What Is Obesity?

Currently, America seems to be aiming to decrease the percentage of obesity in the nation. The reason? To look good and to fit into and follow today's hippest fashion. Not because if they eat another morsel, they'll die of high cholesterol or low blood pressure; but so they can force themselves into size double zero jeans and extra-extra-extra-extra-small shirts, because that's what looks "good."

"Fine, so what exactly is obesity," you ask? Well, my dear friends, I should ask you the very same question. When I asked fellow classmates and friends, I got the same answer over and over again: "Obesity is when you're extremely overweight." Many people seem to oversee what I think is the most important factor of obesity: the health problems associated with being overweight. But then again, I don't blame them, especially if that's the only definition that the media seems to feed the public. Even the almighty online dictionary that everyone counts on does that.

"obese [oh-bees]
–adjective
very fat or overweight; corpulent. "
(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/obesity)

Being obese is to be very fat and "corpulent"? What is that, the nicer way of saying "fat," like "big-boned" and "chubby"? Oh yeah, I'm absolutely sure that dictionary.com's editors just simply forgot to induce the health risks portion into the definition. Yup.

For those of you who do not believe that previous statement that I intended to be sarcastic, the only website that seems to be in the right mind so far is WebMD. They define obesity as:

"Being obese means having so much body fat that your health is in danger."

Now this is what I call the real definition of obesity. Not "very fat" and "corpulent." (And again, what the heck is that? Someone please give me the real definition of that vulgar word, because my faith in dictionary.com is rapidly decreasing by the second.) Props to WebMD! For those of you who are still unsure of what obesity truly is, I suggest you read this article from WebMD, because otherwise you'd be totally clueless as to my countless, future, government-related insightful blogs. And even if you're just really looking forward to shedding a few pounds for the summer, this article will tell you the healthy way to do it; and not demolishing your body with those so-called "fast and ways" like starving yourself and throwing up till your insides are oozing out and you're the size of a toothpick.


"What is obesity?

Being obese means having so much body fat that your health is in danger. Having too much body fat can lead to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, sleep apnea, and stroke.

Because of these risks, it is important to lose weight even if you do not feel bad now. It is hard to change eating habits and exercise habits. But you can do it if you make a plan.

How do I know if I am obese?

You can use a measurement called a body mass index, or BMI, to decide whether your weight is dangerous to your health. The BMI is a combination of your height and weight. If you have a BMI of 30 or higher, your extra weight is putting your health in danger.

Use the Interactive Tool: Weight and Health Risks to check your body mass index.Where you carry your body fat may be as important as how many extra pounds you have. People who carry too much fat around the middle, rather than the hips, are more likely to have health problems. In women, a waist size of 35 in. or more raises the chance for disease. In men, a waist size of 40 in. or more raises the chance for disease.

What causes obesity?

When you take in more calories than you burn off, you gain weight. How you eat, how active you are, and other things affect how your body uses calories and whether you gain weight.

If your family members are obese, you may have inherited a tendency to gain weight. And your family also helps form your eating and lifestyle habits, which can lead to obesity.

Also, our busy lives make it harder to plan and cook healthy meals. For many of us, it's easier to reach for prepared foods, go out to eat, or go to the drive-through. But these foods are often high in fat and calories. Portions are often too large. Work schedules, long commutes, and other commitments also cut into the time we have for physical activity.

There is no quick fix to being overweight. To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you take in."

(http://www.webmd.com/diet/tc/Obesity-Overview)

I know some of you are too lazy to click on links, or were scared just by the sight of a long article, so I'm going to sum it up for you: Obesity is when one's weight can cause serious health problems.

The solution? Exercise, persistence, and eating the right foods. So please, think about it before you walk into another Wendy's, McDonald's, Burger King and the rest of the fast food family. You're risking your health.

Stay tuned for future blogs: Government policies on obesity.