OBESITY AND HOMEOPATHIC MANAGEMENT
Introduction
Obesity is a condition characterized by excessive accumulation and storage of fat in the body. In an adult this is typically indicated by a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or more. Obesity is a leading cause of preventable illness and death in many countries. In recent years, the number of overweight people in industrialized countries has increased significantly; so much so that the World Health Organization (WHO) has called Obesity an epidemic. In the United States, 69% of the adult population is overweight or obese. In Canada, the self-reported data shows that 40% of men and 27% of women are overweight and 20% of men and 17% of women are obese.
Causes
Overeating is the main factor related to obesity. When food intake exceeds energy expenditure, fat gets stored in the body those results in obesity. To maintain a healthy weight, the energy input and output don’t have to balance exactly every day. It’s the balance over time that helps to maintain a healthy weight. Overweight and obesity happen over time when you take in more calories than you use. One of the major causes of obesity is attributed to change in lifestyle. Less physical activity, high calorie diet, sedentary life styles are linked to overweight and obesity. Other factors responsible for obesity are:
Symptoms
Weight gain usually happens over time. Some of the signs of overweight or obesity include:
Diagnosis
Obesity is diagnosed when the body mass index (BMI) is 25 or higher. The body mass index is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms (kg) by your height in meters (m) squared.
The table below offers a sample of BMI measurements.
BMI Weight status
Below 18.5 kg/m2 Under weight
18.5 - 22.99 kg/m2 Normal weight
23.0 - 24.99 kg/m2 Overweight
25.0 kg/m2 or higher Obese
For most people, BMI provides a reasonable estimate of body fat. However, BMI doesn't directly measure body fat, so some people, such as muscular athletes, may have a BMI in the obese category even though they don't have excess body fat. BMI also many underestimate body fat in older people and others who have lost muscle.
Complications
Obesity can cause day-to-day health problems such as:
Obesity can also cause changes that may not be noticed immediately, but can seriously harm the health, such as hypertension and high cholesterol levels. Both conditions significantly increase the risk of developing a cardiovascular disease, such as, coronary heart disease, which may lead to a heart attack and stroke, which can cause significant disability and can be fatal.
Another long-term problem that can affect obese people is type 2 Diabetes. It is estimated that just under half of all cases of diabetes are linked to obesity. In addition to the day-to-day health problems, many people may also experience psychological problems such as low self-esteem, low confidence levels and feeling isolated in society.
These can affect relationships with family members and friends and may lead to depression.
Management
Setting realistic weight-loss goals is an important first steps to losing weight.
For Adults
For Children and Teens
References
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/obe/signs
http://www.healthdirect.gov.au/obesity-symptoms
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/tubmed/16866972
http://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/weight-loss-surgery-making-the-choice
www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v32/n2/full/0803715a.html
orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic
www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult
http://www.homeoint.org/books/boericmm/c/calc.hmt
http://treatment.hpathy.com/homeo-medicine/homeopathy-obesity