Today, the word obesity is of much of a concern for all as it is a growing epidemic that is affecting billions of people around the world.  Not only has it been talked a lot, but it has also begun to be ranked as a serious risk comparable to certain diseases. In fact, some doctors and nutritionist even call obesity itself a disease. One needs to know what exactly obesity is.

Obesity is simply defined as too much or high proportion of body fat. According to most references, a person is classified as obese if he or she has a BMI of 30 or higher.  People with a BMI of 25-29 are typically classified as overweight, however they also take the risk of becoming obese if they do not change their Diet and lifestyle or seek medical advice.

Body mass index (BMI) and Waist circumference measurement are the recommended ways to estimate body fat. A high-risk waistline is 35 inches or higher for women, and 40 inches or higher for men.
The body mass index formula assesses body weight relative to height. It's a useful, indirect measure of body composition, because in most people it correlates highly with body fat. Weight in kilograms is divided by height in meters squared (kg/m2). Or multiply weight in pounds by 703; divide by height in inches, then divide again by height in inches.

• BMI values less than 18.5 are considered underweight.
• BMI values from 18.5 to 24.9 are normal.
• Overweight is defined as a body mass index of 25.0 to less than 30.0 A BMI of about 25 kg/m2 corresponds to about 10 percent over ideal body weight.
• Obesity is defined as a BMI of 30.0 or greater (consistent with criteria of the World Health Organization),
• Morbid obesity is defined as a BMI of 40 or greater.

Factors and Causes that increase the risk of obesity include:
Genetics: The genes may affect the amount of body fat one stores and where that fat is distributed. Genetics may also play a role in how efficiently body converts food into energy and how body burns calories during exercise. The genetic makeup doesn't guarantee that he or she will be obese, however.
Family history: If one or both of the parents are obese, the chances of being obese are greater. This may be due to shared genes or to a shared environment, which may include high-calorie foods and inactivity.
Age: As the person gets older, one tends to be less active. In addition, the amount of muscle in the body tends to decrease with age. The lower muscle mass leads to a decrease in metabolism. These changes also reduce calorie needs. If the caloric intake is not reduced, one is likely to gain weight.
Sex: Women are more likely to be obese than are men. They have less muscle mass and tend to burn fewer calories at rest than men do.
Diet: Regular consumption of high-calorie foods, such as, food rich in simple carbohydrates, fried foods, fast foods or increasing their portion sizes contributes to weight gain. High-fat foods are dense in calories. Loading up on soft drinks, candy and desserts also promotes weight gain. Foods and beverages like these are high in sugar and calories.
Inactivity: Sedentary people are more likely to gain weight because they don't burn calories through physical activities.
Medical problems: Uncommonly, obesity can be traced to a medical cause, such as low thyroid function or excess production of hormones by the adrenal glands (Cushing's syndrome). A low metabolic rate is unlikely to cause obesity. In addition, it's unclear whether polycystic ovarian syndrome contributes to obesity. Some medical problems, such as arthritis, can lead to decreased activity, which may result in weight gain.
Quitting smoking: Smokers tend to gain weight after quitting. This weight gain may be partially due to nicotine's ability to raise the rate at which body burns calories (metabolic rate). When smokers stop, they burn fewer calories. Smoking also affects taste, quitting smoke makes food taste and smell better. Former smokers often gain weight because they eat more after they quit. However, cigarette smoking is still considered a greater threat to our health than is extra weight.
Pregnancy:  During pregnancy a woman's weight necessarily increases. Some women find this weight difficult to lose after the baby is born. This weight gain may contribute to the development of obesity in women.
Certain medications: Corticosteroids and tricyclic antidepressants, in particular, can lead to weight gain. So can some high blood pressure and antipsychotic medications.

Risk factors related to Obesity
It is well established that obesity increases the risk of developing chronic diseases, including Type II Diabetes Mellitus, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, fatty liver disease, gallbladder disease, fertility and pregnancy problems and several types of cancer. Individuals who are obese are also at higher risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis of weight-bearing joints, chronic kidney disease and obstructive sleep apnoea,Social and emotional consequences. These obesity-related co-morbidities increases the individual’s mortality, decreases the functional capacity and quality of life.

Obesity and weight management.
The goal of obesity management is to achieve and maintain a healthier weight. The amount of weight you need to lose to improve your health may be much less than what you feel you need to lose. Achieving a healthy weight is usually done through dietary changes, increased activity and behavior modification. Depending on your situation, your doctor may suggest prescription medication or weight-loss surgery to supplement these efforts.

