Food and Nutrition

Obesity and Weight Management

10 Obesity and Weight Management: Obesity is characterized by an excessive accumulation of body fat, distinct from simply weighing too much. Various factors such as muscle, bone, fat, and bodily fluids contribute to overall weight. It typically arises from a calorie intake surpassing expenditure, with individual variations in this balance influenced by genetic predisposition, dietary habits, and physical activity levels. Associated health risks include diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, and certain cancers. Even a modest reduction of 5 to 10% in body weight can mitigate these risks for obese individuals.

Weight management entails adopting sustainable lifestyle changes tailored to an individual's age, gender, and height to maintain a healthy body weight. Strategies such as a balanced diet and regular physical activity are fundamental. Monitoring weight and waist circumference is crucial, with any upward trends signaling potential health risks. Those with a BMI over 25 should aim to prevent further weight gain, while increasing waist measurements indicate fat accumulation and muscle loss, warranting proactive measures.

Themes covered:

• Childhood Obesity
• Obesity - Complications and Diagnosis
• Morbid Obesity
• Obesity Research
• Obesity Management
• Obese Lifestyle
• Nutritional Aspects