The terms overweight and obese are specific and relate to a person's Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a weight for height ratio; overweight is greater than 25 BMI and obese over 30. Worldwide, the number of people who fall into these categories has more than doubled since 1980. By 2014 over 1.9 billion adults were overweight and, of these, 600 million were obese; that's 39% of the world's adult population overweight or obese. In America the percentage is higher and is estimated at an astounding 71% of all adults.
Being overweight is likely to cause medical problems later in life and shorten life expectancy. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), weight gain is easily preventable. Simply put, if there’s an energy imbalance with more calories being consumed than expended, you'll put on weight. With a general change in eating habits, the population as a whole now eats more high-fat, high-sugar food, but takes less physical activity.
Government health departments have thought it necessary to offer guidance and warn of the dangers of getting fat, but at the same time have permitted food manufacturers to irresponsibly add processed sweeteners, such as corn syrup, to their produce, so as to attract more sales. In truth, it can be difficult to ignore the alluring smell of food emanating from the bakery section of the local supermarket. People readily admit to a lack of knowledge and also to misleading food labelling for their inability to keep slim, but surely that's just being blind to the problem. WHO says that being overweight is preventable and the onus is on the individual; each person can control their own body weight and no one else is responsible. Although education for a healthy diet may be provided, it cannot be enforced. If people choose to drive to their nearest take-away and then sit in front of the television to eat a McDonalds or pizza and drink cola several times a week, they shouldn't be surprised when they get fat.
Times have changed and our lifestyles with it. The idea of a mother cooking fresh, natural, ingredients for her family has been replaced with that of a convenient, fast meal, quickly heated in the microwave. Cars are the preferred means of transport and walking isn't the norm. People may take out gym membership in an effort to get fit, but rarely continue with it for long. Physical games have been superseded by computer games and we have become more sedentary.
It's such a shame if we burden our bodies with excess weight and then suffer from related health problems. There's no need for it; there's a choice and we have ourselves to blame if we make the wrong decisions. Would you forgo the tempting, sweet, creamy doughnut for a fresh-fruit salad? In moderation, it may not matter, but you know which is better for you. Life is short enough, without self-imposed obstacles that shorten it even more.