Obesity & Weight Loss

The definition of obesity is someone with a body fat percentage of more than thirty percent. Percentage of body fat is generally measured by the body mass index Obesity is very prevalent in the United States and has reached the level of being an epidemic. Once a person becomes obese it becomes very difficult for that person to lose weight as obesity limits the amount of exercise that aperson can do.

Obesity is the leading cause of many health conditions and can increase your chances of having a stroke, heart attack, or heart disease and greatly increases your overall chances of mortality. Obesity treatments, even moderate weight loss, will greatly improve your overall health and decrease your chances of developing a health condition. While it can be more difficult for someone suffering from obesity to lose weight, it doesn't mean that its impossible. There are things the people suffering from obesity can do to improve their overall health and increase their chances of living a long and healthy life.

Physical activity can be done but one should consult their physician before starting to discuss any health restrictions. While physical activity can be done, it is also necessary to make diet changes. It may even be beneficial to speak with a nutritionist who can help you set up a diet plan that will help with weight loss but will also be healthy.

Another option for people suffering from obesity is gastric bypass surgery or gastric banding. While these procedures can have great results not everyone qualifies for the surgeries and procedures and even if they do they may not be able to afford the procedure, they can be very costly and any surgery has dangers associated with it.

The good thing is that anyone suffering from obesity can lose weight in some capacity. While it may not be easy or a fast process it will ultimately lengthen your life and make you a much healthier person. Maintaining a healthy weight is essential for living a healthy life and preventing various diseases and health conditions.

• Adolescent Obesity – a great question and answer section on childhood obesity

• What is Obesity – a great article from Harvard Medicine describing the symptoms, diagnosis, and prevention of obesity

• Obesity Tutorial – a tutorial on the problem of obesity in the United States

• Childhood Obesity – a list of quick facts on childhood weight and obesity

• Obesity Gene Map – information on the human obesity gene map database

• Obesity Causes – a list of causes of morbid obesity and information on weight loss surgery

• Body Mass Index – a body mass index calculator that can be used to measure body fat percentage

• Bariatric Surgery – information on bariatric weight loss surgery with some great information on body mass index

• Obesity Epidemic – information on the obesity epidemic and how it is increasing the number of weight loss surgeries

• Non Surgical Weight Loss – information on some alternatives to surgery for those needing to lose a significant amount of weight

• Exercise and Obesity – an article explaining the role of exercise in treating obesity

• Effects of Obesity – an article explaining the effects of obesity and exercise with information on whether obesity is a mental health issue