What is Obesity ?

Do you know your Body Mass Index (BMI)? How often do you check your BMI? You should know that your BMI gives you an insight into whether you are tending towards obesity and why you need to maintain a good healthy weight.

Most people have heard about the term, but really do not know what it actually means to be obese. Quite simply put, obesity is a medical condition that involves the collection of excessive amounts of body fat.

Being obese increases your propensity to other diseases and obesity related health illness such as osteoarthritis, diabetes, coronary heart diseases and other chronic diseases. Diagnosis of obesity involves the checking and calculation of the Body Mass Index (BMI), which is the division of your body weight (in kg) by your height (in metres).

For a normal body weight, the BMI ranges from between 18.5 to 24.9. However, in the case of obesity, the BMI is between 30.0 to 34.9 for Class 1 obesity, 35.0 to 39.9 for Class 2 obesity and 40.0 and above for Class 3 obesity.

The Causes And Risk Factors Of Obesity

Obesity can be centred around various factors, some of which will be enumerated below:

An inability to burn calories : A sedentary lifestyle with little or no exercise and daily activities will increase your calorie count. The calories gotten from daily intake of food and beverages pile up to become fat stores in the body and this finally results in obesity .

Unhealthy eating habit : Having an unhealthy feeding habit also plays a major role in weight gain. Eating high calorie foods and beverages as well as eating in the late hours of the night when the body is less active can inevitably result in obesity .

Genetic makeup : Sometimes your genes can also be a cause of excessive weight gain as your body may just not be able to burn the excess calories effectively.

Family History of obesity: This is also a cause for concern when it comes to excessive weight gain. If you have a few family members who are obese or have dealt with obesity in the past, the likelihood of you becoming obese increases.

Other risk factors include; Age, Pregnancy, a lack of adequate rest and sleep as well as some types of medication.

Top Five Home Remedies To Control Obesity

Here are five home remedies that can help in your journey to weight loss. These remedies are easy to prepare and safe for consumption when trying to control obesity.

Aloe Vera: Aloe vera is known to be effective in the breakdown of fat, increasing metabolism and having great laxative capacity (to help combat constipation). Consumption of aloe vera pulp in water, citrus or grape juice daily for at least one month can help in controlling obesity .

Lemon Juice and Honey: Apart from the other health benefits of lemon juice such as its rich Vitamin C content, drinking a glass of lemon juice and honey in warm water also helps in fighting off obesity .

Green Tea: Unsweetened green tea has been proven to have a positive effect in cases of obesity. Drinking green tea will not only help you burn excess fat, it also has antioxidant properties which are beneficial to your body in general.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar or ACV has been found to reduce the level of cholesterol and fat deposits in the body. Drinking a glass of water that has a teaspoon of lemon juice and raw apple cider vinegar daily, increases your ability to lose excess weight.

Eat more protein rich diet: A high protein diet such as one that includes hard boiled eggs, have been shown to increase satiety (i.e. a feeling of being full) as well as burn excess calories .

How To Prevention And Treat Obesity

Besides self-care such as changing your lifestyle, eating healthy, exercising regularly and having an increased daily activity routine; there are other ways to treat obesity such as using prescribed obesity medications and weight loss surgeries.

These weight loss surgeries includes; Gastric Bypass Surgery, Gastric Sleeve and Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding. These surgeries have over the years proven to be effective in helping morbidly obese patients live a relatively healthy and normal lifestyle.

In Conclusion

Weight loss involves a steady process and with the right mindset and support system, it is achievable. You can reach out to medical professionals to get proper diagnosis and medical advice as you begin your journey to weight loss. By registering on sehat cloud for example, you can schedule an appointment and receive online consultation as well as proper medical assistance for the treatment of obesity.