First of all, we should know the meaning of obesity in biological terms. Obesity can be defined as a chronic condition due to an excess amount of body fats. In general, obesity indicates weight greater than what is healthy. Obesity is best defined by the BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) of an individual. An individual who has a BMI between 25-30 is considered overweight whereas one who exceeds 30 is obese. Nowadays, 50% of teenagers are suffering from obesity. It may become a serious and long-term disease.
What are the causes of Obesity?
Generally, when a person consumes more calories than required, it results in increased body weight. But there can be many reasons for obesity in teens. They are-
- Lifestyle choices: Consumption of unhealthy, and an inactive lifestyle are responsible for obesity. Sugars, fatty foods and refined foods can lead to excess weight gain. Moreover, lack of exercises, excessive social media involvement is also responsible for this.
- Genes: Obesity can also be a genetic disorder. One obese parent can raise a child’s risk for it.
- Socio-economic issues: There is a strong relationship between economic factors and obesity. It is more commonly seen in people who belong to low-income societies. Because they are unable to afford nutritious food.
- Lack of sufficient sleep: Not getting enough sleep can also enhance obesity.
- Metabolism: Every individual has different energy requirements. Metabolism and hormonal activities are not the same for everyone. They are also responsible for abnormal weight gain in children.
Symptoms of Obesity
The main symptom of obesity is too much body fat. It is difficult to measure body fat. BMI is useful in estimating it. It uses the weight and height of an individual to give a result. The result is then, compared with the gender and age of the individual.
Complications in Teenagers
1. High blood pressure and cholesterol affect the heart severely.
2. Obesity is one of the chief causes of type 2 diabetes. It causes insulin resistance, which regulates blood sugar level. Hence, it results in high blood sugar in the body.
3. Obesity affects the knees and hips because of stress caused by body fats. It results in joint problems like osteoporosis, osteoarthritis etc.
4. Obesity causes sleep apnea and breathing problems. Because sleep apnea causes breathing problems in individuals. Breathing problems like asthma are seen more in obese individuals.
5. Obese children have low self-esteem and are lazy, which affects their social as well as emotional development.
Treatment of Obesity
Treatment is different for different individuals. It depends on the symptoms, age and health of the child. Some of them include-
1. Balanced diet by diet counselling.
2. Physical activities, exercises, yoga etc., helps to burn excess body fats.
3. Support and encouragements
4. Medical treatments prescribed by doctors.
Prevention of obesity
- Support of family: Try to change your family’s eating habits and activities. Family support and family time are also beneficial for mental health.
- Be a role model: Parents with good food habits and fit physique set an example for their children.
- More physical activities: It is necessary for both the physical and mental health of an individual. Children should spend a minimum of 60 minutes in physical activities every day.
- Healthy food habits: Try to eat fat-free, sugar-free foods and boiled foods. It is better to have fruits and salad instead of rich calorie snacks.
- Limit screen time: Never spend more than 2 hours in front of a TV, computer or smartphones.
- Stay hydrated: drink more and more water instead of other drinks with added sugar.
- Get enough sleep: one should sleep for 8 hours daily. Earlier bedtimes have proved to decrease rates of obesity.
- Meditation: Daily meditation for at least 20 mins, will keep you stress-free. Stress and depression can also cause obesity.
Obesity is a long-term disease. We can prevent this by leading a healthy lifestyle. A disease-free life is what we all want.
By- Sanchayita Chattopadhyay
