The prevalence of obesity has increased manifolds across the globe during the last 3 decades since the advent of technological gadgets, and all indications are that this trend is likely to continue unabated in the coming years. The problem of obesity results from energy imbalance: too many calories in, too few calories burned. Advanced electronic devices like mobile phones and laptops have made people follow a sedentary lifestyle. To make the situation even more critical, the culture of fast foods is also spreading rampantly. This is why around one-third of the total population of this world is either overweight or obese.
Obesity is now the major public health concern of this world because this modern-day epidemic is associated with the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and certain cancers, as well as stress and anxiety. Mindful eating and regular exercise are the only solutions to lose or maintain a healthy weight. In this article, you will learn how physical activity is useful in weight management.
Factors responsible for the rise of obesity and recommendations to deal with this condition:
Food and Activity:
When your intake more calories than you torch, you will gain weight. The imbalance between calories burning and calories eating is the greatest factor behind the rise in obesity. Social media and video games have made people inactive and adding fuel to fire, the jobs that most people do are also of sedentary nature. This inactive lifestyle is causing obesity to hike all over the globe.
Furthermore, junk foods and drinks like burgers, pizzas, and beverages are trending and people no longer desire to eat unprocessed foods. These unhealthy diets have tons of calories and need some serious physical to burn them which people don’t do. As a result, some more fats get stored around the belly and the waist. Fitness experts in addition to eating a healthy diet, advice that adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, or a combination of both, along with 2 days of strength training per week.
Community Environment:
Our all activities are influenced by the environment we live in and maintaining a healthy weight is no exception. We normally make decisions according to our environment and community. For example: if we don’t have parks, sidewalks, and affordable gyms nearby, we will not be able to follow an active lifestyle. Additionally, the culture of eating oversized food portions in different communities gives rise to the obesity rate. Therefore, for better self-care, it is important to create a culture and live in an environment that makes it easier to engage in physical activity and eat healthy foods.
Other factors:
Some other factors involved in weight gain include genetics, health conditions, medications, anxiety, stress, and poor sleep. Many studies show that a child to obese parents is very likely to become obese. Also, there are some medications that affect certain hormones and cause weight gain. Emotional factors like stress, depression, and anxiety are responsible for overeating which results in weight gain. Lastly, a bad sleeping pattern is also resulting in the rise of obesity.
How does exercise help in controlling weight?
To understand the relationship between weight loss and exercise, it is important to understand the relationship between exercise and energy expenditure. Our bodies consume energy in three ways: digesting food, exercising, and maintaining body functions like our heartbeat and breathing.
Regular exercise in your workout clothes coupled with healthy eating has been shown to increase your metabolic rate, which burns more calories and helps us lose weight. The more intense the physical activity you are involved in, the more calories you will burn. Besides going to the gym or running, keeping yourself active in your daily routine like taking the stairs instead of the elevator or rev up your household chores will help you lose weight even more quickly. Be active and consistent because every bit helps.
Final Word:
Obesity is spreading uncontrollably all over the globe because of unhealthy eating habits and the absence of daily physical activities. A sedentary lifestyle and the role of media in colorful advertisements for fast foods have brought the world to a situation where every third person is dealing with weight problems. This epidemic gives rise to chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, heart issue, and some types of cancers. Mindful eating and regular physical activities like running, swimming, cycling, or going to a gym class are the saviors in these tough times.
