Symptoms of Obesity
Some symptoms of obesity are obvious, but they are not necessarily diagnosed by a physician. The condition of obesity is most assuredly known to the person with the problem, but they frequently try to hide the facts from the outside world.
The most apparent symptoms of obesity have to do with a person's appearance. If a person looks fat or seriously overweight, this is one of the most significant symptoms of obesity. Excess fat can appear around the stomach, hips, thighs and upper arms, and if left unchecked it can eventually expand to every nook and cranny of a person's body.
But obesity can look different on different people, so the actual diagnosis is made by calculating a person's body mass index, or BMI. This number takes into consideration the proportionate differences between a person's height and weight. A score higher than 30 classifies the person is obese.
So the most common two symptoms of obesity are increased body weight caused by excess fat and a BMI score of 30 or higher. There are other physical symptoms, as well, and they can lead to some serious medical conditions:
• increase in levels of insulin
• abnormal levels of lipids and lipoproteins
• boost in blood pressure
• respiratory difficulties.
Because of these symptoms, obese people are at a significantly higher risk for diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, joint problems, sleep apnea and some cancers. So, obesity is not just about appearance. Carrying around too much fat is highly unhealthy for our bodies.
There are also behavioral symptoms of obesity, as a person's behavior can be the sole reason for obesity in the first place. Behavioral indicators for obesity include:
• extreme intake of high-calorie foods
• mostly sedentary lifestyle that includes little to no physical exercise
• decreased amount of physical activity in relation to the person's age
Behavior is largely responsible for obesity, because lack of exercise and poor eating habits are negative behaviors that can lead to excess weight. If the obesity becomes severe or stubborn, behavioral therapy may help to introduce new habits into the obese person's lifestyle that will help them lose weight and live a healthier life.
One of the saddest symptoms of obesity is the emotional effects. An obese person can be very unhappy. Even though they may outwardly appear to be jolly and fun, there is an inner sadness that is often ignored. There is an underlying reason why a person overeats and becomes obese. Often called emotional eating, this happens when a person eats even though they are hungry. This behavior can most assuredly lead to obesity because it frequently involves eating too much.
There is another level of sadness added to obesity, and that is stereotyping. Because obesity is fairly apparent to others, it can be the basis for discrimination and prejudice. This may happen because society has begun to equate attractiveness and goodness with being thin, which could not be further from the truth. Appearance rarely serves as a good indicator of a person's personality and certainly should never be used to decide whether a person is good or bad.