What are overweight and obesity?
Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health.
Body mass index (BMI) is a simple index of weight-for-height that is commonly used to classify overweight and obesity in adults. It is defined as a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of his height in meters (kg/m2).
The WHO definition is:
- a BMI greater than or equal to 25 is overweight
- a BMI greater than or equal to 30 is obesity.
BMI provides the most useful population-level measure of overweight and obesity as it is the same for both sexes and for all ages of adults. However, it should be considered a rough guide because it may not correspond to the same degree of fatness in different individuals.
Facts about overweight and obesity
Some recent WHO global estimates follow.
- In 2014, more than 1.9 billion adults, 18 years and older, were overweight. Of these over 600 million were obese.
- Overall, about 13% of the world’s adult population (11% of men and 15% of women) were obese in 2014.
- In 2014, 39% of adults aged 18 years and over (38% of men and 40% of women) were overweight.
- In 2013, 42 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese.
- The worldwide prevalence of obesity more than doubled between 1980 and 2014.
What causes obesity and overweight?
The fundamental cause of obesity and overweight is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended. Globally, there has been:
a) An increased intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat; and
b) An increase in physical inactivity due to the increasingly sedentary nature of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation, and increasing urbanization
How can overweight and obesity be reduced?
Overweight and obesity, as well as their related non communicable diseases, are largely preventable.
At the individual level, people can:
A) limit energy intake from total fats and sugars;
B) Increase consumption of fruit and vegetables, as well as legumes, whole grains and nuts;
C) Engage in regular physical activity (60 minutes a day for children and 150 minutes per week for adults).
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM OUR PROGRAM?
Rapid and safe weightloss
Palpable boost in energy level
Improved muscle tone and body shape
Drop in bad cholesterol and increase in good one
Better sugar control if you are diabetic
Dramatic improvement in overall health and mood
