UNDERSTANDING THE ESSENCE OF OBESITY
Obesity spreads very quickly, causing many physical and psychological problems and even death. This is a big problem for an incredible number of people. In the United States alone, the number of obese people is 30.6%, followed by Mexico - 24.2%. However, this problem affected not only Americans. Obesity is spreading rapidly in Europe: according to statistics, the UK is in the lead, obese people in this country - 23%, followed by Slovakia with 22.4% and Greece - 21%. And it's not just about overweight people. Obesity is a disease that can endanger your life. As soon as a person cannot control his/her weight, his/her life also gets out of control.
Where is the line between just being overweight and obese? According to the international system for measuring body mass index, it is considered that a person is overweight with a BMI greater than 25, while a BMI greater than 30 indicates obesity. Obesity is a complex problem whose roots lie in culture, lifestyle, genetic predisposition, and other factors as well.
GENETIC PREREQUISITES
Medical studies have identified a link between being overweight and previous generations. If your parents and their parents struggled with overweight, then it is likely that at an older age you will also be concerned about this problem. However, this is not the final verdict, so no one can blame only genetics.
In rare cases, you may have a medical diagnosis that will affect your weight. For example:
- congenital heart defects: due to limited physical activity for medical reasons;
- adrenogenital syndrome: increased concentration of adrenal hormones. The first symptoms of this disease appear immediately after birth and are usually visible (seen) on the external reproductive organs, rapid growth and early maturation. Later, it affects the increase in blood pressure and contributes to obesity due to high steroid level;
- congenital leptin deficiency. Leptin is a hormone that reduces the feeling of appetite. Usually, the concentration of this substance increases after eating and confronts the center of appetite in the central nervous system. Symptoms of leptin deficiency include overeating, obesity, high insulin levels, and increased susceptibility to infections.
However, these diseases are quite rare and are diagnosed at an early age, so it is likely to prevent further development of obesity. Although it is important to know about these medical diseases, the treatment of children with them does not completely solve the problem.
THE MAIN CAUSE OF OBESITY
Obesity is caused by increased calorie intake. In other words, when you eat more than you need. These extra calories are not used to produce energy, and are stored by the body as fat, thereby increasing weight. More precisely, on average, 500 extra calories per day will be extra 0.5 kilograms per week.
STRESS + LACK OF SLEEP = WEIGHT GAIN
You may be surprised that your weight continues to grow or remains unchanged, regardless of the fact that you adhere to a balanced diet and do not neglect physical activity. Doctors suggest that you pay attention to the duration of your sleep, and the ways in which you cope with stress. Of course, the body works better, when you get enough rest, therefore, when you do not get enough sleep your body is under stress and through biochemical reactions accumulates fat faster. It is known that when a person is tired, it is more difficult to cope with stress. However, many people use food as a way to deal with trouble. The next time you catch yourself having a night snack, ask yourself the question: better or this is a way to deal with stress. Do you really need these extra calories? By setting a diet and resting for at least 8 hours, you can really learn to control your weight.
KEEP AN EYE THE SIZE OF YOUR PLATE
Interestingly, the environment can also affect how much you eat. For example, several scientific studies have shown that you will eat more if the food is on a large plate. This is a psychological trick. The same amount of food will look different if served on a large or small plate. You may deceive yourself that the portion looks small, but you will consume more calories than usual. The same applies to the size of food packages. It is believed that you will save money by buying large packages, but unknowingly you will eat more.
EAT LESS, TASTE MORE
Doctors call this fact food’s memory loss. This phenomenon is associated with our habit of performing several tasks at the same time. Food and other activities should not happen at the same time, since in the end you stop paying attention to what you eat and the amount of food you have eaten. Since you are easily distracted, a simple dinner can end in overeating. On the other hand, a slow meal while you are enjoying each piece sent into your mouth can bring you much more pleasure.
BEWARE OF OBESOGENIC COMPPONENTS
Obesity can be triggered by substances called obesogenic, which are often included in various foods (products). This components confuse the system that regulates your weight by increasing the amount of adipose tissue, while reducing the number of calories you burn. Examples of obesogenic items:
- Bisphenol A is a chemical found in food or canned beverages that can easily get into food by itself. Bisphenol A affects the development of metabolic syndrome (in the group of concomitant pathologies, which includes obesity).
- Phthalates are found in fragrances (flavors) and other products used at home. Phthalates mainly affect boys, reducing blood testosterone levels and causing central obesity.
- Dioxins are combustion products that may cause severe metabolic syndrome.
10 TIPS FOR CONTROLLING YOUR WEIGHT
You can control some factors that contribute to weight gain. Take into account some key points that have been shown to help solve the problem of overweight.
- Eat regularly. It is recommended to eat 3 times a day at the same time and not to eat between meals;
- Eat slowly;
- Drink at least 2 liters of water per day;
- Fruits and vegetables should make up a significant part of your diet;
- Limit sweets and fast food;
- Eat from small plates and cups, which create the appearance that the portion is larger;
- Do not watch TV, do not sit on the Internet and do not stand while eating It is better to concentrate on what you eat and try to feel the rich taste of food;
- Do not buy large economical food packages;
- Do not go to the store hungry and try to make a list of food you need;
- Start exercising. Go down the stairs instead of using the elevator, do housework, start running or come up with something else.