Obesity
Worldwide obesity has more than doubled since 1980, and is suggested to be one of the most serious public health problems of the 21st century.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation which may impair health. Obesity leads to increased health problems and even reduced life expectancy. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a simple internationally known measurement, which is commonly used to classify overweight and obesity in adults. BMI compares weight and height and can be calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms with the square of his/her height in meters (kg/m2). According to WHO’s definition, a person with a BMI greater than or equal to 25 kg/m2 is regarded as being overweight, and regarded obese when the BMI is greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2.
BMI is a simple and useful measurement for classification of obesity; however, it is important to consider BMI as an indicative guide, since it cannot always correspond to the same degree of excess fat in different individuals.
Obesity is most commonly caused by an imbalance between the calories consumed and the calories burned, where any excess calories are stored as fat in the body. A tendency with an increased intake of energy-dense foods and a decrease in physical activity is seen worldwide. Obesity is preventable for most people if only the balance between calories consumed and calories burned can be controlled. Furthermore, dieting, together with physical exercise, will always be the foundation for treatment of obesity.
Being obese has many long-term and serious consequences for the health. Elevated BMI is a major risk factor for a number of diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, some type of cancers and musculoskeletal disorders - especially osteoarthritis. The risk for these diseases increases proportionally with the increase in BMI, and obese people can profitably lose weight in order to improve their health status.
An example is the common musculoskeletal disorder osteoarthritis, where obesity directly affects the weight bearing joints – particularly the knees. Studies have shown that osteoarthritis in the knees is 4-5 times more common in people with increased BMI, than in people with a normal BMI. When suffering from osteoarthritis, it is of great importance, that the patient loses weight in order to stop the progression of this highly disabling degenerative disease of the joints.
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