Why is obesity a health hazard?

Overweight and obesity are affecting more and more people around the world. According to the World Health Organization – WHO -, they are the fifth risk factor for death worldwide . In France in 2016, 15.3% of the population was obese. This justifies that the communities are concerned about the phenomenon, favored by the evolution of eating habits and the increase in sedentary lifestyles.

Obesity is a disease

The initial cause of excess weight is an imbalance between the calories consumed during meals and those expended during the day. This results in the storage of fat mass in the fat cells. These will be more and more voluminous and numerous.

The difference between the two is that we talk about overweight when the BMI , the Body Mass Index, is between 25 and 29.9 and obesity from a BMI of 30.

This is linked to both genetic factors and favorable conditions – poor eating habits and little physical activity – sometimes associated with psychological disorders. It is not enough to eat “badly” to become obese, people are not equal in the face of this excessive weight gain.

The WHO recognizes this overweight as being a chronic disease. Indeed, excess body fat impairs health and has many repercussions on the rest of the body, both physically and mentally.

The health dangers of obesity

During the day, due to their excess weight, the obese person will find it increasingly difficult to move around and exercise due to breathing difficulties . His joints,  over-stressed, can then become painful. This can gradually increase his sedentary lifestyle and cause a certain form of social exclusion . There is a risk of stigmatization and ridicule. These can lead to anxiety and depression, and even depression .