The importance of carrying a healthy weight cannot be stressed on enough. A person is termed over-weight when he has extra body weight from muscle, bone, fat, and / or water. Obesity occurs when there is excess fat in the body. It can lead to some potentially severe health disorders. Obesity has been linked with a number of serious health problems which include heart diseases, diabetes, strokes, and even cancer in some cases. The body mass index (BMI) can help gauge the level of obesity in a person. Body mass is derived by dividing weight in pounds by height in inches squared and multiplying the result by 703 (weight (lb) / [height (in)] 2 x 703). A person is termed healthy when his or her BMI lies in a suitable bracket according to his height.
Many factors jointly contribute to a person's weight. These factors majorly include the environment, family, habits, history and genetics, and metabolism. Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight is extremely important for overall health and wellbeing. A healthy weight helps prevent and control many diseases and keeps a person safe from various medical conditions. At the same time, a healthy weight promotes a healthy body image and helps a person feel good about himself. It provides the right amount of energy to the person to enjoy life and execute responsibilities. A healthy body image makes sure the person feels positive about his capabilities. Obesity has been closely linked with psychological problems as well. Most obese people face low self-esteem and live under the impression that they are not attractive enough. Societal factors and peer pressure also contribute to making them anxious.
Various methods can be employed to help a person reach a healthy weight. One method can be by reducing the number of calories consumed. This is done by restricting the diet to include things that are low on calories. This method, however, is not prudent. While reducing the calories consumed, a person tends to miss out on certain essential nutrients as well. This leads to deficiency and ill-health. The second method is controlling the weight by regular exercise. Exercise keeps a person fit and healthy. It increases the metabolism rate in a person which contributes to
