Dr. Dheeraj Naik
Internal Medicine
Obesity is characterized by having an excess amount of body fat. The two terms, obesity and overweight, are often simultaneously used, but they are both different. A person is overweight if they weigh higher than what is considered normal for their age and height. However, muscle, bone, fat and body water all contribute toward a person’s weight; obesity develops over time.
Obesity is a worldwide health concern. It has been reported that >1.9 billion of the world population is overweight, and ~650 million are obese. In India, the prevalence of obesity is increasing at a steady rate, with >135 million of its population falling under the category of obesity.
Obesity can be divided into the following type with the help of body mass index (BMI). BMI determines weight with respect to the height of the person.
When the amount of calories consumed by a person is greater than the amount of energy they burn each day, it results in obesity. This can occur because of a number of reasons:
Calculating BMI is the most commonly used method for diagnosing obesity. The waist circumference is measured for determining abdominal obesity. A waist size if >94 cm in men and >80 cm in women is defined as abdominal obesity.
Weight loss is not a short term thing; one needs to think about the long-term approaches of maintaining a healthy weight. This can be achieved only by making nutritional changes, lifestyle and behaviour.
Nutritional Management
It is difficult to suddenly change one’s eating habits; however, making small dietary changes to everyday food habits can make considerable difference. Eating a low-calorie diet and incorporating more fruits and vegetables into one's diet can help one lose weight.
Physical Activity
Performing regular physical activity can help one maintain a healthy lifestyle along with losing weight. Adults should perform at least 150 min of physical activity per week. Small changes in daily activities such as taking the stairs rather than the elevator improve fitness. Note that 30 min of daily aerobic exercises are recommended. This includes:
Medications can help in losing weight only when they are used along with diet and exercise. They should be only used in patients who have failed to achieve weight loss with exercise and diet. Prescription drugs are approved for the following category of patients:
Over time, obesity paves the way for a number of health complications. If not controlled early, it can lead to the following medical conditions:
There is no specific approach to prevent obesity. The combination of physical exercise and healthy eating is the key to avoid weight gain.
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Indians develop obesity-related metabolic diseases at much lower weight and BMI. Bariatric surgery helps reduce complications linked to obesity.
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