The issue of obesity is found almost daily in the media, be it in television, women and pharmacy journals, in lectures and presentations.
Overweight – Obesity
Overweight can be the entry point to obesity if you are not doing anything against it and in time to change this condition. Obesity is defined as the massive deposition of fat tissue under the skin and organs, is distinguishing between the sexes: In women, the proportion of fat from around a quarter of the body weight in men fifteen percent. Overweight and obesity beginning in most cases arises from disproportionate food intake, stress factors or glandular disorders. In rare cases it is hereditary.
Everyone can calculate his own BMI (body mass index). This is determined by calculating one’s own weight by the size of the square. A BMI of 20-24 is generally considered healthy, everything over 24 is harmful. When the body absorbs too much food, and these calories are not burned, fat is stored. This leads to obesity and accompanied with it there comes a high health risk.
Vulnerability of our children
Particularly vulnerable are our children, as the number of overweight and obese children has increased alarmingly in recent years. For example, in Germany alone, 1.9 million children and adolescents are overweight, 800,000 of them obese. Especially children from disadvantaged families or families are involved with migration background. Together with the Robert Koch Institute, the Federal Ministry of Health, a nationwide study of children and young people aged from zero to 17 years has started. So those appalling figures became apparent. The main reason for this is usually malnutrition, that means that the children do not eat enough fruits and vegetables and take instead fat, calories and sugar which are contained in soft drinks, fast food and sweets. All this comes in combination with too little movement by hours of sitting at the computer or simple boredom.