Child Obesity Is Increasing Day By Day

What is Obesity?         
         A person is considered obese when his or her weight is 20% or more above normal weight. The most common measure of obesity is the body mass index or BMI. A person is considered overweight if his or her BMI is between 25 and 29.9; a person is considered obese if his or her BMI is over 30.

Fact:

The number of obese children has doubled during the period of last three decades. Being overweight does not only mean to be over in size but it has certain complications attached to it. Obese children are on higher risk of developing, liver diseases, orthopedic problems and asthma. More than 70% obese adolescents retain their overweight and obese condition even during their adulthood.

What Causes Obesity?

         Obesity occurs when a person consumes more calories than he or she burns. For many people this boils down to eating too much and exercising too little.  Obesity doesnt always occur from eating too much, there are also other factors involved as well.

•  Age: As you get older, your body's ability to metabolize food slows down and you do not require as many calories to maintain your weight. This is why people note that they eat the same and do the same activities as they did when they were 20 years old, but at age 40, gain weight.
• Gender: Women tend to be more overweight than men. Men burn more energy at rest than women, so men require more calories to maintain their body weight.
• Illness: Although not as common as many believe, there are some illnesses that can cause obesity. These include hormone problems such as hypothyroidism, poorly acting thyroid slows metabolism, depression, and some rare diseases of the brain that can lead to overeating.
• Medication: Certain drugs, such as steroids and some antidepressants, may cause excessive weight gain.