Obesity is the accumulation of excessive and abnormal fat in the body to such an extent that it impairs health. Obesity is a chronic disease that is becoming increasingly common worldwide and is one of the main causes of health problems in most countries.  It occurs in 18% of males and 20% of females in developed countries. “Body mass index”, used in the identification of obesity, is calculated by dividing body weight (kg) by height squared (m²). According to BMI, people are classified as low weight, normal weight, overweight, obese, and morbidly obese.

• Overweight people are people with a BMI in the range of 25 – 29.9,
• Obese people are people with a BMI in the range of 30 – 40,
• Morbid obese people are people with a BMI over 40.

What are the health problems caused by obesity?

Some health problems caused by obesity include:

• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• High cholesterol
• Heart diseases (heart attack, etc.)
• Stroke
• Sleep apnea syndrome (intermittent breathing during sleep)
• Asthma
• Increased risk of cancer

Does obesity shorten a person’s lifespan?

Yes, studies show that obese people die at a younger age compared to fit people.

What should we do to protect ourselves from such problems caused by obesity?

Weight loss should be achieved through a range of measures ranging from changes in diet and lifestyle to medication. Obese patients who cannot lose weight by using these methods are candidates for bariatric surgery, which enables intake of fewer calories and nutrients. Bariatric Surgery can be applied to patients

• With a BMI >40 who do not respond to dieting, exercise and medications,
• With a BMI of 35 – 40 who have health problems such as obesity-induced diabetes, heart diseases and HT, etc.