What is obesity?
Being obese means having so much body fat that your health is in danger. The level of unsafe body fat is based on your age, gender, and height. Use a Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator and measure waist size to check to help you aim for a healthy weight.
What causes obesity?
When you eat more calories than you burn off, you gain weight. If you have obese family members, you may gain weight easier than others. Also, certain medicine and health issues may cause you to gain weight faster. If those are the cases, talk with your doctor or medical provider to see what can be done.
What can obesity lead to?
Diabetes, Heart Disease, Stroke, High Blood Pressure, High Blood Fat, High Blood Cholesterol.
What can you do?
The good news is that even small weight loss can improve your health and prevent disease. To lose weight, you need to burn off more calories than you eat. Diets are hard to stay on and usually do not work in the long run. Instead, aim for a healthy eating and active lifestyle. Focus on finding the right balance of nutritious foods, portion sizes, and amount of exercise.
Resources
WebMD http://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/obesity-overview?page=1
Mayo Clinic http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obesity/basics/definition/con-20014834
Special Thanks
Derek Chang graduated with a Bachelors degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Utah. Go Utes! He was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. He aspires to become a physician-entrepreneur to find and create new ways of improving overall patient health. He enjoys skiing, hiking, camping, reading books, meeting new people, and learning anything new.
