Obesity is becoming more common in recent decades than before with people leading an unhealthy and sedentary way of life. Due to our hectic lifestyle, we often go for foods that can be prepared quickly or worse order from outside. When we eat too much and are not physically active or does not exercise, the surplus energy gets stored by the body as fat. On an average, a physically active man needs about 2,500 calories a day to maintain a healthy weight, while a physically active woman needs about 2,000 calories a day. One becomes overweight or obesity when there is abnormal or excessive fat accumulation which could further raise risk of various illnesses. A body mass index (BMI) over 25 is considered overweight, and over 30 is obese.
There are four categories based on body fat composition and distribution, they are “normal weight obese,” “metabolically obese normal weight,” “metabolically healthy obese,” and “metabolically unhealthy obese.”
It’s worrying that more people die from being overweight than underweight. It’s one thing that many people don’t have enough to eat, but it’s even worse that more have so much that it kills them.
The number one cause of obesity is consuming too much fat and sugars, and not moving enough to burn off the energy.
It’s important to remain fit and healthy keeping in view the dangers of being overweight or obese. We must make a habit out of eating well and balanced.
In 2001, the Indian Wellness brand VLCC, took the first step towards creating awareness about Obesity and its ill-effects through the creation of an anti-obesity initiative to address the global pandemic. With the active involvement of the medical fraternity and other key stakeholders in all the countries where it has a presence, VLCC started observing November 26 as Anti-Obesity Day, as part of an annual campaign to promote the development of good lifestyle habits to stay healthy and fit. VLCC’s anti-obesity campaign includes-organizing health camps, mass counseling sessions, and dissemination of special literature on obesity.
In order to get rid of obesity one must change his or her lifestyle. An expert will be able to tell you how healthy your current food habits are, what you can improve on, and what foods are right for you. Ideally, you should visit at least once every year. One should look up for healthy or low-calorie recipes on the internet or in specialized books. Learn how to cook these dishes and incorporate them more often into your usual menu. You’ll learn something new and become healthier without having to think too much about it.
Take at least 5 servings of whole fruits and vegetables daily if possible as these are considered low-calorie foods. According to WHO, consuming fruits and vegetables helps minimize the risk of obesity because these are high in nutrients and helpful in lowering risk for diabetes and insulin resistance. These fiber-rich foods in particular make you feel full with fewer calories, keeping weight gain under check.
Refrain from highly processed foods such as white bread and many boxed snack foods as highly processed diets contain more calories and cause weight gain.
Cut down sugar consumption. Curb use of artificial sweeteners and avoid saturated fats because consumption of foods high in saturated fat gives rise to obesity and diabetes. Opt for a plant-based diet because a plant-based diet helps reduce rates of obesity. Always prefer home cooked food. People having meals prepared at home are less likely to gain weight and develop Type 2 diabetes. Drink plenty of water daily and put an end to all sugary beverages. Also avoid use of energy drinks and sports drinks as these contain an overwhelming amount of added sugar. The intake of these drinks can increase the potential risk to the cardiovascular system.
Further one should exercise for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. It means at least 30 minutes per day, five days a week.
To beat stress, focus on healthy ways such as going for a brisk daily walk, doing regular yoga, meditate, and have enough sleep. Owing to chronic stress, levels of the stress hormone cortisol increase, leading to weight gain. It can also lead to poor dietary choices, as cortisol and other stress hormones can raise “carb cravings” causing weight gain.
Further in order to stop this situation from getting worse and save the younger generations, it’s important to teach healthy habits to the newer generations as childhood obesity continues to be on the rise, and if children can remain fit from an early age, the better their health will be when they grow older.
