How is Obesity Affecting the Youth
September 22, 2008
In a strict sense, obesity is a disease and a major health crisis. In this fast paced world, this problem is prevalent among everyone from a growing child to an adult. Obesity is an excess of body fat or adipose tissue that can lead to major health problems like heart disease, diabetes and cancer. If this problem is given a light look and left unchecked, it could shorten the life expectancy.
Obesity in a person is determined by analyzing a persons body weight, height and age. Body-mass index (BMI) categories were used to define weight. Here, the score is obtained by dividing the body weight in kilogram (kg) by height in centimeter (cm). According to World Health Organization figures 2000, a healthy BMI is considered between 18.5 and 25, 25 to 29 overweight and above 30 is obese.
Being obese at youth not only affects ones physical health but it also creates some social and psychological problems such as stigmatization and poor self-esteem. They prefer confinement at home and can not actively take part in social issues. They are sure to face heart diseases, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
Obesity in youth is likely to continue till adulthood making a person more susceptible to other adult health related problems which includes diabetes, different types of cancer, osteoarthritis, etc.
Apart from above mentioned problems, obesity in youth may lead to problems such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and mental health problems. Many young people end their life due to depression caused by obesity.
Nowadays, we see, people, specially youth are always on a run, with a hectic schedule in life, people hardly get time to take well cooked and balanced diet, instead they end up taking readymade food and fast food which are high in fat, salt and sugar but devoid of calories resulting gain in weight in an unhealthy manner.
To overcome this adverse situation, first and foremost is to take a healthy, balanced diet. Pay Attention in early developing stage, because if the childhood obesity persists till adolescence, it will continue to be like this till adulthood.
As a preventive measure to obesity, it is advised to start a day with a good breakfast which is very beneficial. It must be the assemblage of fruits, protein, calcium and fiber. Requirement of calories in a body varies gender wise, and for girls between 11-18 years, calorie requirement is 2200 calories per day, and for boys of same age groups, the requirement is 2500-3000 calories per day, and this requirement should be supplemented equally with the diet.
Losing weight by dieting is not possible and it is just a misconception. Rather, the failure in losing weight may impart a feeling of discomfort, inadequacy and depression. People today prefer the time saving procedure by taking medical assistance, which includes obesity surgery like gastric bypass and Adjustable Gastric Banding (AGB).
Beside this, healthy lifestyle habits, such as jogging, yoga, other physical exercises, activity in sports, helps to lower the risk of becoming overweight and developing related diseases.
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