I need information about obesity

I have been fasting for over 20 days and I was thinking it will help me to reduce weight as I am really big, I weigh over 120 kilograms. Please share useful information with me about over weight and obesity. Ismail K. Thanks Ismail for your question. From the little I know about fasting, many […]

I have been fasting for over 20 days and I was thinking it will help me to reduce weight as I am really big, I weigh over 120 kilograms. Please share useful information with me about over weight and obesity.

Ismail K.

Thanks Ismail for your question. From the little I know about fasting, many people actually eat more during fasting and eat more protein and fatty food after breaking fast. The fasting only takes away their normal eating habit but in the actual sense they are eating more. If you fall into this category, it is difficult to reduce weight during fasting.

“Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. A crude population measure of obesity is the body mass index (BMI), a person’s weight (in kilograms) divided by the square of his or her height (in metres). A person with a BMI of 30 or more is generally considered obese. A person with a BMI equal to or more than 25 is considered overweight.”

Being overweight or obese can have a serious impact on health. Carrying extra fat leads to serious health consequences such as cardiovascular disease (mainly heart disease and stroke), Type 2 diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders like osteoarthritis, and some cancers (endometrial, breast and colon). 

The good news is that overweight and obesity are largely preventable. The key to success is to achieve an energy balance between calories consumed on one hand, and calories used on the other hand.  To reach this goal, people can limit energy intake from total fats and shift fat consumption away from saturated fats to unsaturated fats, increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, as well as legumes, whole grains and nuts; and limit their intake of sugars. And to increase calories used, people can boost their levels of physical activity to at least 30 minutes of regular, moderate-intensity activity on most days. 

What is physical activity? 

The World Health Organization (WHO) defined physical activity “as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure. Regular and adequate levels of physical activity in adults achieve the following: 

•Reduce the risk of hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, breast and colon cancer, depression and the risk of falls;

•Improve bone and functional health; and

•Are a key determinant of energy expenditure, and thus fundamental to energy balance and weight control.”

“The term “physical activity” should not be mistaken with “exercise”. Exercise, is a subcategory of physical activity that is planned, structured, repetitive, and purposeful in the sense that the improvement or maintenance of one or more components of physical fitness is the objective. Physical activity includes exercise as well as other activities which involve bodily movement and are done as part of playing, working, active transportation, house chores and recreational activities.

Causes of obesity and overweight?

The fundamental cause of obesity and overweight is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended. 

1.An increased intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat, salt and sugars but low in vitamins, minerals and other micronutrients. 

2.A decrease in physical activity due to the increasingly sedentary nature of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation, and increasing urbanization.

Changes in dietary and physical activity patterns are often the result of environmental and societal changes associated with development and lack of supportive policies in sectors such as health, agriculture, transport, urban planning, environment, food processing, distribution, marketing and education.

How can overweight and obesity be reduced?

Overweight and obesity, as well as their related non-communicable diseases, are largely preventable. Supportive environments and communities are fundamental in shaping people’s choices, making the healthier choice of foods and regular physical activity the easiest choice, and therefore preventing obesity.

At the individual level, people can:

1.Limit energy intake from total fats.

2.Increase consumption of fruit and vegetables, as well as legumes, whole grains and nuts.

3.Limit the intake of sugars and engage in regular physical activity.

4.Achieve energy balance and a healthy weight.