Highly common and chronic, Obesity is the root cause of several health concerns. While obesity isn’t limited to a particular age group, it most commonly affects people aged 60 and above. Despite its common occurrence, obesity isn’t taken as seriously as it should be.
This article explores the kinds and nature of obesity, the causes, and ways to prevent and manage obesity, and finally to raise awareness of its severity in elderly people.
Obesity is termed a “chronic complex disease defined by excessive fat deposits that can impair health”, as per the World Health Organization(WHO). Some might perceive obesity as something related only to looks, but it goes beyond appearances. The medical consequences are usually high and dangerous and can have a lasting effect on the person.
To accurately diagnose obesity, a person’s weight and height are used to calculate their Body Mass Index(BMI), i.e., weight (kg)/height² (m²). They are considered obese if their BMI is above or equal to 30.
Obesity is classified into three classes depending on the person’s BMI:
Identifying the class in which the obese person belongs helps the healthcare provider to prescribe the best-suited treatment for a quick and healthy recovery.
As previously mentioned, obesity can occur in all ages. The basis on which a person is termed obese varies between children and adults. While it is common to diagnose obesity in a person, it is rather prevalent among elderly people.
Age has a lot to do with obesity, especially in elderly people. It’s simply because of the changes that occur in the human body as it ages. Elderly people lose a lot of muscle due to aging, along with losing height. To replace the lost muscles, fat gets added to the human body.
How exactly do these contribute to obesity? Considering that BMI calculates the weight and height of a person, increased weight and decreased height are directly involved in promoting obesity. To say the least, these are the primary factors causing obesity in elders.
A very well-known cause of obesity is food. The food itself is not a direct cause but rather the consumption of the particular food. Monitoring the amount of intake of such edibles can lead to severe consequences. Let us see the various other causes of obesity, along with their level of impact:
Food items such as candies, fast food, and beverages contain high calories and added sugar, with almost no vitamins and other needed nutrients. Consuming junk food thus increases the chances of obesity, along with other health problems.
Even if foods with rich nutrients are ingested, the body can absorb them only if the eating behavior is healthy. Unhealthy eating patterns can increase the outcome of obesity. Aspects such as the consumption of calories, fats, and added sugar need to be monitored.
Taking in stress harms the body and mind alike. It alters the amount of hormones produced in our body, especially cortisol, which heightens our urge to eat. This is also termed as “Stress eating” and can increase the risk of obesity, especially in elders.
A lack of any form of physical exercise or movement is one of the most prominent reasons why one is susceptible to obesity. It is important that one indulges in at least 1 or half an hour of walking every day, and then moves to other physical activities like hitting the gym, table tennis, or other simple and fun activities.
A healthy individual requires a minimum of 8 hours a day, and the lack of this can be very detrimental to the body. When we don’t sleep enough, it directly affects hormones that control our hunger urges, thereby an immediate result of not sleeping enough would be an increment in the urge to eat.
Most of the time, the intake of certain medications can directly affect our body and result in weight gain. Once you have identified the cause of your weight gain, you can consult your doctor regarding any replacement of the said medicines.
When you are struggling with mental health issues, it can be very easy to gain weight. It is important to acknowledge these issues and effectively work on them to lead a better lifestyle. Consult a therapist if need be as well.
There are several risk factors for obesity, the most prominent ones are as follows:
Obesity and being overweight can raise your risk for a variety of health issues, particularly if you have excess fat around your waist. It is even more dangerous for elders to be obese as it will be a lot harder to control at that age.
There are common home remedies that people can use to prevent obesity and don’t need to necessarily seek professional treatments. It is important to remember and follow practices that will eliminate obesity.
It should be noted that any food can be poisonous if consumed in large portions. Nutrient-rich foods are no exception and are supposed to be eaten in moderate amounts at regular periods. Consuming more nutritional food and less junk food helps in managing and preventing the risk of obesity.
Along with decreasing calories through food, it is also important to burn these calories through vigorous activities. This helps in weight loss and the overall wellness of the human body.
As much as a person needs to be active to burn away the fat, sleep is equally important in playing a part in reducing obesity. Lack of sleep leads to hunger urges and stress. These put the person at risk of developing various health issues. Plenty of sleep and rest helps the body to be healthier!
Hydrating yourself
Water is essential at all times! Drinking the right amount of water regularly can help in weight loss as it does not contain any components with high calories. It helps to burn the calories away and suppress the extreme urge to eat a lot.
Obesity may be chronic and have severe effects on our health, but it can be avoided and managed by proper practices as listed above in the article. Following these practices can help the elderly to have a more peaceful and healthy life.
Eating too much with high calories and added sugar, and exercising too little can cause obesity.
Other than excess body fat, back pain, fatigue, and insomnia are common symptoms of obesity.
Class I, II, & III are the levels of obesity in a person. They are determined by measuring the BMIs of the person.