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Obesity

Obesity is an excess of body fat that frequently results in a significant impairment of health. Obesity results when the size or number of fat cells in a person's body increases. A normal-sized person has between 30 and 35 billion fat cells. When a person gains weight, these fat cells first increase in size and later in number. One pound of body fat represents about 3500 calories.

When a person starts losing weight, the cells decrease in size, but the number of fat cells generally stays the same. This is part of the reason that once you gain a significant amount of weight, it is more difficult to lose it.

Causes:

Obesity results when there is an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure. In other words, you consume more calories than you expend in your daily activities. Weight gained during certain critical periods of your life more commonly lead to an increased number (as opposed to increased size) of fat cells and make obesity more difficult to treat.

Part of the food we eat is "burned" to make energy. We use this energy to move, breathe, and carry out all our normal daily activities. The amount of energy present in food is measured in calories. If a person takes in more calories than his or her body burns up, the extra calories are stored in the form of fat.

There are other reasons why an individual's body might retain fat. Some people have a larger appetite than others. Their bodies seem to expect them to eat more often. For others, their bodies do not efficiently convert food to energy. They are more likely to convert the food they eat to fat.

The major symptoms of obesity are excessive weight gain and the presence of large amounts of fatty tissue. Obesity can also give rise to several other conditions, including:

.		Arthritis (see arthritis entry) and other problems with bones and muscles, such as lower back pain
.		Heartburn
.		High cholesterol levels
.		High blood pressure
.		Menstrual problems
.		Shortness of breath
.		Skin disorders

Effective treatment for obesity depends on a few general issues, such as:

.		What and how much a person eats. Patients are often asked to keep a food diary listing the foods they eat each day. Then they can analyze their diet to determine its nutritional value and the fat content of foods. The patient may be encouraged to change his or her grocery-shopping habits. For example, buying only the items on a shopping list prevents a person from buying other foods on impulse. Patients can also be taught to eat smaller, more frequent meals and to slow down the rate at which they eat during meals.
.		How a person responds to food. Patients can be taught that eating can reflect psychological issues. For example, a person under stress may binge - that is, eat large amounts of food at once. With this understanding, a person may be able to find other ways of dealing with emotional issues besides eating.
.		How they spend their time. Many obese people engage in little or no exercise. By making exercise a regular part of their lives, they may be able to lose weight and to keep it off. A variety of exercises can be tried so that the patient does not become bored with only one kind of activity.

Successful programs for weight loss reduction and maintenance should be started and followed under the care of a physician and/or a nutritionist.

A weight-loss program may include:

.		Exercise (the Surgeon General has called for 30 minutes of physical activity on most days of the week).
.		A low-fat, high-complex carbohydrate, high fiber diet.
.		Behavior modification to change eating behavior
.		Social support
.		Medications

Although several diets (such as Atkins or South Beach) have become quite popular as effective ways of losing weight, none of them has been proven to be vastly superior in rigorously conducted, large-scale clinical trials. The key (and only) reason for the success of any dietary plan is that it make you consume fewer calories than what you are expending.

It is very important to discuss all medications you are taking with your physician.

Obesity Management : Simple tips to try at home

.		Do not set very high goals. Target a reasonable weight loss of 1/2 kg - 1 kg per week.
.		Adapt family meals to specific needs by adjusting method of preparation and reducing addition of fats.
.		Avoid binges. If you overeat due to social pressures, adjust other meals of the day or of the next day.
.		While eating outside home, select simply prepared items rather than combination dishes. Avoid fried foods, select fruits as desserts rather than ice-creams, puddings, etc.
.		Spread food throughout the day to meet energy needs.
.		Follow a gradual approach to exercise to get the most benefits.
.		Exercise regularly at a comfortable pace.
.		Select varied exercises that you enjoy and those that fit your personality and your work schedule.
.		Encourage your family and friends to support you and join you in your activity. It is best to inculcate healthy habits in your children when they are young.
.		Challenge yourself. Set short-term and long-term goals and celebrate every success.
.		Do not be discouraged by plateaus. They often occur after some weight loss. Get started again by increasing your exercise.

We at RiteCare understand the need for being health conscious and awareness about various ailments and thus comes with this informative initiative to help people avail tips on managing the most common health problems.

The chain of RiteCare outlets will provide with not just the right medicines to prescriptions but also provide Reminder Service for people on continuous therapy, with the RiteCare card.

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