Obesity is considered a disease when your weight is excessive for your height. It’s diagnosed when your body mass index (BMI) is over 30. Obesity is rampant in the United States, and it can put you at risk for a wide variety of health problems.
At the same time, it’s also one of the most preventable conditions. Your physician at the Medex Diagnostic & Treatment Center can determine if you’re at risk. If you’re already suffering from obesity, your Queens, NY doctor can advise you about what you can do about it.
Obesity is caused by a combination of genes and lifestyle choices. Even though the biggest contributor is taking in more calories than you need, everyone’s body reacts differently to various activities and foods. You probably know people who can eat whatever they want without gaining a pound, as well as those who say they can just look at food and it goes straight to their waist.
Being obese is partly a result of consuming excessive amounts of fatty, sweet and highly processed foods. Your body tells you to go for these high-energy treats because it needs the energy, but it malfunctions when you consume too many calories. Craving high-calorie foods may have increased your survival chances at other times in history, but now that unhealthy foods are so available, this survival skill has turned against you.
Obesity can put you at high risk for some serious problems, such as:
Although obesity has a lot to do with the way your body naturally processes foods, the illnesses that can result are serious and potentially life-threatening. Obesity and its consequences can undermine your happiness by squashing your self-esteem and your longevity by wreaking havoc on your body.
Your body may crave calories, but it also loves exercise. The trick is doing it until you want to do it. Regular exercise is especially vital if you have a job that doesn’t provide much physical activity. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults participate in 150 minutes of physical activity per week. Even low intensity activities like walking count.
Specialists available for consultations as you begin your new exercise program include:
Diet may sound like a bad word to you, but it doesn’t have to be something that isn’t any fun. Truthfully, your diet is just the total of what you take in. The major issue for treating or avoiding obesity is to move away from high-sugar and processed foods to a healthier range of choices. Your doctors help you understand what your body really needs.
Cutting out everything tasty is actually a bad idea, because suffering isn’t part of a weight-reduction plan. In fact, if you feel deprived, your weight may even increase. The best approach is to gradually add more diversity — especially veggies, fruits and legumes — into your daily meal plans. You can slowly cut down on the worst offenders. Preparing your own food is almost always healthier, too, and you may come to enjoy it.
Sometimes, the toughest part of being obese is the psychological aspects. The world seems to tell you that you’re supposed to be thin, even though there are more and more factors in the world that cause obesity. While some comes to grips with their weight, most have negative feelings about the extra weight.