Obesity – the epidemic of the 21st century Bez kategorii

Obesity – the epidemic of the 21st century. Obesity has recently been included on the list of diet-dependent diseases by the WHO. This means that excessive body kilograms pose a serious threat to health and even life.

Excessive body weight is becoming an increasingly serious problem of the 21st century among societies of different origins, regardless of origin. That’s why we talk about the problem of an epidemic, if not actually an obesity pandemic. Unfortunately, the problem of overweight and obesity does not only concern adults, but an increasing percentage of children and adolescents also suffer from the first consequences of being overweight.

There are a wide range of causes of obesity, the most important among them being reduced physical activity (switching “foot” movement to mechanized movement and choosing to spend leisure time less actively, e.g. watching movies or TV series on the computer or playing computer games) and increasing the energy value of meals consumed and their quantity during the day.

The incidence of obesity, as I mentioned earlier, is associated with very serious health consequences, such as diabetes and insulin resistance, musculoskeletal disorders, hormonal disorders, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, chronic inflammation in the body that can lead to cancer. Excessive kilograms also have a huge impact on the psychophysical state, reducing the level of self-confidence, the appearance of depressive states, a sense of comfort and aesthetic appearance.

The best and most common treatment for obesity today is to introduce changes in eating habits and increase daily physical activity. A specialist, e.g. a dietitian, applies a so-called slimming diet, which is characterized by a negative energy balance individually tailored to the needs of the patient.