Dietary modifications
Achieving any therapeutic goal successfully involves consuming weight management balanced diet, which includes all food groups in required amounts all through the day.

Carbs are good; they are found in every food except meats and oils. Whatever the total calories for the day 60% should be supplied from carbs, because in addition to calories carbs rich foods also give;

• Fibers, the insoluble part of foods that have major health benefits
• They have a protein sparing action thereby giving rest to the system
• Whole grain cereals are good sources of important vitamins like B1, B6, and nicotinic acid.

Fats are essential for important body functions: 20% of total calories should come from fats, both visible and invisible.

• Fats are a concentrated source of energy.
• Fats impart palatability to a diet.
• They slows food emptying from the stomach helping with satiety
• Presence of fat is important for the absorption of vitamins like VIT-A, D, E and K.

Proteins are vital for the body:

• They build our muscle, tissues, and body fluids like blood.
• They supply the body building material
• As antibodies they help the body fight against infections

Crash diets to reduce calories aren't recommended because they can cut so many calories and nutrients that they lead to other health problems, such as vitamin deficiencies. Fasting isn't the answer, either. Most of the weight you initially lose is from water, and it's not good for your body to go without food for extended periods.

Increased physical activity

Exercise is important and when implemented together with a good diet makes a perfect duo for weight reduction and maintenance. In addition exercise improves metabolism reduces the risk of CVD; osteoporosis and diabetes. How many calories you burn depends on the frequency, duration and intensity of your activities. One of the best ways to lose body fat is through steady aerobic exercise — such as walking — for more than 40 minutes most days of the week. A gradual reduction of 3-4 kgs in a month is desirable.
There are so many activities that can be fit into our day. Think about ways you can increase your physical activity throughout the day. For example, make several trips up and down the stairs instead of using the elevator, or park at the far end of the lot.
If an individual is obese, particularly if one is unfit and have health problems, check with the doctor before starting an exercise program.

Behavior modification
To lose weight and keep it off, we need to make changes in our lifestyle. But there's more to changing the lifestyle than choosing different foods and putting more activity into our day. It also involves changing our approach to eating and activity, which means changing how we think, feel and act.
A behavior modification program — led by a psychologist, therapist or other trained professional — can help us make these lifestyle changes. Behavior modification programs may include examining the current habits to find out what factors or situations may have contributed to excess weight. Exploring current eating and exercise habits gives a place to start when changing the behaviors.
Once we understand which habits are undermining our weight-loss efforts, we can take steps to create a new, healthier lifestyle. These tips can help:
Have a plan: Work out a strategy that will gradually change your habits and attitudes. Consider how often and how long you will exercise. Determine a realistic eating plan that includes plenty of water, fruits and vegetables. Write it down and choose a start date.
Set realistic goals: Weight-loss goals can be process goals, such as exercising regularly. Make sure process goals are realistic, specific and measurable. For example, you'll walk for 30 minutes a day, five days a week. For outcome goals, aim to lose weight at a safe pace of 3 or 4 Kg a month. Losing weight more rapidly means losing water weight or muscle tissue, rather than fat.
Avoid food triggers: Distract yourself from your desire to eat with something positive, such as calling a friend. Practice saying no to unhealthy foods and big portions. Eat when you're actually hungry — not when the clock says it's time to eat.
Keep a record: Keep a food and activity diary, so you can reinforce good habits and discover any behaviors that you may need to improve. Be sure to track other important health parameters such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels and overall fitness

There are some very simple things you can do every day to make sticking to your diet easier:

• Plan your meals so that you eat healthy food, not just whatever is easiest.
• Think before you eat instead of raiding the refrigerator every time you feel hungry.
• Use a smaller plate, so that you can't heap on much more than you really want or need
• Chew slowly and completely, savoring every mouthful, instead of packing in as much as you can.
• Drink plenty of water.

In short, obesity is a serious risk to our health. However, there is nothing stopping us from changing the bad habits we have now into better ones that prolongs our life! Even those who are not obese should be aware of good eating habits because even if they aren't obese now, bad eating and exercise habits can have negative effects later in life. Hopefully, after reading this article, you will bring about lifestyle changes so as to start living a healthier life -- regardless of whether you are obese or not.