What is obesity?

What is obesity?

Obesity is one of the most important diseases affecting our health and comfort of life today. Interestingly, until 2013, obesity was not recognized as a disease. Many healthcare financiers played a major role in not recognizing it as a disease due to economic concerns. However, as a result of the American Medical Association's decision in 2013, obesity was recognized worldwide as a disease that seriously jeopardizes our comfort and health.

So, What is Obesity?

The World Health Organization (WHO) divides our body weight into four groups using body mass index (BMI). BMI is our weight in kilograms divided by our height in square meters. Using these values, WHO classifies people as normal weight, overweight, class 1 obese and class 2-3 obese. According to this assessment, people with a BMI between 18.5-24.9 kg/m² are normal weight individuals. Values above or below this indicate that your health is at risk. Those with a BMI above 30 are defined as obese.

How Do We Calculate Body Mass Index?

Body mass index (BMI) is calculated by dividing our weight in kilograms by our height in square meters. According to this BMI calculation, only 39% of the approximately 7.5 billion people living worldwide are in the normal weight range. As a result, about 4.75 billion people worldwide have an unhealthy weight and 26% of them are considered obese. This means that one in four people lives an unhealthy life due to obesity.

Prevalence and Effects of Obesity

Obesity is a widespread problem in both developed and developing countries. The prevalence of obesity is associated with factors such as modern lifestyle, poor eating habits and lack of physical activity. Obesity can lead to many serious health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, some types of cancer and joint problems. It can also lead to psychological problems, social isolation and reduced quality of life.

Fighting Obesity

In the fight against obesity, it is important to adopt healthy eating habits, engage in regular physical activity and seek professional help if necessary. A healthy diet should include adequate amounts of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and protein. Physical activity should be part of daily life, with at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week.

If professional help is needed, it may be helpful to see a doctor or dietitian and create an individualized treatment plan. In some cases, medical interventions such as bariatric surgery may also be necessary. However, surgical interventions should usually be considered as a last resort and should be performed after a thorough evaluation.

Conclusion

Obesity is one of the biggest health problems of the modern age, affecting millions of people worldwide. With healthy lifestyle changes and professional help, it is possible to overcome obesity. Taking obesity seriously and taking the necessary precautions is of great importance for both individual and public health.