Based on experience, experts agree that obesity in Europe is largely dependent on diet as well as genetics and of course everything else in between. Changing consumer food behaviour, food product reformulation and nutrition labelling can help people eat healthier. In addition, it is also essential to promote overall healthy lifestyle choices like physical activity and nutritious diet. Unhealthy diet and genetics has made obesity a pan-European disease The threats to public health from widespread obesity are well known; so are the solutions †move more and eat less. About a 5th of Europe’s population is already obese. Adult obesity accounts for 6% of direct health costs and more than 12% in indirect costs such as shortened lives, reduced productivity and lowered incomes. Obesity does not happen overnight †it develops gradually from poor diet and lifestyle choices as well as your genes. Reasons for obesity Lifestyle choices are an important factor that influences weight. Eating more calories than required will automatically add to your obesity woes. Bad eating habits also tend to run in families and this may sometimes result in a slow metabolism. Lack of physical activity is another important factor that is related to obesity. When we are not active enough to use up the energy provided by food, the extra calories are stored as fat instead. While some people tend to effortlessly stay at the same weight for years, others are not so lucky and must be careful to avoid putting on weight. This could at times also depend on one’s genetic make-up also. In addition, it is believed that in less than 1 out of every 100 cases, there is a medical reason for obesity. Conditions such as Cushing’s syndrome (over-production of steroid hormones in the body) and an under-active thyroid gland are rare causes of weight gain. Certain medicines, including steroids and antidepressants, can also be contributory factors for obesity. In addition, taking contraceptive pill and quitting smoking may also increase your appetite. So, just like there is no single weight loss pill to cure obesity, similarly, there is no single cause of obesity. Obesity treatment A person is said to be overweight or obese when he/she is carrying too much body fat for their height and sex. A person with a Body Mass Index (BMI is the weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared) of 30 or greater is considered obese. Obesity is more often than not, a direct result of eating more calories than can be burned off over a period of time. The best and the safest form of obesity treatment would be to reduce the amount of calories eaten and exercise more. Obesity treatment, more or less, aim at losing weight to improve one’s general quality of life, both physical and psychological. Treatment of obesity includes calorie control, increased exercise, weight maintenance, medication, surgery and gastric banding. A life without obesity is in the hands of the individual. All you need to do is eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, manage stress, and get enough sleep. If you want to look and feel fabulous, you can. Just remember that you must put in the necessary work to achieve and sustain your health goals. Nothing is difficult and more than that each one of us deserves to live without the fear of disease and death †without obesity probably half the battle is won!
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