Obesity: A Metabolic Disorder

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Food is our core source of energy. The body burns it to get energy. Food that our bodies don’t immediately use for energy gets quickly stored as fat, and we convert this fat back into fuel for our brains and muscles when food is scarce. This was a great thing for our ancestors who didn’t know when their next meal would be. But for us, with our fast-food restaurants, this survival mechanism is causing turmoil on our health. Obesity is the most common metabolic disorder of humans in the world. It has a negative effect on the psychological and physical health of those affected.

What is Obesity?

Obesity is a term used to describe somebody who is very overweight with a high degree of body fat. Being obese increases your risk of developing a number of serious and potentially life-threatening diseases, such as: Diabetes and strokes. Obesity is also an increasing problem in children, with around one in seven children classified as obese.

Symptoms

Being a little overweight may not cause many noticeable problems. However, once a person carries a little of extra mass, he or she may develop symptoms that affect his or her daily life. The health problems associated with obesity are numerous. Obesity is not just a cosmetic problem. It's a health hazard. Someone who is 40% overweight is twice as likely to die prematurely as is a normal-weight person. Obesity has been linked to several serious medical conditions, including: Heart disease, strokes, High blood pressure, Diabetes and Cancer.

Obesity can also cause day-to-day health problems such as: breathlessness, increased sweating, snoring, difficulty sleeping, etc.. In addition to the day-to-day health problems, many people may also experience psychological problems such as: low self...

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...vide healthy food to their children and limit the amount of processed food used in order to avert their children from falling into the obese category. After the parents, the community should also do something to help like launching campaigns, blogs and advising people of how to overcome obesity.

Conclusion

Preventing obesity at an early age is very beneficial to people’s health and self-esteem. Parents can prevent their children from becoming obese later in life more than they know. They need to be role models for their children, and set examples of a good lifestyle. Regulating how much the child eats is important, especially what they’re eating. Sugar should be cut down. Limiting time in front of the TV and computer could increase physical activity. Treating obesity is not just about quick weight loss, it is about setting up a lifelong pattern of good choices.

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