One of biggest health hazards of the 21st century is obesity which in the United States afflicts over 30% of the general population. Obesity is described by medical experts as a condition in which the body accumulates excess fat to the extent that one’s health is at risk. The risks are real given that over a quarter of a million people die each year due to complications arising from being overweight.
Weight is measured in what is called BMI or body mass index which is calculated by dividing the weight and the height and then squaring the results. This method of calculating weight was devised by an individual from Belgium in the 1840s. There are different ways people accumulate belly fat.
One way is leading a slow and inactive lifestyle. While it is true that today’s life is fast in many ways, there are also people who have chosen in one way or another to ignore exercise. Some have not totally ignored exercise as a matter of choice, but have become consumed with working that they do not have time to work out. Coupled with this is the culture of junk food where we do not want to cook but prefer the convenience offered by driving through somewhere and simply ordering takeaway.
Another reason why people end up being obese is because of genetics. While it is true that there are those who chose to indulge willingly in high-calorie foods, there are those whose bodies have a genetic malfunction which causes the body to become very slow in its metabolic rate thereby accumulating more fat faster. This can be as a result of an overactive thyroid gland coupled with today’s social habits such as eating out and driving everywhere even for short distances. All these factors greatly contribute to obesity.