Obesity

Obesity is a medical condition. The body stores so much fat that the risk of other conditions increases. Obesity can have serious effects on health.

When do you have obesity?

Obesity means having severe excess weight. This can be calculated using the Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is a number that represents the relationship between height and weight. A BMI above 30 is considered obesity. Would you like to know your BMI? Click here to calculate your BMI. If you are short and muscular, you may also have a higher BMI. This does not necessarily mean that you have obesity.

What are the consequences of obesity?

Obesity increases the risk of other health problems, such as:

• Diabetes (type 2 diabetes).
• Heart problems.
• High blood pressure.
• Sleep apnea (not breathing during sleep).
• Certain forms of cancer.
• Shorter life expectancy.
• Physical symptoms affecting the feet, ankles, knees, hips and back.
• Reduced endurance (becoming tired quickly).

What causes obesity?

People with obesity generally consume too much energy through food compared with their energy needs from activity. Heredity or genetic predisposition may play a role.

The body needs a certain amount of energy to maintain all basic functions, such as circulating blood, controlling the brain and operating the organs. This is called the resting metabolism, expressed in calories. The basic calorie requirement is the number of calories needed to get through a day without additional physical exertion.

Of course, people do more during the day than lie still. Daily activities and movement also require energy. Adding this extra energy requirement to the basic calorie requirement gives the total number of calories needed each day. If you consume more than this, you take in more energy than you need and may gradually gain weight.

On average, women need 2,000 calories per day and men 2,500. This depends on age and lifestyle. You can calculate approximately how many calories you should consume each day. Click here to calculate your daily calorie requirement.

Heredity
Heredity may also play a role in obesity. One person uses more energy than another because of a faster metabolism. Body composition is also important. Muscles use more calories at rest than fatty tissue. Despite these factors, the main problem is often still that a person eats too much.

Other causes
In exceptional cases, obesity may be caused by a metabolic disease, medication use or a mental health condition.

How does age affect obesity?

Age itself does not affect obesity. However, resting metabolism decreases as we get older. We then need fewer calories to maintain the body's basic functions. 

Resting metabolism is partly determined by the body's hormones. This is why people around menopause may report weight gain and difficulty losing weight. It is therefore important to eat less and/or exercise more as we age.

What are the risk factors for obesity?

Eating too much and eating poorly are the main causes of obesity. However, many risk factors increase the chance of developing obesity:

• Eating disorder.
  Problems with eating can disrupt metabolism, especially when periods of very little food alternate with periods of normal or excessive eating. The body responds by storing extra fat for periods when too little food is consumed.
• Eating too many carbohydrates.
  In addition to the number of calories, too many carbohydrates (sugar) can disrupt fat storage.
• Stress.
  When stress lasts too long, the hormone cortisol can build up in the body. Cortisol increases fat storage and appetite.
• Too little sleep.
  Good sleep is important for the body's hormones. Insufficient sleep can prevent recovery and lead to increased cortisol. Night-shift workers are more likely to be overweight.
• Hormone-disrupting substances.
  Hormones are important for metabolism. Medications or toxic substances can disrupt the hormonal balance.
• Quitting smoking.
  Smoking suppresses appetite, and food tastes better after you quit.

What can you do about obesity?

It is important to pay attention to what and how much you eat. The calorie content is listed on almost every product in the supermarket, except fruits and vegetables. Check the label to see how many calories a product contains. Even products that seem healthy can contain many calories.

Tips

• Pay attention to the number of calories.
• Get moving and stay active. Take the stairs instead of the elevator and cycle to work, for example.
• Find a sport you enjoy. You are more likely to keep up a sport you enjoy.
• Prevent stress. During stressful periods, schedule activities that help you relax, such as exercise, reading a book, making music or another hobby.

If you have obesity, it is best to ask for help with losing weight. A dietitian or nutrition counsellor can help. Trying random diets is not advisable, as the body still needs the right nutrients. Extremely reducing calories is not always advisable either; as mentioned earlier, the body also needs energy.

Exercise
In addition to nutrition, exercise is an important factor in losing weight. To find out which activity or sport is suitable for your body, it is advisable to make an appointment with a physiotherapist. They can advise you about the best activity for your body and how to prevent injuries when starting a sport.

Many physiotherapy practices offer special exercise programs for people with obesity. This gives you the opportunity to work on your weight in a group with others in a similar situation, under the guidance of a physiotherapist.