Obesity: New world syndrome

By Hafizatul Salma Harif Fathilah

Obesity is not a new issue to the public especially when the World Health Organisation (WHO) survey in 2010 ranked Malaysia as the highest in obesity rate among the Southeast Asia countries. In the same year, statistical data from the Ministry of Health stated that two out of five Malaysian adults are either overweight or obese.

Obesity is a multi-factorial disorder and becoming a global worry when it greatly raises the risk of health problems such as coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, abnormal blood fats, metabolic syndrome, cancer, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, obesity hypoventilation syndrome, reproductive problems, and gallstones (U.S. National Institutes of Health, 2012).

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Consumption of junk food and an inactive lifestyle are the main attributes to the obesity, a New World Syndrome (NWS) where its dominance is targeted to all age groups especially the population of the developed countries in the world, not to forget the overweight children who are more likely to become overweight or obese as adults. Everyone is at risk but as a man with knowledge, it is nothing much to be worry. You can change your life just by a U-turn of your daily routine. Back to basic.

Before that, how do you measure yourself as an obese? Body Mass Index or BMI is a trusted measurement or indicator used worldwide especially the healthcare professionals to determine whether one falls into underweight, healthy weight, overweight, obese and clinically obese. With a formula of weight (kg) divided by the square of height (m2), you may classify yourself into these five categories.

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Source: www.diet-in-chronic-kidney-disease.com

However, trusting the BMI measurement alone has its own drawback, especially to the athletes. It is because normal people with the same weight as the athlete may vary in the amount of body fat and lean tissue content (muscle). Other factors such as ethnic origin and older people may also be considered. That is why BMI definitions vary across the countries and age groups.

Have you ever wondered why sometimes you and your friend with different level of active lifestyle have different body structure yet having the same weight?

Do not be surprised to the fact that it is normal for the athletes to have higher BMI which may fall to the obesity percentages (BMI more than 25 kg/ m2) with a normal looking physique compared to the obesity man than preferred the inactive lifestyle (less physical activity done). Therefore, you need another measurement way to calculate the body fat accurately. What is it? Just wait for another post.***

Notes: The information posted here is not intended to substitute the advice of a medical professional.

Sources:National Institute of Health (NIH), Nutrition Journal 2004,3(3), 
Malaysia Health Works, Weigh Loss 
Management
Photo of Free Malaysia Today

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