Health risks associated with obesity

Heart failure

Cancer

Diabetes-type 2

High blood pressure

High cholesterol

Stroke

Psychological disorders

Complications of pregnancy and various other gynae problems in women like polycystic ovary development etc.

Numbers are alarming!

According to National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey about 61% population in USA is either overweight or obese. Every year in USA around 300,000 premature deaths occur due to overweight and lack of physical activity.

Causes of obesity

Psychological causes like stress, depression, nervousness or anxiety may trigger overeating. Genetically also sometimes obesity is passed from generation to generation. The causes maybe environmental too like certain lifestyle habits one cultivates where there is minimal activity. Other factors could be due to certain disorders in the body like Cushing's disease or hypothyroidism etc.

Weight loss drugs challenging obesity

Phentermine, a class of drugs called as amphetamines and anorectic drugs are being popularly prescribed by doctors to initiate weight loss for the clinically obese. The choice of the product is only permitted only after examining a patient. The products are not meant for those who have heart complications or high blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid, glaucoma etc.

Adipex-P or phentermine hydrochloride is also another short term- drug which effectively reduces appetite like the other one.

These obesity drugs are taken in conjunction with diet control and exercise regimes. There is a structured program inbuilt by physicians who monitor the progress and effect of the drugs on the patient on a day to day basis. The weight loss drugs are immediately discontinued if side effects persist or the drug fails to reduce weight.

What about the non prescription appetite suppressant drugs?

There are plenty of non-prescription weight loss drugs available in the market as herbal supplements or at least they claim to have natural ingredients which are less harmful to the body. However one should consult a doctor before risking one's health to unknown symptoms or side effects of the drugs on the body.

While losing weight….

When we lose weight we also lose fat, muscle tissues and water. Hence it is always advised to have plenty of water to avoid dehydration of the body. From the health point of view and to maintain a good metabolic rate it is better to preserve as much lean body mass as possible. Experts are of the opinion that during the early weeks of weight loss 75% of the weight loss is fat loss and the rest 25% come from the lean mass. That is why if certain exercises are incorporated one can lose upto 90% fat and reduce the lean loss to 10%.

Conclusion

The quantity of lean body mass determines the rate of calorie burns or metabolism. However, body fat also helps in storing potential energy for the body protecting us from external injuries and cold temperature. But that's no reason to retain all that excess fat. What one should ideally consider is one's body mass indexwhich will decide on how much weight we need to lose. Let's fight obesity and strengthen our life span!