OBESITY - dranamikagora.com

What is obesity?

Obesity is a multifaceted, chronic condition characterized by excess body fat that can contribute to health issues. While body fat itself isn’t a disease, excessive fat can disrupt normal bodily functions and lead to health complications that worsen over time.

The positive aspect is that reducing excess body fat can lower health risks significantly. Even minor weight changes can yield substantial health benefits. However, not all weight loss methods are effective for everyone, and many have attempted weight loss multiple times. Equally crucial to losing weight is maintaining that weight loss over time.

Is obesity defined by your weight?

Healthcare providers often use Body Mass Index (BMI) to define obesity in the general population. BMI measures body weight relative to height. Generally, a BMI of 30 or higher is associated with obesity. Despite its limitations, BMI is a simple and useful indicator that can alert individuals to obesity-related health risks.

What are the three types of obesity?

Healthcare providers classify obesity into categories based on severity using BMI. If your BMI is between 25.0 and 29.9 kg/m², you are considered overweight. Obesity is divided into three classes to determine the most appropriate treatments:

Class I obesity: BMI 30 to <35 kg/m².
Class II obesity: BMI 35 to <40 kg/m².
Class III obesity: BMI 40+ kg/m².

How is childhood obesity assessed?

Healthcare providers also use BMI to assess obesity in children, but they calculate it relative to the child’s age and assigned sex. A child over 2 years old may be diagnosed with obesity if their BMI is higher than 95% of their peers in the same age and sex category. Different growth charts may present slightly different BMI averages, depending on the population they sample.

How does obesity affect my body?

Obesity impacts your body in various ways. Some effects are mechanical, such as the extra weight putting additional pressure on your skeleton and joints. Other effects are more subtle, like chemical changes in your blood that raise the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

Some effects are still not fully understood, such as the increased risk of certain cancers associated with obesity. While the exact reasons are unknown, the risk is statistically significant. Obesity also elevates the risk of premature death from all causes. However, studies show that losing even a small amount of weight (5% to 10%) can significantly reduce these risks.