Overweight and Obesity.

                                                    

Overweight and Obesity.

This is an article that was written by a student in relation to their module that they are about to go through. Its content comes from peer reviewed articles they have read on the internet, such as this website. Although I feel its worth reading and even rewording for better clarity, I have also added my own thoughts over some of the points discussed to make it clear to the group members. The purpose of writing this article is not only to inform them but also to educate them on how important it is to be aware and understand obesity in today's society. This could save someone who may not know what obesity means or understand many things about it, which is very important. Since I am no expert on this subject area, I highly recommend having some knowledge and understanding about it.

Obesity has been in existence for centuries and continues to affect our world everyday. We live in a culture where eating habits are considered as being fashionable and normal. Whether it is being skinny, chubby, round, flat chested, etc most people are either overweight, obese or even somewhere in between. In fact, one out of seven adults is either overweight or obese. If you think about it, this number seems astronomical. These statistics really show that we need to take drastic action if something isn't done now. Obesity is defined as being more than 30% overweight and over 50% obese. But what does this mean? It means that half of all Americans today are obese or overweight. Of course, those who are actually fat are most likely at the higher number or the lower percentage. For example, a person that has just gained 10 pounds on average between 1980-1995 is now classified as being 60% overweight, 45% obese, 40% morbidly obese, 40% severely obese & 20% super obese. As for me, being at the higher percentage indicates that most of us have a BMI index of 30 - 25.5.

Today, obesity remains as a major health issue. What is more shocking is that it is still on the rise, affecting millions of today's youth. According the Center for Disease Control (CDC), one out of three children are now suffering from obesity. Why do these stats make sense? Obesity and being overweight often tend to go hand in hand. Today, when someone thinks of being more overweight, it generally tends to imply that the individual is lacking a good diet. Being less thin also can be interpreted as being lacking good nutrition. To be clear, there is nothing wrong with being "fat" but sometimes that is taken to mean unhealthy food choices, lack of activity, bad habits, etc. That being said, it is good to have these two factors when trying to manage or cope up with your weight and health. One of the best ways of coping up with or losing weight is by getting back into shape or exercising regularly. Many young or old alike who have become obese want to lose the excess weight or help others to get rid of weight. However, because the body is extremely sensitive to external stimuli, when it comes down to losing weight it becomes rather difficult to do so. Even though losing weight can be a serious problem, there are plenty of methods you can use to aid yourself in getting to your desired weight. There are a lot of options available and each option will vary depending on the type of fat you have accumulated. Some examples include reducing the amount of calories you have eaten; taking dietary supplements or medications that help reduce sugar and carbohydrates; increasing physical activity and other types of exercise; avoiding consuming certain foods and drinks; adjusting portions sizes; cutting down on alcohol; following a healthy lifestyle style and making sure to eat healthy snacks. Whatever method you choose to follow will affect how quickly you start seeing results in losing weight. Most importantly, though, you must remember that losing weight requires dedication and commitment, and that can only come from people who are willing and can commit to their goals. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!

The first thing you should do when deciding to start changing your life is to identify your goal. At this point in time you have probably decided to change your entire personality with regards to your personal tastes, your diet, and the way you treat yourself. So now that you've identified your goals, you know exactly what type of person you want to be. Once you know that, it is easier to decide whether to start with working towards achieving that goal or simply doing anything else that you enjoy. There are only 3 things that you will need to keep moving forward. Your mindset, motivation, and perseverance.  As long as you start seeing positive improvements, you can easily maintain your new healthier lifestyle. All it takes is a little bit of discipline and determination. Having set your goal, it is now time to move on to workable plans to see your dream come true.