Obesity is quite literally a growing problem in the United States and across the world. With over 2/3 of Americans overweight or obese, it is clear that the United States has a real problem with its weight.
Before we get into some more info about this disease, I want to state that this article does not substitute for medical advice. If you are overweight, talk to your doctor and get some actionable help with your weight.
Instead, this is a practical guide about obesity and overweight and the consequences of obesity.
Obesity BMI
Obesity is defined as a BMI of 30 and above for both adult men and women.
Now, BMI is simply Body Mass Index. It does not take into account whether you have a lot of muscle or a lot of fat.
For instance, some bodybuilders are told they are overweight based on BMI. But BMI does not account for body fat percentage.
Still, most people with a high BMI are not muscular bodybuilders or athletes. Instead, they are people with a large amount of fat tissue.
For most people, a healthy weight corresponds to a BMI of 18.5-25. You can find your BMI using online calculators or talking to your doctor.
What are the Three Types of Obesity?
The three types of Obesity are Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3.
Class 1 refers to a BMI of 30-35. Class 2 refers to a BMI of 35-40. Finally, Class 3 is the most serious form of obesity and coincides with a BMI over 40.
The higher the BMI, the more health risks to a person. Class 3 is associated with numerous health risks, explained more below. Still, Class 1 and Class 2 obesity are still associated with health risks and increased risk of mortality.
Obesity Waist Circumference
In addition to BMI, waist circumference can help determine your metabolic risk factors.
For women, a waist circumference above 35 inches reflects possible health risks and metabolic syndrome. In men, a waist circumference over 40 inches reflects possible health risks linked to obesity.
Obesity Men vs. Women
Men have higher rates of overweight, but women are more likely to be morbidly obese.
This may be due to sex differences in the rate of Binge Eating Disorder.
Women may also react more to depression by over eating while men may be more likely to use alcohol in cases of depression.
Obesity Rate in America
The obesity rate in America in 2017-2019 was 42.4 percent of U.S adults.
Rates are higher in the Midwest and Southeast regions and in states with a higher percent of people living in poverty. Obesity rates are also higher among minorities including blacks and Hispanics.
Obesity Rates by Country
Surprisingly, obesity is not highest in the U.S.
Nauru and Cook Islands in Oceania top the list. In fact, the ten fattest countries are in Oceania.
Besides for the U.S, many other countries in the Middle East have a high obesity rate.
You can learn more about obesity worldwide HERE.
What Causes Obesity?
Simply, obesity is caused by eating too much relative to your calorie needs for a long period of time.
However, many factors have made it easy for people to overeat and burn fewer calories.
Most people live sedentary lifestyles and few get the recommended 30 minutes of exercise per day. Automation of tasks also means we burn fewer calories on non-exercise activity. And, we also tend to spend more time glued to our screens.
Food is often abundant and heavily processed to be hyper-palatable. That means we eat more than we need to satisfy our hunger because it feels good to eat.
Some people also struggle with boredom, depression and anxiety and use food to cope with those feelings.
Once people become overweight, it often becomes difficult to lose the weight because of fatigue, labored breathing and poor exercise endurance. The disease can become a positive feedback loop.
Who does Obesity Affect?
Obesity affects all people. More and more kids are obese than in years past. Adults have higher rates of obesity in middle age but even young adults age 20-30 have a 40 percent rate of obesity.
As mentioned before, African Americans and Hispanics have higher rates of obesity. The disease is also higher in poor people. Poor people struggle with access to nutritious food, nutrition knowledge and little time for exercise.
Health Risks of Obesity
This disease carries many health risks.
