The term “overweight” indicates that an individual’s body weight is greater than is considered healthy. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention define being overweight as having a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 29.9. An adult whose body mass index is greater than 30 is considered obese.
There are many challenges that overweight people may face including increased health risks and social acceptance issues. Some health risks associated with overweight people include: diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea and increased risks of certain types of cancer.
Overweight people may deal with weight-based discrimination in the school system, work environment and interpersonal relationships. Studies have shown that overweight people are often treated differently than their thin counterparts. There are serious physical, emotional and mental consequences resulting from weight-based discrimination. Overweight people who are the target of this discrimination may develop lowered self-esteem, increased risk of depression, poor body images, unhealthy eating habits and increased risk of suicidal thoughts.
Many factors may contribute to weight gain and obesity including the individual behavior (physical activity level and caloric intake), genetics, and environment. Consuming too many calories and not getting enough physical activity can generally lead to weight gain. Environment can play a key role in weight gain. Sedentary lifestyles can prevent overweight people from shedding unwanted pounds. The Surgeon General suggests that people create environments that foster physical activity and healthy lifestyles. For example, spending less time watching television and doing more physical activity while at home contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Studies suggest that economics can also contribute to being overweight: lower socio-economic classes have a higher percentage of overweight people than higher socio-economic classes.
There are many treatment options available to help overweight people achieve their ideal body weight including: diet and exercise, supervised diet and exercise programs, and weight control support groups. Individuals should consult a physician before starting any weight loss program.
Cited References:
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Google Health
Wikipedia
FacetoFace Health Weight Control Support Group