Understanding Obesity

All we hear about on the news, in newspapers, magazines and billboards is the fact that America is fat and the effects it has on our bodies and the medical industry. The media has taken this idea of American's being over weight and ran with it to the point that our heads are spinning with facts, truths and ideas as to what is the problem, it's causes and it's solutions. Researchers are putting in hours of study time to find answers to much needed questions, but no one is really agreeing on anything. Reports are conflicting and vague.

So what is the truth behind obesity? Are we really a country that is out of control with our weight and what exactly can we do about it?

First lets look at the defined explanation to obesity: obesity is a condition in which the natural energy reserve, stored in the fatty tissue is increased to a point where life is thought to be a risk factor for certain health conditions. Obesity is a condition that develops from the interaction of individual biology and the environment in which we live.

We can all agree that we are in a state of overeating, as proportions have doubled and at times tripled at our favorite restaurant, as well as packaging sizes at the supermarket. Another fact we can all agree with is that a lot of us are in fact making very poor food choices, depending on the fast food industry to feed us and our families, and that we are too inactive, finding ourselves sitting in front of the television for far too many hours than what is healthy for us.

But what our researchers and Doctors are not agreeing on is the contributions to obesity. Here is a list of six possible ones that have been reported:

1. Getting too little sleep. We are a nation that is over worked and underpaid. We do not take the time to recharge our bodies and lack the necessary amounts of sleep we actually need. Sleep has huge effects on our bodies and if we lack the amount of time we need we suffer for it.

2. Pollution. There are things in our air that has a huge effect on our hormones, which in turn affects the way our body processes food, water, vitamins and minerals. All things that are necessary for a healthy body.

3. Temperature controlled environments. Our body needs to feel a certain amount of hot and cold in order to function properly and burn excess fat. We live in heated and air conditioned homes and offices that prevent the proper break down of fat.

4. Decreased smoking. Don't bulk at this, smoking has actually been found to increase weight. With all the hype going on about quitting people have gained weight due to smoking less. The draw back is that smoking does have an effect on our heart.

5. Medications. There are particular drugs on the market that are key contributers to gaining weight.

6. Preservatives and refined foods. These are not natural additives, so they are foreign to our bodies making it difficult to break down and process, resulting in excess weight.

The Stress Hormone & Obesity

Cortisol is the most abundant of the steroid hormones called glucocorticoids, these glucocorticoids are involved in the control of our bodies natural weight, but they are not the only hormone involved. There are multiple systems involved in the brain. Researchers are saying that all the Cortisol reduction medications on the market for weight control are not effective because they only treat one symptom to the problem.

Our bodies make cortisol to help us handle stress. As stress goes up, cortisol levels go up as well. Cortisol production, however, has not been linked in increased obesity. Basically, obesity has nothing to do with it.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

We hear a lot about our BMI and how that has affect on our health. But what is the BMI and is that the only link to determining obesity?

The BMI is a ratio of an individuals height and weight and is used to depict the clinical weight of each individual. Researchers have found that studies have shown that high weight is not necessarily directly associated with a high percent of body fat. More refined measurements are needed to distinguish individuals with a large body mass from those who are truly obese and those that have a higher risk for heart disease and other medical conditions that are thought to be associated with obesity.

The second variable in determining obesity is the waste circumference, which gages the amount of fat stored in the abdomen. This fatty storage is called the omentum, this is a Latin word which means, "apron" and is a sheet of fat attached to the bottom edge of the stomach and hangs in front of the intestines. It is thought to be a key factor in making us fat. This organ literally pumps chemicals into our bodies. The greater the amount of fat, the more risk there is for heart attack, diabetes, etc. The ideal waist measurement for women is 35 inches, for men is 40 inches.

The final variable to determine obesity, is by the presence of two or more risk factors from a list that includes familiar cardiovascular risk factors like high blood pressure, smoking and a family history of early heart disease.

When determining obesity, Doctors also need to take into account race, ethnicity, muscularity, age, and sex. The body mass index is only one tool used to determine obesity, by not using all other factors when making a diagnoses to obesity, you are missing other potential causes.

Recent studies show that there are approximately 6,000 genes that contribute to obesity and body weight. That is 25% of the genome.

The BMI is found by taking the weight of the individual divided by the height of the individual. Guidelines are as follows:

18.5 - 24.9 normal weight
25.0 - 29.9 over weight
30.0 - 39.0 obese
40 or higher is considered severely to morbidly obese

As there are numerous factors behind obesity, there are numerous factors behind staying healthy. The choices are ours, there are hundreds of reports and solutions out there in our world. But one thing is clear, what we truely need to be healthy and fit are nine, simple things:
1. pure air
2. sunlight
3. rest
4. exercise
5. proper diet
6.moderate eating
7. water
8. meditation and prayer
9. herbs

To read more on natural holstic solutions to healthy living, check out these websites.

www.holistichelp.net
www.hopeint.org
www.righthealth.com