overweight

Obesity or overweight is defined as an increase in the percentage of fat in the body above its normal levels in a way that jeopardizes health. Although the human body needs a specific amount of fat to produce energy, heat insulation, etc., an increase in the amount of fat above its normal levels in the body increases the risk of Suffering from many diseases, it is worth noting that people with obesity have a larger amount of fat in their bodies than people who are overweight. The following are some statistics published by the World Health Organization about weight gain:

Global obesity rates have increased nearly three-fold from 3 to 1975.
In 2016, the number of overweight adults around the world increased to more than 1.6 billion people, while the number of obese people increased to more than 650 million people.
In 2016, the proportion of overweight adults around the world increased to more than 39%, and the proportion of those suffering from obesity reached 13%.
In most countries of the world, the number of deaths resulting from overweight and obesity is higher than the number of deaths resulting from thinness (English: Underweight).
In 2019, more than 5 million children under the age of 38 were obese or overweight.
In 2016, more than 5 million children and adolescents aged 19 to 340 were obese or overweight.
Obesity is one of the diseases that can be avoided.

Evaluation of overweight and obesity

Although slight weight gain may not constitute a major problem in the short term, constant weight gain may affect the body’s health in the long term, and is accompanied by an increased risk of developing some health problems. It is worth noting that there are many ways to evaluate body weight if Whether it was normal or excess, the most important of these methods are the body mass index method (in English: Body mass index), which is symbolized by the symbol BMI, and the waist circumference (in English: Waist size), and the following is an explanation of each of them:

BMI: The body mass index is one of the methods used to evaluate body weight. Its value is calculated by dividing the weight in kilograms by the square of the height in metres. Then the category into which the body is classified is determined based on the resulting value, according to the following:
- Normal weight category: Its BMI value ranges from 18.5 to 24.9.
- Overweight category: Its BMI value ranges from 25 to 29.9.
- Obesity category: BMI value is higher than 30.

Despite the effectiveness of this indicator in determining weight categories, it may not succeed in estimating the appropriate classification for some cases. The BMI can be high as a result of high muscle mass in the body while the fat level is low, such as the bodies of athletes and bodybuilders who have high muscle mass. It is also inaccurate in classifying weight for pregnant women.

waistline: Waist circumference is another effective assessment of weight, and is measured in centimetres. A man is considered overweight or obese if his waist circumference is 102 centimeters or more, while women whose waist circumference is 89 centimeters are considered overweight or obese in the area. The abdomen. It is worth noting that a high waist circumference measurement indicates the accumulation of fat in this area. It is an indicator of high fat in other areas of the body, and it also increases the risk of developing many health problems.

Causes and harms of weight gain

Reasons for weight gain

There are many factors that may increase the risk of overweight and obesity, the most important of which are: metabolism, genetic, environmental, behavioral, social, economic, and cultural factors. The main cause of obesity and weight gain is an imbalance between the amount of energy that The body consumes it from daily food and the amount of energy that the body burns during the day. The spread of obesity around the world at the present time may be attributed to some factors such as increased consumption of foods high in calories. Such as foods rich in fat and sugar, in which the percentage of vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients is low, in addition to the decrease in physical activity resulting from the increased spread of jobs that do not depend on physical movement, in addition to changing means of transportation, and increasing urbanization, and the following are the main reasons for weight gain:

Energy imbalance: This happens when the amount of energy that enters the body through food is greater than the amount that is spent to complete the body’s various functions. Such as breathing, digestion, and regulating body temperature, in addition to physical activity, which leads to an increase in the body’s fat reserve, and thus the occurrence of weight gain or obesity. It is worth noting that following diets that contain foods with high energy density (in English: High energy density food) leads to increased fat accumulation; These foods are characterized by their high calories, even if their quantity is small, such as foods that contain large amounts of fat, such as fried foods and fast food, and consuming large amounts of simple carbohydrates; Such as sugar, sweets, soft drinks, and fructose may lead to weight gain, and the reason for this is due to the rapid absorption of this type of sugar into the blood compared to complex carbohydrates such as grains, brown rice, fruits and vegetables, pasta, and others, and it should be noted. Eating simple carbohydrates may also lead to increased insulin secretion after eating them, and some scientists believe that high insulin secretion contributes to weight gain as well.
Low physical activity: It has been shown that people who have a sedentary lifestyle (in English: Sedentary people) burn fewer calories than people with high physical activity. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey has shown a strong relationship between low physical activity and weight gain in both women and men. .
Effect of genesThe strength of the genetic influence on weight disorders varies from one person to another. The percentage of genetic influence in some people may not exceed more than 25%, while in others it may reach 70% to 80%. It is worth noting that knowing the genetic influence on weight It may sometimes help solve the problem of weight gain, and it is worth noting that genes also affect the hormones responsible for regulating body fat. As a deficiency of the hormone leptin (in English: Leptin), which is produced in fat cells and placenta cells, may lead to weight gain. It is the hormone responsible for sending signals to the brain when the body's fat stores are full so that the body stops eating more food. Although the genetic predisposition to obesity varies greatly from one person to another, high BMI levels have included groups. Different populations around the world, which indicates the importance of making environmental changes to reduce the spread of obesity globally.
Suffering from some diseases: Some diseases may increase the risk of obesity, and these diseases include: Hypothyroidism, insulin resistance, Cushing's syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome, in addition to some genetic syndromes such as Prader-Willi syndrome and Bardet-Biedl syndrome. -Biedl syndrome), Alström syndrome, and Cohen syndrome, and some tumors can also lead to such as; Craneopharingioma can lead to severe obesity because this type of tumor develops near the parts of the brain responsible for controlling hunger.
Use of some medicines: The use of some types of medications may contribute to weight gain, including: Antidepressant medications, and some diabetes medications, such as; Insulin, sulfonylureas, thiazolidinediones, anticonvulsants that are used to control seizures, some high blood pressure medications, and antihistamines. The use of some types of hormones may also contribute to the occurrence of Obesity also, such as; Oral contraceptives, and most types of corticosteroids, including; Prednisone (in English: Prednisone), and the cause of weight gain varies depending on the types of medications used, so you should consult a specialist doctor about the medications used instead of stopping using the medications without an alternative. Because this may lead to serious effects.
Psychological factors: Emotion affects the eating habits of some people, as many people resort to eating excessively when they feel certain feelings, such as; Boredom, sadness, stress, or anger.
Social factors: Some social factors are linked to obesity, as the risk of obesity increases if there is no money to buy healthy foods, or there are no designated places for walking or exercising.

