Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. A crude population measure of obesity is the body mass index (BMI), a person’s weight (in kilograms) divided by the square of his or her height (in metres). A person with a BMI of 30 or more is generally considered obese. A person with a BMI equal to or more than 25 is considered overweight

The latest WHO projections indicate that at least one in three of the world’s adult population is overweight and almost one in 10 is obese. Additionally there are over 20 million children under age five who are overweight.

You Must Know overweight and obesity health risks. Risk increases progressively as BMI increases. Raised body mass index is a major risk factor for chronic diseases such as:

*Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and hypertension. The CVD risks associated with obesity are more acute in younger adults. It is also higher in people with abdominal obesity.

*Hypertension and stroke. Overweight young adults (aged 20-44 years) have 5.6 times higher incidence of hypertension than those with normal weight. Older obese individuals are at even greater risk.

*Diabetes. Especially among adult with abdominal obesity.

*Cancer. A number of studies have found a positive association between overweight and the incidence of cancer, particularly those cancers which are hormone-dependent such as cancer of the breast, cervix, uterus, ovaries and prostate.

*Endocrine problems. Irregular menstrual cycles, other menstrual problems and pregnancy complications, especially toxemia and hypertension.

*Gall bladder disease. Obesity is a risk factor for gallstones in all age groups in both men and women. The risk is even greater when excess fat is located around the abdomen.

*Pulmonary disease. The work of breathing is increased in obese persons. This is mainly due to the extreme stiffness of the thoracic cage resulting

*Arthritis. Obese persons are at higher risk of developing gout arthritis, a distressing painful disorder. Excess weight stresses vulnerable joints, in particular the back and knee. This eventually may cause osteoarthritis to develop.

Start to control your weight today and healthy body weight can prevent any common diseases and personal health care is important for better living and happy life.