Obesity has been a serious public health problem in the United States, and now is the second leading preventable deaths in the United States. Sixty million adults suffer from obesity in the US, and nine million are severely obese. Not only are adults affected by it but children too. Obesity is increasing in both children and adults, and it has now been called a world wide epidemic.

What exactly is obesity? Is it just being way over the expected weight for a person’s age and gender? Or does it entail much more? Obesity can be called a chronic disease and not only does it affect your body and physical health but also affects both your physiological and behavioral components. Obesity is a state in which natural energy reserve is stored in the fatty tissue of the body. It’s an excess of fat. A person is considered to be obese when they are their weight is twenty percent or more for the normal weight for a person their age and gender. Put plain and simple, a obese person has too much fat in his or her body.

Not only does eating too much calories cause excess fat, but also other factors contribute to your obesity:

• Age. Yes age can have much to do with your weight. The older you get your body metabolism slows down so you won’t be able to burn fat as fast and effectively as you used to. That’s why it’s difficult to lose weight when you get older.
• Gender. Another thing that plays a role in obesity is gender. Women tend to gain more weight than men. It’s not fair but it’s true.
• The medication you take if you are taking any plays a role. Medicines like steroids, and antidepressants can cause excessive weight gain.
• A person’s physiological health affects their weight too. Several people are apt to eat to hide or cover up feelings such as anger, sadness (depression)

Person’s with obesity are at a high risk of developing serious medical problems if action is not taken right away. They can get Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, osteoarthritis and so on.

It’s important for people suffering from obesity to seek professional help immediately. Why? Because it means your life. There are plenty of doctors and nutritionist who are willing and waiting to help you.

• Mediterranean Diet Praised for Anti-Aging Benefits
• Study Suggests Insomnia Contributes to Diabetes
• Like to Walk? Washington DC is Your Kind of Town
• Diabetes - Symptoms And Causes
• New Study: Sugar Substitute Causes Weight Gain