Nov. 7, 2024 | Obesity is a common condition in the United States that is defined as an increase in size and the amount of fat cells in the body. Obesity is caused by many factors including behaviors like eating patterns, lack of sleep or physical activity, and some medicines, as well as genetics and family history. It is a chronic health condition that raises the risk for heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States, and is linked to many other health problems, including type 2 diabetes and cancer. Nearly three in four adults aged 20 or older in the U.S. are either overweight or obese. Obesity can lead to serious health issues for people of all ages. Some people find that their weight goes up when they start taking medicine for another health condition such as diabetes, depression, or high blood pressure. Talk to your provider before you consider stopping any medicine you are taking for another condition that you think is also impacting your weight.

Nov. 7, 2024 | In the U.S., one in five children and two in five adults have obesity. Obesity is a complex and costly disease influenced by many factors. These factors include health behaviors, stress, health conditions and medications, genes, and people’s environment. Knowing the risk factors can help individuals and communities take steps to prevent and reduce obesity. Lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating patterns such as too many highly processed foods and too little fiber and fruits and vegetables and not enough sleep or poor-quality sleep can all contribute to a person’s obesity. So can too much TV, video games, and other screen time. Long-term stress can affect your brain and trigger your body to make high levels of hormones, such as cortisol. These hormones help regulate energy balances and hunger urges. High levels of these hormones can increase your appetite and promote cravings for foods that are high in fats and added sugars.

Nov. 7, 2024 | Some health conditions may lead to excess weight gain, obesity, or insulin resistance. These conditions include Cushing syndrome, polycystic ovary syndrome, or underactive thyroid. Some medications may also cause weight gain by disrupting the brain’s signals for hunger or through other mechanisms. These can include psychiatric medications, such as antipsychotics and antidepressants, steroids, certain types of hormonal birth control, anti-seizure or mood-stabilizing drugs and certain blood pressure and diabetes medications. A person’s health is also influenced by the conditions in which they live, learn, work, and play. Health can also be influenced by forces and policies that shape these conditions. These factors can range from access to healthy, affordable foods and beverages and access to safe places for physical activity to community design to support activity-friendly routes to everyday destinations and supportive childcare environments.

Nov. 7, 2024 | The two most common ways to assess a person’s weight and measure health risks related to their weight are the body mass index and their waist circumference. Your body mass index, or BMI, is calculated using your height and weight. Your physician can talk to you about your BMI and help you estimate how much body fat you have. In adults, a healthy BMI will range from 18.5 to 24.9. An adult with a BMI over 30 is considered overweight. Your waist measurement is another way to estimate how much body fat you have. Extra weight around your middle or stomach area increases your risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. People with “apple-shaped” bodies, meaning they tend to store fat around their waist and have a slim lower body, also have an increased risk for these diseases. Body composition measures, including those that measure body fat, may be a more accurate tool than BMI for assessing obesity.

Nov. 7, 2024 | Are you trying to shed some pounds and get into shape? An active lifestyle and plenty of exercise, along with healthy eating, is the safest way to lose weight. Even modest weight loss can improve your health. You may need a lot of support from family and friends. Your main goal should be to learn new, healthy ways of eating and make them part of your daily routine. Many people find it hard to change their eating habits and behaviors. You may have practiced some habits for so long that you may not even know they are unhealthy, or you do them without thinking. You need to be motivated to make lifestyle changes. Make the behavior change part of your life over the long term. Know that it takes time to make and keep a change in your lifestyle. Work with your physician and dietitian to set realistic, safe daily calorie counts that help you lose weight while staying healthy. Remember that if you drop weight slowly and steadily, you are more likely to keep it off.