10 July 2023

Is Obesity a Disease? What are the Causes of Obesity?

Obesity, one of the biggest health problems of our age, is a chronic disease that occurs when the body mass index deteriorates as a result of an irregular increase in the body fat mass of the individual compared to the lean mass. The World Health Organization defines obesity as abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat in the body to the extent that it may impair health. Today, it is recognized as one of the 10 most risky diseases in the world. According to WHO, the number of individuals with obesity today is over 600 million.

Is Obesity a Disease? What are the Causes of Obesity?

Obesity, one of the biggest health problems of our age, is a chronic disease that occurs when the body mass index deteriorates as a result of an irregular increase in body fat mass compared to lean mass. World Health Organization (WHO) defines obesity as abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat in the body to the extent that it may impair health. Today, it is recognized as one of the 10 most risky diseases in the world. Again, according to the World Health Organization, the number of individuals with obesity today is over 600 million.

A common calculation is used worldwide for obesity. It is obtained by measuring weight in kilograms and height in meters and dividing by its square (kg/m²). Body Mass Index above 30 is considered obese, above 40 is considered morbidly obese and above 50 is considered super obese. Having values in this range does not mean that the individual is healthy. Being above or below the specified limits determines the risk of obesity.

How Obesity Occurs

Obesity occurs when the amount of energy taken into the body is greater than the amount of energy expended and the unspent energy is stored as fat in the body. The main function of fat storage in the body is to ensure the body's energy production. However, in case of obesity, since fat cannot be converted into energy, it first shows its effect by being stored in the waist and abdomen.

Obesity is caused by the frequent consumption of ready-to-eat foods with a long shelf life and fatty foods that are deficient in protein, which cannot be digested in the body and are converted into fat. Obesity can occur as a result of unhealthy nutrition or as a result of some genetic predispositions. However, it is not correct to define obesity as a hereditary or genetic disease.

Fat tissues make up 20-25% of body weight in women and 15-18% in men. When the proportion of fat in the body reaches 30% in women and over 25% in men, it is called obesity.

What Factors Cause Obesity?

While we can easily access everything we want thanks to the opportunities offered by developing technology, the incidence of obesity is increasing day by day as a result of the decrease in physical activity. With the increase in the time spent in front of technological devices such as phones, televisions, computers, etc., the level of physical activity has decreased and it has been proven that sedentary life accelerates uncontrolled weight gain. Even if the amount of daily energy decreases, lack of movement increases the risk of obesity.

Another important issue, mood changes, also affect the psychology of nutrition. Preferring foods to get away from negative situations is called emotional eating. Today, emotional eating is found in the majority of obesity patients. As a result of emotional eating, the amount of dopamine and serotonin, the body's happiness hormones, increases as the individual feels good. This is a form of habit that emerges to support the mood of the individual.

12 Steps to Prevent Obesity/h3>

Obesity, which has become increasingly common in recent years, brings with it various health problems and negatively affects the quality of life of the individual. In order to prevent obesity, eating habits should be changed and sports should be made an integral part of our lives. You can prevent obesity with the measures listed below.

  1. Prepared food consumption should be minimized.
  2. The amount of fat consumed daily should be controlled.
  3. Plant foods should be preferred over animal foods.
  4. Walk for at least 30 minutes a day.
  5. Daily salt consumption should be reduced.
  6. Care should be taken not to skip meals.
  7. Foods high in fiber should be consumed.
  8. Consume plenty of vegetables and fruits.
  9. Harmful habits should be avoided.
  10. Consumption of sugary foods and beverages should be limited.
  11. Diet should be done under expert control.
  12. Each food group should be adequately nourished.

Although obesity may seem like an aesthetic concern, it is actually a serious health problem. For more information about obesity and nutrition, you can visit our Nutrition and Dietetics department page and join our club.


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