Obesity is a primary cause of preventable illness .It is a medical situation in which excess body has accumulated to an extent that it may have a negative result on health. Recently, the number of overweight people in industrialized countries has increased significantly, so much so that the World Health Organization (WHO) has called obesity an epidemic.

Causes:

Obesity occurs when your body consumes extra calories than it burns. In the past, a lot of people thought that obesity was only caused by overeating and under-exercising, resulting from a lack of self-control and will power. Although these are important contributing factors, doctors distinguish that obesity is a difficult medical problem that involves genetic, behavioral, environmental, and social factors. All these factors play a task in determining a person’s weight.

Symptoms and Complications

The health risks linked with obesity contain:

• high blood pressure
• certain types of cancers (e.g., prostate and bowel cancer in men, breast and uterine cancer in women)
• coronary artery (heart) disease
• high cholesterol
• diabetes
• depression
• breathing disorders (e.g., sleep apnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
• gallbladder or liver disease
• stroke
• gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• joint disease (e.g., osteoarthritis)