Aware with your obesity

In a recent study of childhood obesity a number of environmental factors were identified that can be changed for a more favorable outcome.

The study found that the primary indicator of childhood obesity was obese parents. Parents set a primary example in all things for their kids and nutritional habits along with activity are no exception. Our country, in fact all developed countries, are getting fatter. Obesity is on the rise and nearly 70% of Americans are overweight or obese. We are growing comfortable with our girth and accepting it as normal. We are passing that attitude to our children.

Another common trait found among children who suffer obesity from an early age is eight hours a week or more of TV. These are findings relevant to very small children and are critical because watching TV promotes sedentary lifestyle and programs younger children to be entertained instead of seeking activity. As TV and video entertainment has become more ingrained in our culture we are desynthisized to how much time our kids spend just sitting around. This is not just limited to younger children but older kids and adults. This is another habit or culture that needs scrutiny.

Our society is functioning on less and less sleep. Adults sleep less trying to do more with each day and kids sleep less because of the many entertainment options. Lack of sleep has been conclusively liked to over weight and obesity. This habit can be broken while at the same time fortifying the familial relationship. Less TV and more family interaction including sports, board games and reading together will tackle a number of challenges facing the modern family

Obesity and childhood obesity can be caused by a number of environmental factors and even physiological causes can be mitigated with behavior. Of course, obese parents create a default environment for obese children. That’s not to say that it is deliberate or even a sign of ambivalence or neglect. Many are truly unaware how to deal with overweight and obesity or are confused so much information bombing them from all directions. A confused mind says “no” and the confusion about weight loss often promotes inaction.

Obesity is typically classified as a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or more. Over 35 reaching the classification of morbid obesity. Your doctor or a competent wellness coach can help you determine your BMI but most people are already well aware if they are overweight and if they are unsure about being obese, they at least know they are heavier than they should be. This is not a judgment but an illustration that if the habits and culture of your home and family have created weight management problems for you as a parent then it is more likely that you will pass those habits to your child.

Most people who decide they need to lose weight are aiming to improve their appearance, but the health benefits of good nutrition and a sound exercise program are ultimately far more valuable.

Study after study has demonstrated that obesity is a significant threat to longevity and good health, but many people are not even aware that they are medically obese – the generally accepted definition of obesity is over 25% body fat for men, and over 32% body fat for women. An estimated 20% of American adults fit this profile.

The problem only gets worse with time: The average American adult puts on about a pound a year after the age of 25, meaning that by middle-age many people have put on 25 pounds or more. To make matters worse, your metabolism naturally slows down as you age, while at the same time, sedentary adults tend to lose one pound of lean muscle mass every year from inactivity, depressing metabolism even more.

The dangers of excess body fat range from insulin resistance and diabetes to heart disease and cancer, and the cause-and-effect relationship is not difficult to understand: If you are overweight, your heart has to work that much harder to supply fresh blood to the body, making everything from moving around to simple breathing more of an effort. Over time, this extra effort takes its toll, resulting in damage to the heart muscle.

Obesity also comes with a greater risk of high cholesterol, which can increase the chances of developing arteriosclerosis, in which the blood flow in the arteries is slowly choked off by plaque deposits, depriving internal organs of adequate blood supply and forcing the heart to pump harder, raising blood pressure. A full 25% of heart problems today can be traced directly to obesity.

While many people may be aware that obesity can damage the heart, few are aware that it can also result in a higher risk for cancer – in men, being overweight comes with a higher risk of prostate and colon cancer, while in women the risk of uterine and breast cancer is significantly higher. It is believed that excess body fat serves as storage for carcinogenic toxins in the body, and these toxins can leach from fat packed around the internal organs.

Many weight loss programs advertise the chance to “reshape” yourself and your life. But combating obesity could do more than reshape your life. It could save it.

Did you know that as your waistline grows, so do your chances of a medical related death? Yet most people who set out to lose weight do so in order to look better, rather than to live longer. Obesity is linked to many serious health concerns, and the fact that so many people are unaware should alarm you.

Perhaps the best weight loss program is to simply acknowledge the fact that your life could depend on a healthier lifestyle.

