In simple terms obesity is defined as
"The excessive storage of body fat, frequently resulting in a significant impairment of health" (Wallace, 1997).
Obesity used to be considered as a 'condition' that leads to associated diseases. However the World Health Organisation now recognises obesity as a disease in it's own right, accounting for 30,000 deaths a year in the UK. However, this is a disease which is largely preventable through changes in lifestyle and diet.
According to a UK National Health Survey, 22% of men and 23% of women were classed as clinically obese, while 65% of males and 55.5% of females were considered either overweight or obese. Most importantly to note, the number of obese individuals has more than trebled in the past 20years.
If this trend continues we can predict that a third of all adults in the UK will be obese by the year 2010. Globally, obesity has reached epidemic proportions with an estimate of 300million obese adults, 1billion overweight adults and more disturbingly, 18 million under-five children have been classified as overweight.
In the UK a worrying 16% of children have been classified as obese and with numbers rapidly rising, we are quickly becoming the most overweight population in Europe. In several developed countries obesity accounts for 2-6% of total health care costs, a worrying number especially as it is one of the most preventable diseases our community is faced with.
Consequently, obesity-related problems are rapidly rising including many diet-related, non-communicable diseases such as Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), diabetes Type II, hypertension (high blood pressure), stroke, various forms of cancer, joint damage, gall bladder disease and respiratory problems. In addition there are several psychological problems linked to obesity such as depression and low self-esteem.
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