Obesity and Its Relationship with Exercise

Obesity and eating habits When the energy taken into the body is more than the amount needed, it causes weight gain, and if energy expenditure is more than its intake (through nutrition), it causes weight loss. People's energy requirements are by no means constant and uniform; rather, they depend on age, sex, weight, occupation, level of activity, and physical condition. Changing people's eating habits and their level of physical activity is very difficult, so bringing about a change in people's weight is not a simple task. Overeating and inactivity during the off-season of competitions cause an athlete to become overweight. In these conditions, correct eating habits are very important for the athlete; for example, they should limit the consumption of high-fat foods, moderate the consumption of sugary foods, and also avoid overeating. Definition of obesity The excessive accumulation of fat in the body is called obesity. In general, "obese" refers to people who, due to the excess of fat in their bodies, have a weight more than 15 percent above their appropriate weight. The results of studies conducted show that mortality among obese people is 25 to 75 percent higher than among ordinary people, and with increasing age the severity of the consequences of obesity also increases. The risk of death among people aged 45 to 50 years increases relative to ordinary people in proportion to the excess weight. For example: 4.5 kilograms of excess weight increases the risk of death by 8%. 9 kilograms of excess weight increases the risk of death by 18%. 13.5 kilograms of excess weight increases the risk of death by 28%. 23 kilograms of excess weight increases the risk of death by 56%. The most common causes of death among obese people compared with ordinary people are cardiovascular and kidney diseases. The mortality statistics from traffic accidents are also higher among obese people than among ordinary people, and this too is due to their lack of agility. Likewise, mortality from diabetes among them has been reported to be 4 times higher. Causes of obesity The causes of obesity are many, of which five are mentioned here: 1/ Genetic factors Approximately 10% of the children of obese parents have a normal weight. If one of the parents is obese, this probability is 50%, and if both are obese it is 80%. 2/ Inactivity Specialists believe that the most important factor in obesity in advanced societies is the lack of physical and athletic activity. The rapid advancement of science and a mechanized life have caused a reduction in working hours, a lack of energy expenditure, and consequently extreme obesity among people in advanced societies. 3/ Environmental factors Not having a suitable diet and unsuitable dietary habits are another of the causes of obesity. Excessive consumption of carbohydrates causes the accumulation of fat and consequently obesity. 4/ Hypothyroidism As a result of an underactive thyroid gland, due to a decrease in thyroid hormones, disorders arise in the body's metabolism, the consequences of which include: The creation of fatigue A change in heart function A change in blood cholesterol levels A change in the state of muscle protein An effect on oxygen consumption by the tissues 5/ Psychological factors Some specialists believe that people who suffer from psychological pressures sometimes think that by eating various foods they can forget their distress, and the result of this unintended overeating is obesity. Complications of obesity Obese people do not have precise awareness of the complications caused by obesity. Therefore, they realize its complications only when they are already grappling with numerous problems. Obesity may cause respiratory disease, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, gallstones, ailments related to the digestive system, kidney problems, and varicose veins. It is interesting to know that the number of people with diabetes among obese people is 4 times that of ordinary people. Treatment of obesity The first step in treating obesity is to diagnose its cause. Often the diagnosis of diseases that lead to obesity is very simple, but the most common type of obesity arises from an unknown physiology related to appetite and hunger, and psychological factors are also influential in it; consequently, this type of obesity has a difficult and mostly unsuccessful treatment. Using a low-calorie diet and increasing physical activity are very effective in treating obesity, but sometimes the patient is unable to follow it precisely; therefore, in clinical treatments, using a high-protein diet is more tolerable for the obese patient, and relatively good results can be obtained. Exercise and obesity Exercise has various effects on the body's weight and composition (the ratio of the amount of fat to total weight). Often, with physical activity or training, the ratio of lean tissue to fat can be increased, but since lean tissue is denser than fat tissue, body weight may not change. Well-trained champions who do heavy and strenuous activities and training are often lean (endurance runners). Exercise and physical activity cause the loss of fat in both obese and ordinary people. Exercise plays a very important role in treating obesity. Physical activity is an important part of a weight-loss program. If exercise and diet are used simultaneously, more fat and less lean tissue is lost than when diet is used alone. Weight loss Weight loss causes physiological deficiencies in the body and sometimes even undesirable psychological complications. Total body weight includes bone, muscle, fat, blood, and internal organs, and is generally divided into two parts: lean mass and fat mass. Here it must be pointed out that fat is essential in the body, because: 1/It is one of the sources of energy for use by the cells. 2/It participates in building part of the cell membrane and nerves. 3/It is an insulator against heat loss. In addition, body fat is mostly stored in fat tissue, and this type of fat (subcutaneous fat) covers the internal organs. Excessive weight loss This severely endangers a person's health and causes a weakness in physical abilities and capabilities. Athletes use various methods to lose weight, such as dieting, avoiding fluid consumption, and sweating. Under special circumstances, and sometimes due to time constraints, other methods are also used, such as inducing vomiting, using a sauna, and exercising in plastic clothing. The use of these methods causes a reduction in muscle strength, a reduction in the duration of activity, a reduction in plasma and blood volume, reduced heart function, reduced oxygen consumption, reduced renal blood flow and the volume of blood filtered by the kidneys, reduced liver glycogen reserves, the disruption of heat-regulation processes, and an increase in the amount of electrolytes excreted from the body. Weight control of athletes Weight control of athletes requires a precise and long-term program. Nutrition must be completely balanced, such that the amount of calories the body needs is included, but never more than needed, because in that case body weight decreases. Fluids must be consumed in sufficient amounts. Training programs to maintain the desired weight must be regular and long-term. Measuring the body composition of athletes who need to lose weight (the percentage of body fat, the percentage of lean body weight) must be done several weeks before the competition, and if the percentage of body fat is less than 5% of the desired weight, the athlete must be examined by a physician and obtain a certificate to participate in the competition. The use of so-called weight-loss methods such as plastic clothing, steam baths, hot rooms, saunas, and laxative, purgative, and diuretic medications must be completely prohibited. Weight loss is more harmful for athletes who are in their growth years. The athlete must reach their ideal weight at least 5 to 6 weeks before the required time. The use of weight-loss drugs is in no way recommended.