By the World Obesity Day on the fourth of March of each year, despite the passage of more than a quarter of a century since it was declared a global epidemic that contributes to "the global burden of chronic diseases and disability and the consequent serious social and psychological consequences that affect all ages and social groups," and despite the negative effects impact on one's health, more people are overweight or obese today than ever before.

Obesity has almost tripled worldwide since 1975, with about 13% of adults suffering from it, and about 39% of adults suffering from overweight until mid-2021.

A previous study predicted that "the number of children and adolescents suffering from obesity will exceed the number of those suffering from underweight by 2022."

Research indicates that “continued obesity prevalence means that the majority of the world’s adult population will be overweight or obese by 2030,” and the number is expected to rise to more than 3 billion.

In America alone, one out of every 3 adults and one out of every 6 children suffers from obesity, which costs nearly $150 billion annually and makes obesity a major cause of death, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some types of cancer.

The Worldpopulationreview also surprised in its report this year by including Egypt among the ten fattest countries in the world.

The main causes of obesity

Obesity is a complex disease that is contributed by eating patterns, levels of physical activity, sleep regimen, in addition to genetic factors and the intake of certain medications, according to the Centers for Disease Control in the United States of America "CDC" (CDC), or it is "a condition caused by people consuming more calories than they need." Their bodies burn it,” according to Dr. William’s definition.

H. Dietz is director of the Obesity Action Alliance at George Washington University.

Dr. William adds that people often do not intend to gain weight, but their weight gain "comes as a result of complex changes in the environment, to the point that it made food more and physical activity less."

And Dr. Terry O'Toole, president of the Ohio Gastroenterology Association, points to "the contribution of social, economic and cultural conditions to the incidence and prevalence of obesity."

Which is confirmed by Dr. Laetitia.

Ve Moore, an obesity expert at the Centers for Disease Control, said, "The way we eat has changed over the past 50 years, as we are surrounded by food all the time, and people are used to eating more processed foods that are rich in fats and sugars and eating a lot of meals outside the home in large quantities and calories." hotter than ever before.

Dr. O'Toole also adds other factors that influence the obesity epidemic, such as technology, an urban lifestyle that depends on sitting for long times in front of screens, riding in cars instead of moving, walking, exercising in parks, and cycling.

body fat levels

The most common way to measure obesity is the body mass index (BMI), which is determined by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by the square of his height in meters, and it is graded into 6 levels, as follows:

  • Less than 18.5: underweight

  • 18.5 to less than 25: a healthy weight

  • From 25 to less than 30: overweight

  • From 30 to less than 35: first-class obesity

  • From 35 to less than 40: Level 2 obesity

  • From 40 and over: morbid obesity

The golden way to measure fat

Some researchers believe that the BMI is not ideal, and that it is better to discard it in favor of measures such as "waist circumference", which is a measure that indicates a greater risk of obesity if this circumference is more than 40 inches for a man and more than 35 inches for a non-pregnant woman. .

They base their opinion on the fact that BMI “does not directly assess body fat, but equates it with muscles and bones that are denser than fat,” which may give a deceptive reading sometimes, especially for athletes, as the athlete or muscular person shows a high BMI despite It does not have much fat.

However, because most people are not athletes and there is not yet good reference data for waist circumference in children, the scientists consider that "BMI is more likely to be a very good measure of body fat level, as it is easier to measure, has a long history of use, and most importantly In addition, it does an excellent job of predicting disease risk."

Research has shown that BMI is closely related to the "gold standard methods of measuring body fat" and is an easy way for clinicians to "screen for people who may be at higher risk for health problems because of their weight."

BMI does not directly assess body fat, but equates it to muscle and bone (Getty Images)

Inevitable solutions to eliminate obesity

Dr. Moore agrees with the recommendations published by the World Health Organization since 2021 to end the obesity epidemic, stressing that there is no solution except to eat more fruits and vegetables, reduce foods that are high in fat and sugar, and drink more water instead of juices and sweetened drinks. get the recommended amount of physical activity regularly (60 minutes a day for children, 150 minutes a week for adults), and limit children's screen time to less than two hours a day.