Expert: Reverend Abbott - 11/29/2004

Question
We are doing an assigment on obesity, can you give us infomation about it?
eg.
How can obesity affect everyday life?
Can being too heavy stunt your growth?
How many people are obese in the world?
What heath problems does obesity cause?
Do some people get obese easier than others?
Can obese people be healthy?
Which countries have more obese people?
What causes obesity?
How can an obese person lose weight?
Can people be born obese?
Is obesity classed as an eating disorder, or is it caused by one?
Does obesity reduce life expectancy?
etc......

Thanks in advance
Steph & Jamie

Answer
Let me try: Obesity is being "severely overweight", typically 30% heavier than a person should weigh for their height/build. A woman of medium body frame, 5'5" should weigh approx. 125 lbs.  If that person weighs in at more than 163 lbs, they are considered by some standards (these standards can vary, depending on many factors) obese.

Obesity can effect everyday life by preventing participation in life!  Excess weight can inhibit breathing and stamina; cause stress on joints and limit range of motion, plus, of course, contribute to diabetes, circulatory and heart problems, etc..

Obesity - to extremes (morbidly obese are usually 100 lbs or more overweight) - can stress bones and muscles to the point of decreasing height by many means (stress or spontaneous fractures to the vertebrae are common and cause loss of height).

The number of obese people in the world is constantly changing.  In recent years (the last decade especially) the number has grown faster than ever.  Sort of strange since the diet industry has also grown to be a $40 BILLION dollar per year industry!  Hmmmmm?

Obese people are fighting for the recognition that they can be "healthy" and participative and happy.  I've been there. I've argued that.  I was kidding myself and firmly believe they are too.  No, they cannot be healthy and the number of health problems it causes are too numerous to name.

Yes, some people are PRONE to obesity via genetics.  These are the people who survived times of famine, draught, lengthy and harsh winters of hundreds and thousands of years gone by!  It was a survival thing.  It WAS a good thing to have in your genetics - not a bad thing.

The U.S. has more fat people than any other commercialized/civilized country.  Australia, until recently, had the highest number of overweight "children", but have since instituted a healthier lifestyle in their schools and motivation to participate in sports - quickly getting that number down - so the U.S. takes the lead in that too (overweight children).

Obesity is commonly caused by taking in 3,500 more calories than the body uses (this causes gain of one pound).  This is a nation of "fast food" which is high in sugar, fat and salts (the WORST things we can possibly indulge in) and packaged food eaters - who drive the mile to a gym they don't visit nearly enough.  How many overweight people do you see driving around the parking lots looking for a closer spot when they could really use the walk?  

Obese (or any overweight) people can lose the weight by parking further from store entrances, cooking things themselves (freshly prepared foods or at least more healthy prepared foods), ANYTHING that gets them off their butts and distracts them from mindless eating, for example, in front of the t.v., at movie theaters, in the car, at the desk and so on.  People who have disabilities due to excessive weight can still do things.  I am one of them.  My formerly obese-related health issues such as bad knees, a few fractured vertebrae, breathing difficulties/allergies and asthma....are virtually unnoticeable these days!  I also consistently park as FAR from the store entrances as possible and haven't been to a drive thru in over 5 years.

I volunteer my services and efforts for animal rescue causes regularly.  Keeps me busy.

Some babies are born with a genetic/physical problem such as thyroid (or other) issues and this can lead to obesity problems almost immediately from birth.  This is very rare.

Obesity is not an eating disorder in any way.  However, it can be the result of one (or more).  Most bulimics are actually overweight; binge eaters are frequently overweight and even anorexics will tend toward being overweight. This is the most complicated to understand, but my site has more on it.

Yes, obesity reduces life expectancy, some are now saying as much as smoking.  

Go to my site for more info on your assignments and especially eating disorders.  There are no sales, no promotions and no signing in.

http://www.geocities.com/thereverend1investigates/