It is often assumed that obese people are lazy. However, it is wrong to assume before knowing the details.
Obesity is linked to many different reasons other than being lethargic.
Spreading the right awareness about the disorder is essential as people are getting trapped in their poor lifestyle without being able to consciously act towards it. Pursuing fad diets and workouts is only a temporary solution to tackle the problem but it is not right to exhaust your body in doing so.
Maintaining a balance in your journey to overcome obesity is essential and that is something that is celebrated on the anti-obesity day.
What is obesity?
Obesity is a condition that is a result of excess body fat. Diagnosis of obesity leads to an increase in the risk of developing several health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, depression, cancer, etc. It disrupts metabolic functions and reduces your body’s ability to burn more calories as a result you gain body weight. Obesity is usually linked to overeating and being lazy however factors like genes, age, having other diseases like polycystic ovarian syndrome, and hypothyroidism are also some of the prime causes of obesity. Obesity is soon becoming an epidemic as people are falling for poor lifestyle patterns.
Having a body mass index (BMI) of more than 30 is a sign that you have obesity.It is becoming the root cause of many serious health complications.
5 myths & facts about obesity
It is important to quash the myths about obesity so that people develop the conscience to fight against it sensibly.
Myth- Obesity is the consequence of poor lifestyle choices
Fact- Often obesity is considered the result of wrong eating habits and lack of movement. This might be the case for some. However, it is not fully correct that only lazy people who have bad eating habits are obese. Developing obesity can be a result of several other factors other than just being a couch potato. Though diet and physical activities play a major role, this doesn’t give us a free ticket to ignore all other causes of obesity. Equal importance should be given to other causes of obesity such as consumption of fast foods, excessive intake of alcohol, eating larger portions than required, consumption of sugary drinks and beverages etc while accessing the disease.
Myth- People with obesity have a slow metabolism
Fact- Metabolism is determined by body composition and not body weight. People often think that if somebody is fat and obese he or she might have a slow metabolism but this isn’t the complete truth. Skinny people have faster metabolism is a sheer myth, on the contrary people with larger bodies require more energy to carry out daily chores and therefore their resting metabolic rate is much higher than slim people. It is not the weight that determines the metabolic functions. More calories are burnt by muscle tissues than by fats and this should be the underlying principle to determine metabolism.
Myth- Obesity should be a concern only for adults
Fact- This is an important myth that should be busted this obesity day, obesity is as dangerous to children and teenagers as it is to adults. Children are in their growing years therefore it is assumed that as they grow up they might lose the extra kilos automatically. Ignorance of childhood obesity may expose them to develop serious health complications. Obesity affects the growth of children and puts their health at stake. It is equally essential to recognize childhood obesity as a serious issue, especially during recent times when children are easily falling for the wrong lifestyle choices.
Myth- Eating less frequently will help to fight obesity and increase weight loss
Fact- According to studies, you tend to intake more calories if you eat larger meals all at once. This type of eating habit increases your craving for sugar, salt, and carbs eventually making you binge eat. On the other hand, if you eat smaller frequent meals your metabolism will work smoothly and sugar levels will be controlled. Added to that eating frequent small meals of tailored calories will save you from binge eating junk to satisfy your cravings. You can pledge to start with such eating habits from this obesity day. Keeping a track of your calorie consumption daily will aid your weight management and bring you closer to your weight loss goal.
Myth-If obesity is in your genes you ought to have it
Fact- Though genetic factors play an important role in assessing obesity, it doesn’t claim that just because obesity runs in your family you’ll be diagnosed with it. However, if it is in your genes your risk of getting diagnosed increases but if you alter your lifestyle and make lifestyle you’ll be able to fight it just like an ordinary person who does not have genetic obesity.
Bottomline
A lot of people are still living in a delusion that obesity is purely the result of overeating and laziness. The opportunity of World obesity day 2021 was taken to bust such myths. Knowing the prime cause of obesity in your body will help you to treat it effectively. Though diet and exercise play an important role, it is not correct to deprive your body of essential nutrients in the name of diet or exhaust it with heavy workouts. Wholesome eating and moderate workout must be encouraged. Take baby steps to fight it and with collective efforts, obesity will just be a thing of history.
Dt Shreyoshi Bhaumick, Clinical Nutritionist and Lifestyle Counselor, M.Sc in Food and Nutrition, C.U.