Obesity is the condition that arises when your body accumulates excessive fats. It all starts when the body takes in more calories than it burns. As a result, you become overweight and eventually obese. In the recent past, the number of obese people has significantly increased. The World Health Organization reports that 69 percent of the adult population is obese. Such a high percentage is attributed to poor eating habits and lack of exercise. Obesity could also involve genetic, behavioral, and social factors. Obese people have a higher risk of getting serious medical conditions. Some illnesses include high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, lack of sleep, gallbladder disease, and heart attack.
On the brighter side, obesity is not a death sentence. Obese people can still achieve a healthy weight and prevent the health issues associated with obesity. Increase physical activities, dietary adjustments, and behavioral changes play a significant role in managing obesity. In case these methods do not work, then a person needs to undergo further treatments like gastric surgery. Many people become obese without even knowing it. Some people may not feel concerned until they develop symptoms that affect their daily life. Here are nine signs of obesity that you need to watch out for to prevent serious health conditions.
1. Back Pain
If you start experiencing back pain, then it is time to take a keen interest in your weight. Back pain is one of the most common indicators of obesity. When you have excess weight, especially around the waist and the belly, it exerts pressure on your body. The pressure mainly affects your lower back, otherwise known as the lumbar spine. When your weight increases, you do not exercise much, which leads to lack of flexibility. Inflexibility causes weak muscles in the back, thighs, and pelvis. The weak muscles make your lower back to curve, and the pelvis tilts forward. Eventually your body assumes an improper posture. Once your back is out of its normal alignment, your muscles, bones, and ligaments have to work even harder to support your weight. As a result, you will experience pain on your lower back.
If you are experiencing back pain try and get it checked out by a qualified spinal physician. You can get an MRI or X-ray of your spine. The doctors can prescribe exercise or physical therapy to relieve the pain. You can also try to lose some weight to reduce the pressure on your back. If you do not treat the back pain early enough, it may progress to more serious conditions like herniated disc, compression fracture, or degenerative disc disease.
2. Joint Pain
If you have an occasional twinge on your joint when you climb the stairs, then you should probably think of checking your weight. Joint pain is a sign of obesity. Accumulation of excess weight exerts pressure on your joints. As a result, the cartilage on the joints wears out causing pain when you move. The most affected parts are the hips, ankles, and knees. Lack of proper management of joint pain could lead to a chronic condition known as arthritis. In this case, the joints experience inflammation. You may feel pain after long periods of inactivity or bony outgrowths protruding from the joints. If you are experiencing joint pain, try losing some weight to avoid serious conditions related to joints.
3. Overweight
You might be gaining weight fast, which is one of the obvious signs of obesity. When you gain weight, the number of fat cells in the body increases. Also, the circumference of your waist increases and your face gets a little rounder. Sometimes, having extra weight is sometimes characterized by having stretch marks. The extra fat makes the tissue under your skin to stretch. As a result, your skin loses elasticity causing stretch marks. If you are overweight and you do not try to come down to a healthy weight, chances are that you will become obese. The accumulated body fat will not only cause serious health conditions but also reduce your life expectancy.
4. Binge Eating
Binge eating is characterized by consumption of large amounts of food while feeling unable to stop. You may also feel like eating even when you are full or not hungry. In some cases, you may eat until you are uncomfortably full. The binge eating disorder is another sign of obesity. Most of the time, the food you consume may be high in fat and sugar. As a result, your body takes in more calories than it burns. Eventually, your body accumulates excessive fats, and you become obese. Try as much as possible to monitor what you eat. It is no secret that binge eating is mostly a psychological disorder. Train yourself to consume healthy foods to avoid becoming obese.
5. Fatigue
Do you often feel exhausted even when doing the simplest things? Fatigue is one of the vivid symptoms of obesity. When you gain weight, your body needs to work even harder to do simple things like climbing the stairs. As a result, you get exhausted quite easily. When you start gaining some pounds, you may lack proper sleep at night, and you become fatigued. Such exhaustion makes you drag through your day. Eventually, you may not be as active as you should be and you end up getting obese. Try losing at least five percent of your weight so you can move around easily without getting tired often.
6. Belly Fat
Fat is an essential part of the body. It is located beneath the skin to protect the body organs from trauma and infection. It is no secret that fat is stored energy, however, if it builds up, it becomes a cause for concern. The most affected part when fat builds up is your belly, which causes abdominal obesity. Accumulation of fat in the pot belly is not only an indicator of obesity but also other serious conditions like diabetes. The excess fats increase blood sugar and insulin levels. If you have a pot belly, try as much as possible to reduce it because people with a healthy weight but have a pot belly have a higher risk of getting heart disease and obesity, compared to people who are overweight without a pot belly.
7. Snoring
Snoring can undoubtedly be among the signs of obesity. Excess weight limits normal breathing, which leads to snoring. In essence, the excess fat accumulates around the throat and neck, which causes airflow turbulence producing the annoying snoring sound. Also, when you gain weight, your palate region becomes softer, and the muscles around it become loose. They exert pressure in the throat limiting air passage. You should take snoring seriously because it could lead to sleep apnea. It could also lead to high blood pressure and heart disease. If you snore when you sleep, consider making lifestyle changes to lose weight. With a healthy weight, you will get better sleep.
8. BMI Greater than 30
The Body Mass Index is a screening tool that is used to measure body fatness. It constitutes the measurement of your weight and height. If your BMI is below 18.5, then it means you are underweight. Normal weight is from 18.5 to 25. If your BMI is between 25 and 30, then you are overweight. BMI of greater than 30 is a clear sign of obesity. In essence, the measure indicates that your body has accumulated a significant amount of fats to the extent that it gets recognized as obesity. If you have a BMI of greater than 30, consider losing some weight to limit your chances of getting dangerous illnesses like high blood pressure and heart disease.
9. Excessive Body Fat
Your body accumulates too much fat when you consume too many calories than you use. The excess is usually converted to fats. Too much body adiposity, especially in the abdomen, results in obesity. In essence, excessive fat accumulation is a sign of obesity. Excessive body fat is more dangerous than having a high BMI. Too much fat may affect the vital organs like the heart and blood vessels. In essence, too much fat increases the risk of getting chronic illnesses. If you have excessive body fat, try as much as possible to reduce it from the body to minimize the risk of getting serious illnesses.