- Labored Breathing
- Sleep Apnea
- Strokes
- Heart Attacks
- Fatty Liver Disease
- Gallbladder Disease
- Skin Fold Rashes
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Kidney Failure
- Osteoarthritis
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- Hirsutism
- Infertility
- Birth Defects
- Osteoporosis
- Impaired Immune Function
- Depression
- Trouble Sleeping
- Fatigue
- Post Reactive Hyperglycemia
- Poor Fitness
- Infection
- High Blood Pressure
- High Cholesterol
- Metabolic Syndrome
- Stress Incontinence
- Acid Reflux
- Blood Clots
- Asthma
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Weak Muscles
In short, being very overweight affects every one of your body systems and can even shave years off your life.
Obesity Symptoms
Here are the symptoms of obesity.
- Labored Breathing
- Fatigue
- Skin Fold Rashes
- Kidney or Liver Failure
- Heart Disease
- High Cholesterol
- High Blood Pressure
- Hirsutism
- Abnormal Periods
- Stress Incontinence
- Frequent illness
- Acid Reflux
- Blood Clots
- Joint Pain
- Gallbladder Disease
- Difficulty sleeping
- Infertility
If so, you might want to discuss how your weight affects these issues with your doctor. Or, you may have no symptoms at all. That’s why it is important to discuss your weight with your health team.
Is it OK to Be Overweight?
Some overweight people can be healthy, if you exercise and eat a balanced diet. However, it is unlikely that it is OK for your health to be morbidly obese or to carry excess fat tissue. So, in some cases, it can still be healthy to have moderately elevated BMI, especially if you have a lot of muscle mass.
Looking at the health risks above, you can see that obesity is a huge health risk with many other comorbidities. Obesity has huge health costs in the United States and abroad.
So, even though you may be tempted to think it is ok to be extremely overweight, the reality is that obesity is not good for your health.
Can Obesity be Cured?
You can overcome this disease by changing your diet and lifestyle, but it will take time. If you can effectively lose the weight and get out of the obesity category, you might want to consider yourself cured from obesity. However, it will take a lifelong approach of exercise, change in diet and lifestyle habit changes to maintain your new healthy lifestyle.
Obesity Treatments
Treatments for obesity include changes in diet, changes in exercise, possibly surgery, and sometimes drugs.
FDA approved drugs can affect your hunger levels to help you lose weight. However, they are not very effective on their own unless you partner them with diet and exercise. You can read more about weight loss drugs HERE.
Surgeries for Obesity
There are several surgeries to assist with weight loss. Two of the most common are detailed below.
Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass is one type of weight loss surgery. The stomach is cut and a small pouch is formed from the stomach. This helps to limit hunger. The small intestine is also cut to decrease food and calorie absorption from food.
Gastric Sleeve surgery is another common weight loss surgery. A large portion of the stomach is removed. A smaller stomach means less hunger and less of the hormone Ghrelin.
There are risks to these procedures, and some patients develop nutrient deficiencies and other health conditions. Still, surgery can be very effective for many people. Some people can lose 60- 80 percent of their excess weight in around 18 months, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Obesity Prevention
As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is often worth a pound of cure.
Preventing obesity means keeping your weight in check and preventing weight creep, or small increases in weight, each year.
Here are some tips to help prevent this disease.
Exercise daily. The American Heart Association recommends 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times per week. If you are already overweight, you might need an hour or up to 90 minutes to lose weight.
Be mindful of your food intake. Portion out your food on plates, follow the USDA food pyramid and recommended intakes for calorie intake and food portions. You may also want to keep a food diary.
Address eating disorders with a medical and psychiatric team. Binge Eating Disorder and emotional eating should be addressed with a licensed professional.
Try to get at least seven hours of sleep per night. Keep a set sleep and wake routine. This will help you prevent increased hunger that is the result of fatigue and inadequate sleep.
Work on your support network. Hang around healthy people and those who want to see you get healthy. Health saboteurs are not your friends!
Final Thoughts
Obesity is a serious health condition that claims the lives of nearly 400,000 Americans each year. The good news is that researchers are studying this disease every day to help sufferers reclaim their health. Even today, there is hope for obesity sufferers. My hope is that this article gave you lots of practical information in the fight against obesity.
