Obesity
𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐃𝐎 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐎𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐘?
Over time these extra calories add up and cause weight gain.
Not only does a sedentary lifestyle or increased calories cause obesity, but there are also other specific causes such as:
▪️𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬
▪️𝐀𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠: causes a decreased metabolic rate and less muscle mass.
▪️𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐧𝐢𝐚 or not sleeping enough leads to hormonal changes that make one feel hungrier with a craving for certain high-calorie foods.
▪️𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲
▪️𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬:
-Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) causes an imbalance of female reproductive hormones.
-Prader-Willi syndrome; is a rare condition at birth that causes excess hunger.
-Cushing Syndrome is caused by having a high cortisol level(the stress hormone) in the system.
-Hypothyroid
-Osteoarthritis
-Depression
-Certain medications such as antidepressants, steroids, and birth control pills.
BMI means Body Mass Index is a calculation that takes a person's weight and height into account to measure body size.
This is calculated as a person's weight in kilograms (kgs) divided by the square of height in metres (m²)
It is a general indicator of whether a person has a healthy body for their height.
For example, if my weight is 60kg and my height is 1.60m, my BMI would be:
𝐖𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭(𝐤𝐠)/𝐇𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭(𝐦²)
60/1.60² = 60/2.56
=23.4kg/m²
This indicates that I have a normal weight for my age and height.
Now BMI measures tissue mass, not body fat, and it is used alongside other methods of checking if one is obese.
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐁𝐌𝐈 𝐨𝐟 𝟑𝟎.𝟎 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐯𝐞.
Obesity classification is used for adults who are at least 20 years old;
18.5 or under ➡️ Underweight
18.5 to <25.0 ➡️ "Normal weight"
25.0 to <30.0 ➡️ Overweight
30.0 to <35.0 ➡️ Class 1 obesity
35.0 to <40.0 ➡️ Class 2 obesity
40.0 or over ➡️ Class 3 obesity (also known as morbid, extreme, or severe obesity)
BMI is calculated with the same formula for adults, children and teens but interpreted differently.
The BMI levels among children and teens are expressed relative to other children of the same sex and age.
This is also due to changes in weight and height, as well as their relation to body fatness.
❗Obesity for children is defined as a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for children and teens of the same age and sex.
For example, a 6-year-old boy of average height (1.20m) who weighs 45kg would have a BMI of 31.3kg/m². This would place the boy in the 95th percentile for BMI, and he would be considered to have obesity.
This means that the child's BMI is greater than the BMI of 95% of 6-year-old boys in the reference population.
For children;
Underweight ➡️ <5%
Healthy weight ➡️ <5%-85%
At the risk of being overweight ➡️ 85%-95%
Overweight ➡️ >95%
Obesity can lead to more than simple weight gain. It could cause several health conditions such as ;
▪️Type 2 diabetes
▪️Heart Disease
▪️High blood pressure
▪️Certain cancers
▪️ Low-quality life
▪️Gallbladder disease
▪️High cholesterol
▪️Sleep apnea and other breathing problems
▪️Arthritis
▪️Infertility
Treatment often includes:
✅Change in a sedentary lifestyle
✅Diet Change
✅An exercise program
✅Behavioural changes(identifying unhealthy emotional triggers and learning to cope with anxiety and depression.
✅Lifestyle and behavioural changes are the preferred weight loss methods for children, unless extremely overweight.
Do not be the death of your child or yourself.
...Excellence is my turn on. You are excellent!
