Overweight refers to body weight in relation to body height compared with standards of acceptable or desirable weight.

Standards of desirable weights to derive a number of ways:

• Using a mathematical formula known as Body Mass Index (BMI), which represents the weight associated with lowest overall risk to health. Desirable levels according to BMI may change with age.
• By measuring the actual height and weight.

Obesity is defined as excess body fat or adipose tissue in relation to lean body mass.

Doctors say that women with more than 30% share and men with more than 25% of body fat are obese.

Overweight and obesity are the result of energy imbalance. This includes the consumption of large amounts of calories and lack of physical activity.

Body weight is the result of genes, metabolism, behavior, environment, culture and socio-economic status.

Habits and environment play an important role in overweight and obesity in humans.

Factors contributing to obesity

• Obesity and overweight are chronic assumptions. Overall, there are many factors that play a role in obesity.
• Overweight and obesity are the result of energy imbalance over a long period of time. The cause of energy imbalance can be for each individual combination of factors. Individual habits, environmental factors and genetics contribute to the complexity of the obesity epidemic.
• Changing environmental conditions offer expanded choice of meals and eating habits. Packaged foods, fast food restaurants and soft drinks are also more accessible. Although these meals to eat fast and are preferred, also have high levels of fat, sugar and calories. Collection of such kind of food can contribute to excess calories.
• Selection of different types of healthy foods at the correct dosage is helpful for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
Physical activity

It is any bodily movement performed muscles, which results in expenditure of energy through various activities such as: work at work, housework, leisure activities.

Regular physical activity is beneficial for overall health. Reduces the risk of gastrointestinal cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure. It also helps control weight, contributes to healthy bones, muscles and joints and helps relieve pain of arthritis.

It was found that overweight and obesity are strongly associated with:

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Asthma
• Arthritis
• Ill health
• And emotional problems (such as feelings of depression, rejection, shame, not attractive)
• Obese people may face discrimination

Extension

Prevalence of obesity is increasing in epidemic proportions in developed alarming extent "Westernization", but also in less developed countries.

For example, prevalence of obesity increased by 10-55% in most European countries over the past 10 years and currently affects 77% of male population in the Pacific in Western Samoa.

Health, economic and psycho-social consequences obesity is significant. Obesity is associated with numerous health complications.

Treatment methods

Methods of treatment depend on the degree of obesity, general health, motivation and lose weight. Treatment may include a combination of diet, exercise, lifestyle habits; adjustments may be recommended gastrointestinal surgery.

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