W-Loss - Weight Loss Surgery and Support Group
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Background
The obesity epidemic has swept through the western world in the last decade. It has estimated that 1.6 billion adults worldwide are overweight (BMI>25) and 400 million are obese (BMI>30). To put it in context, 1 in 5 adults in Europe are obese and in Wales this figure rises to 1 in 4.
What is obesity?
In simple terms obesity is a condition when there is excess body fat. There are several ways obesity is measured. The two most common measurements are body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference. Your BMI is calculated based on your weight and height. A BMI of 18 to 25 is normal weight. Obesity is defined as someone with a body mass index greater than 30 kg/m2. In addition to BMI a waist circumference of greater than 40 inches in men and 35 inches in women would indicate central obesity.
As a rule of thumb you are likely to be obese if you are a man and has a trouser size of 36inches or more; a woman wearing size 16 or above.
Obesity results when food (energy) intake exceeds the body’s energy expenditure. The excess energy, no matter how small is converted to and stored as fat. An excess of as little as 100 calories (1 Mars bar has 127 calories) a day will result in weight gain of about one pound a month, 10 lbs a year resulting in obesity after 10yrs.
The causes of obesity in modern society have been mainly due to the improvement of technology, transportation, food preparation, eating habits, sedentary jobs and lifestyle. All of which culminates to increase food intake and reduce energy expenditures. Obesity is also more common in certain ethnic groups in particularly African-Caribbean and Asians. Recently an obesity-related gene has been discovered that may predispose individuals to developing obesity. In a small number of people obesity may be caused by medical conditions like under active thyroid glands.
Why do I need to worry?
Obesity is a chronic disease and is the cause of many serious medical conditions that include diabetes, heart diseases, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke, sleep problems, arthritis, skin infections, cancers and psychosocial problems like depression and low self esteem. To put this in real terms there is a 70% increase in heart disease, 75% increase in having a stroke and 400% increase in developing diabetes if you are obese. More significantly obesity can shorten life expectancy by 7 years and when combined with smoking and other factors can shorten life span by as much as 15 years. In real terms there is a 40% increase risk of death with only a third of morbidly obese people will reach the age of 65yrs.
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