Many people would blame overweight and obesity due to too much consumption of rice. Overweight and obesity are defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as medical condition that occurs when there is an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may lead to health risk. It is often considered a risk factor that will develop serious health problems such as type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, cancer of the uterus, cervix, endometrium, ovary, breast, colon, rectum, esophagus, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidney, and prostate, renal diseases, degenerative arthritis, infertility among women and erectile dysfunction among men. Non-communicable diseases were the leading causes of mortality, morbidity, and disability in the Philippines nowadays.
Obesity is caused by many factors. Although there are genetic, behavioral, and certain health conditions (Cushing syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), osteoarthritis) and medications (antidepressants, anti-seizure medications, diabetes medications, antipsychotic medications, steroids) that may contribute to weight gain, consuming more calories than you have burned in a long-term basis can lead to obesity. Losing weight is not easy for some obese individuals and may require a long-term commitment to do so. According to WHO, we can lower the risk of overweight and obesity by reducing the number of calories consumed from fats and sugars, increasing the portion of daily intake of fruit, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and nuts, and engaging in regular physical activity at least 60 minutes per day for children and 150 minutes per week for adults. In babies, studies have shown that exclusive breastfeeding from birth to 6 months of age reduces the risk of infants becoming overweight or obese.
Body Mass Index (BMI) is an index of weight-for-height, a commonly used parameter for classifying various degrees of adiposity in adults. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a person’s weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. In adults, a BMI of over 25 kg/m2 is overweight and 30 kg/m2 or more is considered obese. Waist-hip ratio is another indicator to identify individuals at risk of obesity‐related morbidity due to the accumulation of abdominal fat. Waist–hip ratio (WHR) is the person's waist circumference divided by the hip circumference. The ratio can be measured more precisely than skin folds, and it provides an index of both subcutaneous and intra‐ abdominal adipose tissue (Bjorntorp, 1987). Weight management must be observed and put into practice for better health.
Maintaining a healthy weight is important to all of us and it can help us lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, and lower the risk of cancer. Eat a healthy diet, drink more water, exercise daily, and get more sleep to stay fit every day.
-PNFP Rowence F. Zorilla, RND
References:
- Obesity
https://www.who.int/health-topics/obesity#tab=tab_1
2. Body Mass Index (BMI)
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/index.html
3. Obesity
