Obesity is a Disease

How an individual becomes obese.

If you are battling pounds, it's important to know that obesity is now considered a disease--not the result of personal failure. Obesity, a heterogeneous disease is connected many trigger factors including genetic factors, environmental factors, and psychological factors.

Obesity rips away the ability to control the amount of foods that an individual consumes. Obesity slowly steals one's good health, day by day. Almost always, an obese individual realizes the health dangers associated with obesity - yet the taste and enjoyment they receive from food overrides the ability to gain control of their eating habits.

Of course, when the obese victim is a child, they tend to have no inkling what overeating is doing to their health; they are merely participating in the over-consumption of food out of habit - or because it tastes good. In obese adults - as well as children, often times the obese condition may be related to an excess in calories do to the high fat and sugar content of the foods they eat and drink rather than the amount of foods consumed. The following is an example of consuming a small amount of foods which are high in fat and calories and which can work swiftly to create an obese individual:

Breakfast: 1 cheese omelet prepared with butter, 1 slice of toast with butter, 1 glass of whole chocolate milk - Total calories equal 800 calories.

Lunch: 1 cheeseburger, 1 order of fries, 1 small milkshake - Total calories equal 1,400 calories.

Dinner: 1 serving of lasagna, 1 slice of cheesy garlic bread, 1 small side salad with ranch dressing & croutons + 1 small slice of cheesecake for dessert - Total calories equal 1,600 calories.

Total daily calories equals 3,800 calories - and that's based on single servings and no daily snacks.

An omelet, a slice of toast and a glass of milk for breakfast are reasonable based on portion size - as are the other selections for lunch and dinner. In the above example menu, it's the amount of fat and sugar in the foods that contribute to the extreme calories which in turn contributes to obesity.

What causes weight gain which leads to obesity?

Obesity is like a giant web which holds all the trigger-factors above, but obesity itself is the result of the body consuming more calories than it uses. The excess calories (i.e. energy), are stored in the fat cells which inflate, the effects mirrored on the body.

It's important to note that obesity occurs in a small number of individuals due to illnesses such as hypothyroidism or as the result of certain medications, such as steroids which can stimulate weight gain.

Obesity has been linked to a number of illnesses which contribute to premature illness or even death. On a positive note, even a small drop in weight can bring forth many benefits to the obese individual such as:

a lower blood pressure reading, thereby lowering the risk of heart attack and stroke;

a reduction in blood glucose levels which are associated with diabetes;

cholesterol and triglyceride levels decrease which in turn lowers risks associated with cardiovascular disease;

a reduction in sleep apnea;

a decreased risk of osteoarthritis due to less stress placed on the weight-bearing joints;

decreased risk of depression;

an increase in self-esteem.

In Weight Loss Summary

If you or a loved one is suffering from obesity, please seek the assistance of your family doctor as soon as possible before serious irreversible damage is done to the body. There are many options for individuals battling obesity, such as Rx drugs which have received approval by the FDA. Those include:

Certain amphetamines such as Dexedrine

Amphetamine derivatives such as Ionamin, Adipex-P (phentermine), Sanorex (mazindol), Tenuate (diethylpropion), and Prelu-2 (phendimetrazine)

Meridia (sibutramine)

I am living proof that obesity can be kicked to the curb. It's your street - your heartbeat. Show obesity who's boss without waiting another second.

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