Obesity

By Sanam Marjan

Obesity, or being overweight, is defined as abnormal fat accumulation which may impair health. Body mass index is a simple index of weight-for-height that is used to classify obesity in adults. It is defined as the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height.

For adults being overweight is defined as having BMI greater than or equal to 25

and for obesity, the BMI is greater than or equal to 30.

For children under 5 years, overweight is weight-for-height greater than 2 standard deviations above WHO Child Growth Standards median; and

obesity is weight-for-height greater than 3 standard deviations above the WHO Child Growth Standards median.

What causes obesity and overweight

• Increased intake of saturated and energy-dense food

• An increase in physical inactivity due to many factors

• Can also be caused by several health factors including hormonal changes.

Health consequences of overweight

High BMI rate is a major risk for non-communicable diseases such as;

• Cardiovascular disease

• Diabetes

• Musculoskeletal disorder

• Several cancers

Childhood obesity is associated with a higher chance of obesity, premature death, and disability in adulthood along with psychological impairments such as hypertension.

Risks of malnutrition

Found mostly in infants in urban areas where obesity and malnutrition can coexist. Due to the intake of energy-dense food which is high in sugar and micronutrients. Meaning it contains a low quantity of nutrients and is high in calories. The rate of malnutrition and obesity is accelerating due to the availability and affordability of junk food. Dietary patterns combined with low physical activity overtimes leads to overweight and obesity.

Facts about overweight and obesity

• Worldwide obesity nearly tripled since 1975.

• In 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults, 18 years and older, were overweight. Of these over 650 million were obese.

• 39% of adults aged 18 years and over were overweight in 2016, and 13% were obese.

• Most of the world's population live in countries where overweight and obesity kill more people than underweight.

• 39 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2020.

• Over 340 million children and adolescents aged 5-19 were overweight or obese in 2016.

• Obesity is preventable.

Source https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight