Obesity – Should we be afraid?

In a world where more than 1.5 billion people are suffering from obesity, it is safe to say that this disease is fast becoming a reason for worry. Obesity, although preventable, has doubled in the last decade and has led to a number of health problems like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, gout and congestive heart failure to name a few. In India 12% of men and 16% of women are either overweight or obese and cities like Delhi and Chandigarh lead as obesity capitals with a record of 53% of its population being over weight. The number of child obesity cases is also rising at an alarming rate. Let us look at some of the factors contributing to the increase in number of cases of obesity.According to a recent survey, more than 70% of the population of mega cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai are overweight. Factors like stress, unhealthy diets and reduced physical activity seem to be the main reason. These   big cities usually have congested roads, polluted streets and high stress jobs. There has been a marked decrease in physical activity due to the increasingly sedentary nature of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation, and increasing urbanization, especially for people in the corporate sector or public sector companies. Most of their work profile involves sitting in offices with very little physical mobility. Even outside office, there is hardly any physical activity with indoor entertainment, and automated mode of transport. With the gradual rise in fast food joints and eateries, people now prefer eating out and look to it as a form of entertainment. The food served in these places is low on nutrition and high on fat. People are slowly shifting from freshly prepared home cooked meals to store bought, frozen and ready to eat meals as the latter is more convenient.Two simple things can be followed to tackle this disease; a well balanced meal and regular exercise. Ensuring one gets enough of carbohydrates, proteins, good fats, vitamins and minerals is essential. A balanced diet of fruits, vegetables and lean meat will ensure you remain healthy. Further regular exercise is necessary to keep your mind and body active. Regular exercise reduces stress levels, improves concentration power and increases productivity. Studies have shown that even a 20 minute walk four times a week can do wonder to a person’s health.  A low-calorie diet generally contains between 1,200 and 1,800 calories per day. Consuming very less calories can cause your body to slow down your basic metabolic processes, which results in slowing down of your weight loss process or stalling it altogether. It can also lead to dieting frustration and extreme hunger which results in binging. Therefore, one needs to strike a balance between eating too much and too little and focus on healthy eating and increasing levels of energy.Apart from following a healthy diet and regular exercise, a number of products are now available to help fight this disease. Many pharmaceutical companies have introduced protein drinks, diet pills and slimming drinks which claim to help burn fat by simply consuming them. These products are rich in fiber and protein and low in fats, sugar and calories. They are the ideal solution for people living in big cities with demanding work schedules and little time for exercise. Some popular brands are Amway’s Positrim, Cambridge’s Weight Plan and Hexagon’s Obesigo among which Obesigo is known to have some amazing results!