Obesity in women

The number of clinically obese people in the UK is growing at an alarming rate. We may not be in the same league as our American cousins but we are catching up. Obesity is when a person is overweight to such an extent that it can seriously effect their health. It's caused by a combination of consuming too much food and not getting enough exercise. Fast food, larger portions and a inactive lifestyle have fueled the problem to a point where over a half of all women in the UK are overweight or obese. In men the ratio is nearer two thirds.

What are the risks of obesity?

There are many health risks associated with obesity. The main dangers are as follows:

- coronary disease due to the increased load on the heart. Obese people are five times as likely to develop heart disease as those of a normal weight.
- diabetes or insulin resistance. Obese people are almost ten times as likely to develop diabetes as those of a normal weight.
- hypertension or high blood pressure which can cause a heart attack or stoke.
- high blood cholesterol which can effect blood flow in the arteries

Obesity is quickly catching smoking as the main cause of preventable death in the UK. Since the early 1980's obesity adult obesity have triples. Nearly 20% of the entire population are clinically obese and 40% are classed as overweight. Each year nearly 40000 deaths are caused by obesity in the UK alone.

How can I help myself?

Sustained weight loss isn't achieved through crash diets. The only answer is following a healthy, balanced diet and exercising on a regular basis. Starving yourself but still sitting on the sofa will only make you ill. Even if you do a ten minute workout three times a week, it will have an effect on your weight and your overall health. In terms of changing what you eat, you will probably know where you are going wrong. Very few obese people can put their hand on their heart and say they don't eat much. But it's not just how much you eat, it's what you eat. There are many ways to improve your diet and to promote healthy weight loss. The main ones are:

- cut back on thamount of meat you eat particularly red meat and processed meat
- eat as little fried food as possible.
- drink skimmed milk or at least semi skimmed.
- cut back on the snacks
- stop drinking so much. Alcoholic drinks such as lager are high in calories. Just think of beer bellies.
- eat fruit as a dessert rather than high calorie options like cake or pudding.

The Final Thought

We can't all be our perfect weight. Indeed the world would be a boring place if we were all size 10. However, there is a danger of accepting our weight because so many other people are in the same boat. When you go the shops you can take comfort from the fact that every second woman is a similar size to you. But if you are obese or severely overweight, you are missing the bigger picture. Obesity kills - fact. You may be okay today, tomorrow and the next day but eventually it will catch up with you. It may cut your life short by ten, twenty or even thirty years. And that should be all the motivation you need.

Can a gastric balloon be the answer to obesity?

health and nutrition