Obesity and overweight

What is obesity?

Obesity

"It's a condition in which excess body fat accumulates inside the body to the extent that it becomes harmful on health and causes many medical problems weither organic or psychological."

Obesity can also be easily defined as body mass index (BMI) that's ≥ 30 .
So what is body mass index?
Body mass index (BMI) : Is a mathematical formula to tell weither the individual's weight is in the healthy range or not. It's calculated by dividing the weight (in Kg) by square of the height(in meters).

According to the value of BMI you can tell which category you are in.

Categories of Body Mass Index (BMI)

Aetiology of obesity "Causes" :

There are many causes for obesity

-Increased food intake → The increase in food intake more than body need makes individual at risk of developing obesity.
-Decreased energy expenditure: the sedentary life and lack of physical activity and exercise contributes in causing obesity. 
-Hormonal disturbance : some hormonal imbalances can cause obesity (e.g hypothyroidism, cushing disease, cushing syndrome and polycystic ovary)
-Emotional factors: such as stress, anxiety and depression in some people are associated with increase in food intake.   
-Genes : some genetic problems are associated with obesity indicating some role for genes.
-Drugs : some drugs may cause weight gain as a side effect like steroids, antidepressants, and antipsychotic drugs.
-Lifestyle : eating much processed food (fast or junk food) with limited fresh fruits and vegetables makes individual susceptible to be overweight.
Complications of obesity :

-Cardiovascular complications: Obesity increases the risk for many cardiovascular problems like Hypertension, Coronary heart diseases, dyslipidemia, and strokes.  

- Diabetes Mellitus : the increase in body fat specially central (visceral) fat is associated with increased insulin resistance leading to development of type II Diabetes. The high association between diabetes & obesity led to the development of the term DIABESITY to reflect the high intimate causal relationship.
- Osteoarthritis (OA) : The increase in body mass index is a recognized risk factor in developing OA, as it increases load on joints leading to damage and degeneration of the articular cartilage. People with osteoarthritis complain of joint pain that increases with activity and deceases with rest.   

Osteoarthritis causes damage to the articular cartilage that facilitates
 sliding of the two bones over each other leading to pain during activity.  

 -Cancers : obesity increases risk for breast, colon, endometrial,  pancreas, gallbladder and kidney cancers.

Obesity increases risk of many cancers

 -Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). 
 - Liver steatosis (fatty liver) : A condition characterized by accumulation of fat inside liver cells. With further increase of fat content in the liver an inflammatory response could occur in the liver known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).this NASH may ultimately end with liver cirrhosis.

Fat accumulates inside the liver inducing inflammation
(NASH) which may progress into liver cirrhosis.

-Gallbladder Stones: stone formation in the gallbladder is increased with obesity specially cholesterol stones.

gallbladder stones

 Psychological : obese people may experience feelings of depression, social isolation, lack of motivation, poor body image, and low self-esteem. 

obesity may cause depression

  

Summary for complications of obesity