How is obesity really affecting us? It is not uncommon to hear on the news and in the media that obesity is becoming the new pandemic, estimating that it affects one in every four in the UK. There are many factors that contribute to obesity. Psychological problems that cause people to binge eat, causing Bingeing Eating Disorder, behavioural habits that lead us to eat high calorie food and products that are easily accessible at any time of the day. Not to forget the social factor of eating, people everywhere are stressed on a daily basis and find it hard to follow a stable diet routine and calorie intake becomes compromised. Although there are many factors to add, the main two that are essential to review when looking into causes of obesity are physical inactivity and dieting/nutrition. So what are the real risks of obesity and what long term effects are expected? Based on BMI and waist circumference, obesity is easy to classify. Hypertension, high cholesterol levels, type II Diabetes and Coronary disease are the most common health consequences associated with obesity. Being overweight can affect our body and our life in so many ways that the list becomes endless and we are drawn into a vicious circle. Problems from sleep apnoea (commonly known as snoring) to cancer and osteoarthritis, all of these reducing quality of life for those who are obese and not only them, but for everyone around them. The psychological effects of obesity and being overweight are wide and very serious. Low self-esteem and poor self-image can lead to more serious disorders such as depression, anxiety and/or eating disorders. Furthermore, these disorders can lead to higher disorders such as agoraphobia, self-harming or paranoia. And I could carry on like this until the end of the list. Here we find ourselves in a no-start no-end circle. So, you may ask yourself, is obesity the cause of these disorders or have these disorders led to obesity? This is the question that has been asked my many scientists over the years and an answer that fits all is still yet to be found. But what is the real price we are paying for obesity? Here are a few facts that will make your eyes pop out of their sockets: • Mental health treatment costs the NHS a whopping 22.5 billion pounds per year (just counting for those who are undertaking treatment). • Depression accounting for 8.34 billion pounds with a total of 1.24 million sufferers. • Anxiety costs 9.74 billion pounds per year and has around 2.28 million people being treated for this disorder. • It is estimated that by the year 2026, depression and anxiety alone will cost the NHS an enormous 26.34 billion pounds per year. • In 2014, obesity cost the NHS a total of 5 billion pounds and is estimated that if serious actions aren´t taken, by 2020 more than half of the UK population will be obese or overweight and this will add an additional cost of 2 billion pounds for the NHS and all tax payers. So, it seems that some have too little and some too much, in our case, it´s too much. By having access to every kind of product from anywhere in the world we are causing a raise in serious health diseases and problems and the price to pay is very high. Obesity doesn´t only affect the sufferer, it affects everyone around them. So, our advice this January, is to make a change that will last you for the rest of your life, get active, eat correctly and you will live well. We are lucky enough to be able to choose what we eat, so let´s make it count! If you need any advice or information about obesity, don´t hesitate to come and see me. If you are not alredy with us, there has never been a better time to make this decision. A new year for a better you, Your Personal Trainer, Tilly Kyle, Sevenoaks.
Posted on: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 21:45:20 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015