Obesity is a chronic illness in which a person accumulates excess fat, which can jeopardize one’s health. The National Institute of Health (NIH) states that excess weight becomes a health hazard when it is 20 percent or more above the ideal body weight. Anyone with a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or more is classified as obese. Obesity is the result of an increase in the size or number of fat cells in the body. When a person gains weight, these fat cells first grow in size and then in number. It can result in either significant physical disability or even contributes to death. Obesity can be defined by the following criteria:

Class	BMI (Global)	BMI (Indian)
Normal	18.0-24.9	18-22.9
Overweight	25.0-29.9	23.0-27.9
Grade I obesity	30.0-34.9	28.0-32.9
Grade II obesity	35.0-39.9	33.0-37.9
Grade III or morbid obesity	40 and above	38 and above
	Increased risk to life	Substantial risk to life
Men	Greater and equal to 94 CM	Greater and equal to 102 CM

Obesity is more than a cosmetic issue

Obesity is a disease and a serious health risk

Many people have the misconception that being fat is simply a lack of self-control. Actually it is a complex syndrome that involves control of appetite and energy metabolism. Similarly, being obese is often mistakenly considered the same as being overweight. In clinical terms, the difference is vital and often life-threatening. Several medical organizations, including WHO, classify obesity as a disease and a serious threat to health.

Causes of Obesity:

Obesity can be caused due to various reasons like genetic factors, changed lifestyles, energy dense diets, low level of physical activity, environmental factors, heredity, psychological and cultural influences and many others.

1. Genetic Factors: Research shows that 80% of times genetic factors are responsible for a person’s predisposition for developing obesity. They can directly lead to obesity in combination with several diseases. Unfortunately, we do not know how genes make us fat or thin. Some genes affect parts of the brain that control appetite and the feeling of being full. Others can determine how the body saves or burns calories.
2. Environmental Factors: An increase in caloric intake, changes in lifestyle, food systems and increased portion sizes, eating out frequently also lead to increased calorie intake as one meal served in restaurants and fast food outlets exceeds a person’s caloric needs for the entire day.