The effects of being overweight

The problem of weight gain is not only related to the aesthetic aspect. Rather, it is a medical problem that may cause harm to the body. The following are the harms associated with weight gain and obesity:

Heart diseases and strokes: Obesity increases the risk of high blood pressure and abnormally high levels of cholesterol in the blood, which increases the risk of heart problems and stroke.
Type 2 diabetes: Obesity affects the way the body uses the hormone insulin, which is responsible for controlling blood sugar levels, which increases the risk of diabetes and insulin resistance.
Some types of cancer: Obesity can increase the risk of cancer of the uterus, endometrium, cervix, breast, ovary, colon, esophagus, rectum, gallbladder, liver, kidney, pancreas, and prostate.
Digestive problems: Obesity increases the risk of heartburn, liver problems, and gallbladder disease.
Gynecological diseases and sexual problems: Obesity can cause irregular menstruation and may lead to infertility in women, and it may also cause erectile dysfunction in men.
Sleep Apnea: (in English: Sleep apnea), as the risk of sleep apnea increases in people who suffer from obesity, and this disorder is considered dangerous as breathing is likely to stop and start again repeatedly during sleep.
Degenerative arthritis: (in English: Osteoarthritis), as obesity increases the pressure on the joints that carry the body’s weight, in addition to increasing inflammation within the body, and these factors can lead to degenerative arthritis.

Harmful effects of weight gain in women

In addition to the previous harms, weight gain in women poses a danger specifically during the reproductive stage, as it may lead to an increased risk of some problems for the mother and her child during pregnancy, and the following is an explanation of that:

Gestational diabetes; It is high blood sugar levels during pregnancy.
Preeclampsia; It is high blood pressure during pregnancy, which may cause serious problems for both the mother and the baby if it is not treated.
The need to give birth via caesarean section, and as a result the mother takes longer to recover after birth.
Increased risk of premature birth, or the baby having neural tube defects; These include defects in the brain and spinal cord, in addition to an increased risk of a stillborn baby being born after 20 weeks in the womb.
Problems may occur for both the mother and the child in the long term, such as the mother becoming overweight or obese after birth, and the child gaining excess weight later, whether in childhood or adulthood.

It is worth noting that reaching a normal weight before pregnancy may reduce the chances of developing weight-related diseases, so a woman suffering from obesity or overweight should consult a doctor or nutritionist about losing weight before planning pregnancy, and losing weight after giving birth may help the mother to Reducing the health risks she was exposed to during pregnancy. For example, if a pregnant woman developed gestational diabetes during her pregnancy, losing weight after giving birth reduces her risk of developing diabetes in the long term.

Get rid of excess weight

Losing weight, even if it is simple, contributes to enhancing the health of the body, and following a healthy lifestyle that includes exercising and staying active, in addition to eating healthy food, is the safest way to lose weight, so the main goal in the weight loss process is to learn new methods. It is healthy to eat and make it part of your daily routine. Obtaining support from family and friends also contributes to the weight loss process, and although many people may find it difficult to change unhealthy eating habits; Because they have been accustomed to it for a long time, and because they do not know how harmful it is, or they practice it without thinking about its health, but these eating habits can be changed by providing motivation to make some lifestyle changes, and making the new healthy behavior part of this pattern in the long term, and it is worth Pointing out the importance of consulting a nutritionist to determine the number of calories the body needs daily in a realistic and safe way that helps in losing weight. The importance of losing weight slowly and steadily should be noted in order to maintain the lost weight in the long term.