In order to address the effects of obesity in adults, it’s important to define what obesity is and what are the contributing factors to the condition.

Mayoclinic.com defines obesity as a condition where one has an excess amount of body fat.

In the previous post there is a link for a body mass index (BMI) calculator. Those with a BMI above 30 are considered obese. (People with BMI’s ranging from 25 to 29.9 are considered “overweight.”)

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that obesity was “once considered a problem only in high-income countries” but points out that levels are “now dramatically on the rise in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings.”

The organization also estimates that one in ten adults worldwide is considered obese—an alarming statistic to say the least.

The WHO offers a Q&A addressing the effects of obesity on the body. Long-term effects include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders and some cancers.

WebMD.com gives a decent overview of what factors contribute to obesity.

These factors include age, gender, genetics, environmental factors, physical activity levels, psychological factors, illness and taking certain medications. Believe it or not, genetics plays a big role in determining your body size. For example, if your biological mother is “heavy,” you have a 75 percent chance of being heavy as well. (The same goes for your chances of being thin.)

While some of these factors absolutely cannot be controlled by an individual, the fact remains that obesity is a fairly avoidable condition. It is obvious that the two main variables that individuals can control are their diet and the amount of exercise they take part in.

However, it is important to note that maintaining a proper diet and taking part in physical activities are not the two most crucial factors for battling the condition or keeping it at bay.

The key factor for those who are worried about obesity—or who are trying to lose weight—is to acknowledge the reality of their unhealthy weight and how it can effect them. Even for those who may not be obese, they may not practice the healthiest habits because they don’t believe they’ll ever be overweight.

For those who are obese, it’s important that they take the time to study the condition and accept that long-term illness could be a part of their daily life if they don’t make major changes to their lifestyles.

A condition like obesity is not one that is easily hidden—no humor intended. People who are overweight and obese know this each and every time they look in the mirror.

However, for most, it won’t be the reflection in the mirror that makes them reconsider their habits, but the acceptance that they have a problem to begin with.

Blog entries are part of a graduate course on multi-platform storytelling at Virginia Commonwealth University and are based on guidelines by Dr. Timothy Bajkiewicz. The views expressed are of the author and do not reflect the opinions of the class instructor, the university, current or former employers.

Copyright (C) 2010 by Corey Byers. All rights reserved.