Obesity is a condition where there is an accumulation of fat on the body that is so severe that it can put you at risk for debilitating diseases. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are over 300 million obese adults in the...
Obesity is a leading health epidemic in the United States. Obesity, caused by poor diet and lack of physical activity, can lead to serious health problems. Fortunately, there are several treatments to help alleviate the condition.
The body mass index is used to define obesity. Your BMI is a ratio of your height to your weight. Obesity is defined as having a BMI of 30 or greater. Obesity has the potential to be a precursor to a variety of other serious health problems,...
Obesity is rapidly becoming a global epidemic. In the United States, more than one-third of the adult population is obese, as defined by having a body mass index of 30 or greater. Moreover, morbid obesity --- BMI of 35 or greater --- and obesity...
Although HCG marketing for weight loss and obesity has seen a revival, the concept is not new. The claim that HCG can treat obesity has been around since the early 1950s. A woman's body produces human chorionic gonadotropin, or HCG, a hormone,...
Obesity is a serious health issue as it increases the likelihood of developing a number of conditions including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, stroke and respiratory disorders. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that 25 percent of...
According to the Center for Disease Control, the prevalence of childhood obesity has tripled in the past 30 years. Among children ages 6 to 11, the prevalence has risen from 6.5 percent to 19.6 percent. Many factors, including genetics and...
For some people, exercise and dieting are not enough to combat their obesity. For these patients, weight loss surgery may be needed to help them lose some of their excess weight. Gastric banding is one form of weight loss surgery (also known as...
During early pregnancy, the developing placenta produces a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin, also called hCG. HCG production signals the body to keep producing progesterone, a hormone that changes the uterine lining and aids in embryo...
The Obesity Action Coalition states that people are categorized as morbidly obese when they are greater than 100 pounds over their ideal body weight, their Body Mass Index, BMI, is greater than 40, or they have a BMI of 35 or greater with an...
To someone battling obesity without long-term success, an appetite suppressant may seem like a dream come true -- just swallow a pill, have no hungry and watch the pounds melt away. The truth is that it's not that simple. Appetite suppressants can...
A number of bariatric surgeries are available to obese individuals. According to the Weight-control Information Network (WIN), bariatric surgeries aim to promote weight loss and improve physical health by restricting caloric intake and preventing...
Obesity is measured by body mass index standards. Body mass index, or BMI, gives feedback on a person's health based on a weight-to-height ratio. A BMI measurement greater than 30 is considered obese. According to the CDC, as of 2009, 42 states in...
Obesity, or carrying excessive amounts of body fat, puts a person at increased risk for serious conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart attack and stroke. Though obesity is essentially the result of consuming more calories than those burned...
Obesity refers to the condition of having an excess amount of body fat. Adults with a BMI or body mass index (formula based on height and weight) of 30 or higher are considered to be obese, according to the Mayo Clinic. Obesity can lead to a...
Although diet and exercise are effective for losing weight, some patients require additional help. Prescription weight loss medications are approved for patients who have a Body Mass Index (BMI)-- a calculation based on height and weight--of 30 or...
The obesity epidemic the United States is currently experiencing has many causes -- excess calories, less physical activity and busy stress-promoting lifestyles. People are also cooking fewer meals at home, eating more fast food and consuming more...
Residential or immersion-type obesity programs are intensive interventions that help individuals lose significant weight and improve other aspects of their lives. Treatments vary according to length of stay and daily schedules, but most integrate...
Metabolic obesity, or obesity related to metabolic syndrome, is characterized by excessive abdominal fat, unhealthy cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and insulin resistance (inability to properly manage insulin levels). According to the...
Childhood obesity is increasing in America at an alarming rate. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP), the percentage of children ages 2 to 5 has increased from 5 percent to 12.4 percent since 1980 and from 6.5...
Doctors at the Mayo Clinic report that appetite suppressants can be helpful in treating obesity for a short period of time. Over-the-counter and prescription appetite suppressants are meant to kick start a diet as the dieter learns new eating...
Obesity may be caused by a variety of factors, including heredity, lifestyle, lack of sleep and medical problems. According to the American Dietetic Association, obesity is not determined by weight, but by the amount of fat on one's body. Since...
Obesity is a condition characterized by excess body fat. It is measured by a body mass index, or BMI, which calculates a ratio of height to weight. A BMI of 30 or greater indicates obesity, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center....
Forty-eight of the 50 United States have obesity rates at 20 percent or higher, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC. Obesity is defined as having a body mass index of 30 or greater, and is linked to increased risks...
Approximately two-thirds of Americans are overweight and one-third are considered obese, according to a 2002 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association. If you’re overweight or obese, certain herbal treatments could help you...
A healthy diet, physical exercise and behavior changes are crucial elements of treatment for obese individuals. According to Rena R. Wing, professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown Medical School and Deborah F. Tate, clinical...
In America, childhood obesity has reached epidemic proportions. Authors Marti Jordan-Welch, PhD, and Bonnie L. Harbaugh, PhD, report in the June 2008 publication of the "American Nurse Today" that 2003 to 2004 projections indicate that 26.2...
Morbidly obese individuals, or those with body mass index (BMI) over 39, or 100 pounds or more above their ideal body weight, are at high risk for serious health problems, some of which are life threatening. Effective treatment for morbid obesity...
Obesity is very difficult to treat without incorporating exercise. Exercise can double the rate that you lose weight, and can set the stage for good habits later on when you need to maintain your weight. Even people who have obesity-related health...
Lap band surgery implants a restrictive gastric band and is designed for obese patients. The gastric band is an inflatable silicone prosthetic device that is placed around the top portion of the stomach. Learn about the different causes of,...
Atherosclerosis is a disease that inflames and constricts arterial blood vessels, at times obstructing circulation and requiring surgical intervention. Learn more about atherosclerosis, causes and symptoms, in this health video.
