Obesity has become one of the greatest health scourges of the 21st century.
Studies have shown that it contributes to more than three million deaths. You'd be surprised to learn that more than a billion adults are either overweight or obese in today's world. What's more? Developing countries have been hard hit by the epidemic, and these are countries that are still battling with malnutrition and starvation. As researchers strive to understand better the economic and social impact of obesity, many questions remain unanswered; questions such as, "why obesity rates have skyrocketed in the past 30 years," and "how to reverse this worrying trend."
The attention on obesity is easily explained. Obesity has become a very great challenge in our time. It affects both developed and developing countries. Studies have shown that excess weight, mostly obesity & morbid obesity are major risk factors for death, and numerous diseases. Obesity contributes to high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, asthma, heart disease, kidney stones, sleep apnea, and a host of cancers. More than a billion adults are currently obese or overweight, and again, many middle-income and low-income countries are hit by the disease - countries that are still battling with malnutrition and starvation.
You see, we don't yet understand what has triggered the rise in obesity rates, so there are big uncertainties at the centre of the science. Available data can only demonstrate correlations, but even at that, they are observational, not experimental. What this means is that researchers cannot do any random assignment of people to obesity in an experiment and then force them to gain weight. No! all they can do is to observe health outcomes in people who are already obese or overweight.
These uncertainties don't make the obesity problem any less real. Obesity is as expensive as armed violence, war, and terrorism. Bad, isn't it?
Our generation is really obsessed with obesity. So, what is this stress inducing obesity? Do we even have an accurate understanding of it? Well, the dictionary definition of obesity is "very fat or overweight." And with the many warnings about the dangers of obesity of excess body fat, it is no wonder that we get pretty scared whenever we add some little fat.
We are constantly checking on our weight, and our BMIs, and if the value is a little above normal, even by a few decimal places, we get stressed and overworked.
You see, obesity becomes a risk when it is accompanied by other health conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, depression, and high blood sugar. The thing is, most people switch to crash diets once they realize that they are obese, or close to the obese stage. The right thing to do in this situation would be to pay your doctor a visit. Yes! And if your doctor finds out that you have no issues other than elevated weight, he or she will advise you to focus on a healthy diet and also increase your level of physical activity. The bitter truth is that in these cases, weight loss is not important.
I agree that there are many books on obesity, weight loss, and dieting. But this is not just another book. It is a book on UNDERSTANDING OBESITY. I want you to get a firm grasp of what this stuff is all about, so here's what you will find inside:
-The history and genetics of obesity
-The myth about calories
-The science and sociology of obesity
-The best way to tackle obesity
-Dietary balances & Binge eating
So, follow me, as we embark on a long but interesting journey, one that will help us to understand the concept of obesity!