What is Obesity? Obesity, or as it is known among the people, is a disease that occurs as a result of excessive fat accumulation in the body and must be treated. Obesity occurs when the amount of energy taken from food exceeds the amount of energy consumed by metabolism and physical activity.
Causes of Obesity? * Lack of physical activity, inactivity * Eating habits or eating fatty foods, overeating.
* Some medications and hormones taken * Hormonal diseases * Increasing with age * More common in women than men (weight gained at birth) * Increases as the number of births goes up * After marriage * Among smokers * Obesity is more common in those who drink alcohol
Consequences of Obesity: * Increased risk of chronic heart disease. * The risk of atherosclerosis increases. * The risk of hypertension increases 3 times compared to those who are not obese. * The risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases. * May cause depression and gout. * Obesity increases the risk of fatal stroke. * A decrease in libido and potency may occur. * In men, the risk of colon, rectum and prostate Ca is increased. * Reflux esophagitis and hiatus hernia are more common.
Obesity Assessment The most commonly used measurement for obesity is "Body Mass Index" (BMI) and waist circumference measurement. BMI is calculated by dividing body weight (kg) by the square of height (m²). This value is independent of age and gender. However, the use of BMI is not accurate in children, pregnant women and people with very muscular muscles, so it should not be used. Health authorities have divided BMI values into groups as normal weight, overweight and obese. Those with less than 18.5 kg/m² are considered Slim Those between 18.5-24.9 kg/m² are considered normal weight Those between 25-29.9 kg/m² are considered overweight Those between 30-39.9 kg/m² are considered obese (fat) Those over 40 kg/m² are considered severely (morbidly) obese
Prevalence of obesity Obesity is one of the most important health problems of developed and developing countries today. The obesity rate in America and European countries is between 30-35%. The prevalence of obesity is increasing day by day in our country, as in other countries in the world. According to the "Turkey Nutrition and Health Survey-2010" study report, the prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥30) in Turkey was found to be 20.5% in men, 41.0% in women, and 30.3% in total. 3% of them are morbidly obese (BMI ≥40). Obesity tendency is alarming especially in children and adolescents. The annual increase in childhood obesity is growing. At this point, it is reported that the prevalence of childhood obesity is 10 times higher than the values in the 1970s. According to the data of the World Health Organization, it is stated that approximately 20% of children and adolescents in developed or developing countries are overweight and one third of them are obese. The increasing prevalence of obesity, becoming a public health problem has led to the start of studies to combat obesity all over the world.
