Illness & Medication

It is not unknown that in some rare incidents, illnesses can lead to obesity. Such types of illnesses include hormone problems such as hypothyroidism, depression, etc. Certain medications, such as steroids and some antidepressants, may also cause excessive weight gain. Please note that obesity statistics from this cause are rather low and usually unavailable.

It is important that if an individual suspects himself/herself to be overweight/obese, they get it checked. There are several tests that can be performed to determine if you are overweight or obese. Though, it is not easy to measure the exact amount of a person's body fat. Some of these tests are hydrostatic body fat test, or a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). However, these tests are done only in research centers with special, and therefore, not practical for an average person. Some of the easier tests include calipers, bioelectrical impedence (BIA), or the most common methods -height/weight charts and body mass index (BMI). BMI is the most common tool used to measure obesity. It also measures your weight relative to your height.

Illness Effects of Obesity

While overweight and obesity are not just cosmetic problems, these pose several health concerns as well. An individual who is 40% overweight is more likely to die prematurely as compared to an average-weight person. The conditions of overweight and obesity have been associated to causing several medical conditions. Some of these include:

• High blood pressure
• Heart disease and stroke
• Cancer
• Gallbladder Disease and Gallstones
• Diabetes
• Osteoarthritis
• Gout
• Breathing Problems, such as sleep apnea and asthma

Keeping all this in mind, it is important that people who are fat get back on track and get their lives under control by losing their fat! While losing weight and keeping it off is not very easy, it is not an impossible feat either. However, before you start a weight loss program, it is important that you set effective and achievable goals. The most important areas which one needs to focus on are changes in their diet and planning an exercise routine.

While there are several off-the-counter medicines available which claim to reduce fat, one really needs to think as to how are these medicines going to have any effect if you keep sitting by the TV all day, helping yourself to a tub of ice-cream. Therefore, make that decision now and work towards attaining your goal!

Remember, a healthy body not only makes yourself feel good, but it immediately boosts up an individual's cosmetic appeal as well! So lose that fat today!