Obesity: Facts & Myths

It is often assumed that obese people are lazy. However, it is wrong to assume before knowing the details. Obesity is linked to many different reasons other than being lethargic. Spreading the right awareness about the disorder is essential as people are getting trapped in their poor lifestyle without being able to consciously act towards it. World obesity day plays a major role in creating the necessary awareness regarding the issue. Pursuing fad diets and workouts is only a temporary solution to tackle the problem but it is not right to exhaust your body in doing so. Maintaining a balance in your journey to overcome obesity is essential and that is something that is celebrated on the anti-obesity day.

Added to that, people tend to ignore children's obesity thinking that they might shed that extra weight as they grow up. World obesity day is about raising the knowledge about obesity for all kinds of people irrespective of their age, size, gender, etc.  

What is obesity?

Obesity is a condition that is a result of excess body fat. Diagnosis of obesity leads to an increase in the risk of developing several health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, depression, cancer, etc. It disrupts metabolic functions and reduces your body’s ability to burn more calories as a result you gain body weight. Obesity is usually linked to overeating and being lazy however factors like genes, age, having other diseases like polycystic ovarian syndrome, and hypothyroidism are also some of the prime causes of obesity. To highlight these facts, it is vital to celebrate anti-obesity day each year on the 26th of November. Obesity is soon becoming an epidemic as people are falling for poor lifestyle patterns.

Having a body mass index (BMI) of more than 30 is a sign that you have obesity. Obesity is becoming the root cause of many serious health complications. Fortunately, due to days like World obesity day, people have started to recognize the importance of a healthy lifestyle however, there is still a long way to go before obesity can completely be eradicated. Read more to know about what level of blood sugar is dangerous?

5 myths & facts about obesity

It is important to quash the myths about obesity so that people develop the conscience to fight against it sensibly. This anti-obesity day let’s highlight the facts that debunk the myths. Utilizing obesity day to create a cause, busting such myths will ease the weight loss journey for many.

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Myth- Obesity is the consequence of poor lifestyle choices

Fact- Often obesity is considered the result of wrong eating habits and lack of movement. This might be the case for some. However, it is not fully correct that only lazy people who have bad eating habits are obese. Developing obesity can be a result of several other factors other than just being a couch potato. Though diet and physical activities play a major role, this doesn’t give us a free ticket to ignore all other causes of obesity. Equal importance should be given to other causes of obesity such as consumption of fast foods, excessive intake of alcohol, eating larger portions than required, consumption of sugary drinks and beverages etc while accessing the disease.

Myth- People with obesity have a slow metabolism

Fact- Metabolism is determined by body composition and not body weight. People often think that if somebody is fat and obese he or she might have a slow metabolism but this isn’t the complete truth. Skinny people have faster metabolism is a sheer myth, on the contrary people with larger bodies require more energy to carry out daily chores and therefore their resting metabolic rate is much higher than slim people. It is not the weight that determines the metabolic functions. More calories are burnt by muscle tissues than by fats and this should be the underlying principle to determine metabolism.

Myth- Obesity should be a concern only for adults

Fact- This is an important myth that should be busted this obesity day, obesity is as dangerous to children and teenagers as it is to adults. Children are in their growing years therefore it is assumed that as they grow up they might lose the extra kilos automatically. Ignorance of childhood obesity may expose them to develop serious health complications. Obesity affects the growth of children and puts their health at stake. It is equally essential to recognize childhood obesity as a serious issue, especially during recent times when children are easily falling for the wrong lifestyle choices.

Myth- Eating less frequently will help to fight obesity and increase weight loss

Fact- According to studies, you tend to intake more calories if you eat larger meals all at once. This type of eating habit increases your craving for sugar, salt, and carbs eventually making you binge eat. On the other hand, if you eat smaller frequent meals your metabolism will work smoothly and sugar levels will be controlled. Added to that eating frequent small meals of tailored calories will save you from binge eating junk to satisfy your cravings. You can pledge to start with such eating habits from this obesity day. Keeping a track of your calorie consumption daily will aid your weight management and bring you closer to your weight loss goal.

Myth-If obesity is in your genes you ought to have it.

Fact- Though genetic factors play an important role in assessing obesity, it doesn’t claim that just because obesity runs in your family you’ll be diagnosed with it. However, if it is in your genes your risk of getting diagnosed increases but if you alter your lifestyle and make lifestyle you’ll be able to fight it just like an ordinary person who does not have genetic obesity. World obesity day 2021 called attention to such facts so that people could know what is the prime reason causing such disorders and how to smartly battle through it.

Bottomline

A lot of people are still living in a delusion that obesity is purely the result of overeating and laziness. The opportunity of World obesity day 2021 was taken to bust such myths. Knowing the prime cause of obesity in your body will help you to treat it effectively. Though diet and exercise play an important role, it is not correct to deprive your body of essential nutrients in the name of diet or exhaust it with heavy workouts. Wholesome eating and moderate workout must be encouraged. Take baby steps to fight it and with collective efforts, obesity will just be a thing of history.

FAQs

What are the 5 ways to reduce obesity?

You can tackle obesity by cutting out processed food, increasing your physical activity, correcting your sleeping patterns, eating a balanced diet, and reducing stress levels. A healthy mind and body are the key to keeping the body obesity-free.

Are obese people less active?

As obese people tend to use more energy to perform daily chores, they often experience fatigue and decreased energy endurance due to which they can be a little less active than ordinary people. However, with a correct lifestyle this inactiveness can be defeated.

What are the 3 keys to preventing obesity?

Following a daily workout routine, consuming a nutritious diet, and having quality sleep are the three keys that will keep you away from obesity. A fit body is a result of good lifestyle choices. Obesity day also plays an important role in helping people to prevent obesity.

What are the progressions of obesity?

Depending on the composition of body fat and its distribution, there are four progressions of obesity namely normal weight obese, metabolically obese normal weight, metabolically healthy obese, and metabolically unhealthy obese.