Perhaps the first step to “reshaping” your life is a few servings of information – regardless of how hard to swallow they may be.

According to recent statistics, approximately 67% of Canadian adults are overweight or obese. As if that weren’t drastic enough, the lifestyle habits of obesity are being passed down to the next generation. In the past 25 years, the percentage of children with obesity has tripled.

Because it is often associated with low self-esteem, obesity can be a sensitive topic. However, the reality of the obesity situation is that North America needs to take action now. The projected increase in obesity needs to be stopped, because the risks are extreme.

Obesity dramatically increases the risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, gallbladder disease, high blood pressure, mental illness, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, and stroke.

In alarming addition, recent research has suggested that obesity increases the risk of certain types of cancer.

Despite all of these serious concerns, many people still believe the only reason to lose weight is to improve their appearance.

Obesity rates have been increasing for years, and they are not expected to slow down any time soon! It is easy to pinpoint the main reason for this: the North American obsession with convenience.

The typical North American lifestyle is a busy one. Our schedules are full, and our lives move quickly. Although fast food, fast transportation, and fast mindsets are beneficial to our schedules, they are detrimental to our health.

Our need to live a life of speed, regardless of the toll it takes on our heath, is undoubtedly contributing to the dangers of obesity.

Statistics show a recent decline in gym memberships, and a staggering increase in the video game market. We are putting personal entertainment as a higher priority than our own health. As a country we are becoming lazy.

The first step to combating obesity is becoming aware of the potentially deadly consequences. The second is to change your mindset.

As people gain weight at a fast rate, they are actually crossing the threshold between being overweight and being obese. This increases the risk of many diseases. Even though we are generally aware of the health dangers of obesity, we still try to ignore them thinking that weight loss is only about looking good. But for the people who are severely overweight making the commitment to lose weight can become a matter of choosing between life and death.

Obesity is not only a leading health problem, but a serious health hazard that needs to be tackled immediately before it starts creating more serious problems in your life. The increase in weight brings an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer and shorter life expectancy. The risks of obesity are immense. Making people aware of these dangers helps prevent obesity by controlling the basic factors that lead to it. By adopting the required preventive measures, obese people can retain their health and live a long enjoyable life.

Here is an overview of the main dangers of obesity:

*Heart disease and strokes are the main causes of disability among people and can even turn life threatening at times. Obese people are at higher risk of heart failure, heart attack and stroke.

*Obesity can also lead to diabetes. This illness reduces the ability of the body to control the sugar levels in the blood. Diabetes is dangerous as it can damage organs and cause death. Thus, eating foods that help keep the blood sugar levels normal is essential. Otherwise you may end up suffering from diabetes and fail to live a healthy life, as diabetic people have low immunity and develop health problems quickly.

*Obese women are at higher risk of gall bladder cancer, ovarian cancer and breast cancer. Obese men are more likely to develop colorectal and prostate cancer than those males with normal weight. These are the possible dangers that overweight women and men face. Researchers suggest that the presence of more fat in the body results in hormonal imbalances that may lead to cancer. The important thing is that by losing weight, you can reduce your risk of cancer.

*Overweight people exert additional pressure on their knees and lower back joints. This results in the thinning of the cartilage. In turn, these people are at higher risk of suffering from osteoarthritis.

*Obesity may also cause breathing problems. These end up affecting the sleeping pattern of the individual. Overweight people are more likely to suffer from sleep apnea. They might snore heavily and stop breathing for short periods during the night.

*Arteriosclerosis is another danger of obesity. It is a result from the increase in the cholesterol levels in the arterial blood vessels. As the cholesterol builds up, plaque is formed inside the arteries. They become narrower and harder. In this way, the blood flow gets disrupted and forces your heart to pump harder increasing your blood pressure. The heart muscle is affected as well. In turn, you are more likely to suffer from heart failure and a heart attack.

*The problems associated with obesity get worse with time because as you age, your metabolism slows down. You also start to lose one pound of lean muscle each year due to inactivity. The possible dangers of obesity leading from heart diseases to cancer become more serious with time. So, it is better for you to take control over the situation and try to adopt good eating habits and adopt an active lifestyle to stay fit and healthy and cut down your body fat.