Trying to control your weight can be challenging. Managing your weight is important, as obesity puts you at risk of other medical conditions. There are several ways to maintain a healthy weight.
One way is to practice mindful eating, which is a gradual process of learning your body’s natural set point weight. This includes avoiding yo-yo dieting.
Obesity is a complex metabolic disease
Obesity is a complex metabolic disease that leads to increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and atherosclerosis. It also increases the risks of cancer, musculoskeletal disorders and depression. Traditionally, doctors have classified people as obese according to their body weight and waist circumference. However, this classification system is flawed because it neglects body fat increase and distribution.
For example, central obesity – when fat is stored around the abdomen – is associated with higher risk for cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance. It is important to differentiate between different types of obesity. The concept of “metabolically healthy obesity” focuses on adipose tissue distribution and function and better predicts disease risk than BMI or body fat percentage.
It is a social issue
Obesity is a social issue that can cause a variety of health problems. It is associated with poor diet and low physical activity. People may also be at a higher risk of obesity if they live in an environment that does not support healthy behaviors. These factors are known as social determinants of health (SDOH). For example, if a community has many fast-food restaurants and few markets that sell healthy food, it is likely that people will eat more unhealthy foods and be less active. The environment also influences the way people think about their weight. For instance, neoliberal discourses equate fatness with disease and thinness with health.