Why is excess weight dangerous?

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Obesity is a relatively young ailment that has become a real scourge of modern society. According to the WHO (World Health Organization), today the world is increasingly dying from those diseases that provoked excess weight.

How to determine if there is excess weight?

What you should not start with to determine if you are overweight is to criticize your own body. Even if you don’t like a bulging stomach or full arms, this is not a reason to panic.

Correctly determine if excess weight will help a simple mathematical technique – calculating BMI (body mass index). To do this, you need to find out two indicators – the exact weight (B) in kilograms and the exact height (P) in meters. Calculation formula: В / Р * Р (weight divided by height squared). If the resulting number falls into the range of 25-30 units, then a person has excess weight. An indicator of 30 units or more indicates obesity of varying degrees.  

Consider an example. With a weight of 90 kg and a height of 1.65 m, a BMI of a person is: 90 / (1.65 * 1.65) = 33.06, i.e. he is obese. If a person sheds 3-4 kilograms, then we can already say that he is overweight.

You can also use modern methods for determining the presence of fat mass. For example, undergo x-ray densitometry. Using diagnostics, specialists measure muscle and fat mass. Such studies are recommended to be performed several times within 2-3 months to understand the dynamics of changes in body fat, determine the effectiveness of diets, fasting days and drug treatment of obesity, assess the need for liposuction.

Another diagnosis is multispiral computed tomography, which is considered a more reliable method compared to traditional anthropometric procedures. The methodology very accurately shows how the fat mass is distributed in the body, and estimates the factors of the development of cardiovascular diseases against the background of obesity.

As you can see, there are many methods for determining the presence of excess weight and the development of obesity. Therefore, anyone who wishes can easily choose the best way and with the help of specialists will select a program to combat excess weight.

The causes and consequences of obesity

The causes of excess weight are doctors around the world. Today, experts say with confidence that 90% of all cases are the result of an incorrect lifestyle, in which the number of calories entering the body significantly exceeds the number of calories burned. The main causes of excess weight include:

  • sedentary lifestyle;
  • excessive consumption of the wrong carbohydrates and fats (cheap fast food, sugary drinks, meat preparations, sweets);
  • overeating at night;
  • large portions of food;
  • lack of fasting days when consuming large amounts of food,
  • lack of a drinking regimen;
  • sleep disturbance;
  • family habits of malnutrition;
  • stress overeating.
  • Very rare, but can contribute to obesity:
  • family predisposition (genetics);
  • dysfunction of the endocrine and hormonal system;
  • brain tumors;
  • the effect of certain drugs (antidepressants, hormones);
  • body constitution.

The main manifestations of obesity include not only an increase in fat mass, but also other symptoms:

  • the appearance of stretch marks in the area of ​​the hips, abdomen, inner part of the shoulder;
  • dyspnea;
  • night snoring;
  • excessive sweating;
  • the appearance of an unpleasant odor;
  • tachycardia;
  • increase in pressure;
  • violation of the functions of the reproductive system.

Despite the fact that the reasons for the appearance of excess kilograms are quite heterogeneous, obesity causes certain complications in the functions of the body, against which serious diseases develop. These include:

  • type 2 diabetes mellitus;
  • arterial hypertension;
  • diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (gastroesophageal reflux disease, heartburn, chronic gastritis, erosion of the esophagus and intestines); 
  • arthritis and arthrosis;
  • hormonal dysfunctions;
  • cardiovascular diseases (coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction);
  • stroke;
  • pancreatitis
  • chronic venous insufficiency, and others.

Also, many experts are inclined to believe that obesity can contribute to the oncological diseases of internal organs: mammary glands, ovaries, prostate, intestines, pancreas.

Fasting day as an effective prevention of excess weight

The treatment plan for obesity is developed by the attending physician after examinations and diagnostics. The main methods of treatment include:

  • psychotherapeutic treatment;
  • diet therapy;
  • drug treatment;
  • therapeutic treatment;
  • surgery;
  • physical exercise.

Among the above methods, fasting day is considered one of the effective ways to lose weight. The number of such procedures per week, as well as the composition of the meal, is recommended to discuss with the attending specialist.  

Common options for fasting days:

  • On buckwheat. For a lightweight diet, this product is best suited. Firstly, buckwheat contains a large amount of vegetable protein, which, even with weight loss, must be consumed without fail. Secondly, cereal saturates the body and suppresses the feeling of hunger. Thirdly, buckwheat stimulates the intestinal tract and does not create an imbalance in the body. On an unloading day, buckwheat should reduce or completely remove the consumption of salt and sugar, and drink a sufficiently large amount of water – at least two liters.
  • Fruit or vegetable day. The daily diet can include apples, fresh cucumbers, cherries, watermelons, zucchini and other vegetables and fruits. The exceptions are bananas, sweet grapes, as well as plants with a high acid content (if there are contraindications).
  • Drinking unloading. On such a fasting day, you can drink water, unsweetened green tea with lemon, compotes and uzvari, low-fat kefir.

Starting the fasting day, tune in to it mentally. As nutritionists say, what we take for hunger is just fear of it.

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