

Your exercise doesn't have to be hard core, either.

Do cardio exercise to burn off excess body fat and strength train to build up your muscle mass (given that muscle burns off more calories than fat does) and eat a healthy weight loss diet .

Pay attention to the portion sizes of what you eat!

You need to combine both exercise and eating healthy diet together to achieve results. Do one without the other will frustrate your effort......

It's the best fact on obesity - the positive way.....

When not exercising, stay active throughout the day by doing some household chores, go for a short brisk walk or dance ....The aim is to cut down your "couch potato" time.......

These are facts on obesity - the other way round - to get you off to be active and eat right!

Quite intimidating ones, right?

I see them as means to trigger off your "health" alarm.....

You've to see that excess body fat is harmful to you and reducing your body fat is the only way to bring health to your body.....

So stay trim always by exercising and eating right.....

And facts on obesity aren't just cliches, they're real facts.....

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