Death
by excess
By Lubna
Abdel-Aziz
Obesityالسمنة rates are spiraling تصاعد across the globe, concluded the 10th
International Congress on Obesity held in Sydney, Australia (3--8 Sep). As if
we already didn't know it! The same findings were echoed in the WHO four-yearly
conference in 2002, so did the International Obesity Task Force in 2003, and
the World Health Assembly in 2004, and on and on, including endless reports
from health institutes, universities, magazines, television, and satellites --
to what effect? We are facing a worldwide epidemic of obesity and all reports
recommend a vigorous قوية government approach worldwide, to address the
issue of modifying the diet and nutrition of the general population. Does
anyone listen! Does anyone heedتصغى !
Surely food, glorious food, can hardly pose a dangerous risk to
humans! This attitude is reminiscent يذكرب of our struggle with tobacco as a health hazard. Fifty years
ago, concerns began to surface over the negative effects of smoking, but we
refused to be impressed and continued to smoke. It was only when we started
dropping like flies from a series of deadly diseases, that governments began to
take steps restricting the general use of tobacco for health preservation. Will
it take us another 50 years of hard evidence before we realise the awesome
menaceالخطر of obesity? When will we wake up to the
fact that the food we eat is killing us? "Unless individual nations move
now to rein كبح جماح in expanding waist lines,
we will have missed the boat." Drastic measures مقاييس
جذرية need to be taken, but when, how, what, where,
and by whom? Obesity is already out of control, overtaking tobacco as the
world's major health hazard. There are over one billion obese people (1:6)
reports WHO, and almost two billion (1-3) overweight and obese combined. For
the first time in history the number of obese people exceeds the number of the
underfed. We need help, but we are virtually left on our own, and we must take
steps individually and immediately if we are interested in living healthier,
longer. Even moderate weight excess (3- 7 Kg) increases the risk of death
between ages 30 to 64 from certain types of cancer السرطان , cardiovascular القلب
والاوعية disease, type II diabetes مرض السكر, stroke السكتة
الدماغية ,
arthritis التهاب المفاصل , asthma الربو, respiratory الجهاز التنفسى , and psychological disorders الاضطرابات
النفسية .
To maintain your weight your intake of calories must equal your
energy output.
Intake: Calories from food.
Output: Calories used up during physical activity.
The solution to obesity is agonizingly simple
بسيط بشكل مؤلم , your physical output must exceed يتجاوز your calorie intake. Eat less, move, more. Why can't we poor
mortals get it! For thousands of years mankind struggled to get enough to eat.
Once we did, our bodies learned to store the excess fat.
Junk
food الوجبات السريعةand a sedentary المستقر lifestyle are the cause
of our obesity today, but obesity has existed throughout history. Statues of
obese people date back to prehistoric times, the oldest, of an obese woman
found in Willedorf, Austria, (circ. 22,000 BC). On the island of Malta statues
of obese people are 5,000 years old. Ancient Egyptians must have considered
obesity as a disease, placing statues of the corpulent السمين alongside those of the sick. Hippocrates
believed the obese were more prone عرضة to sudden death. Romans wrote of a senator who needed two slaves
to carry his belly for him, and in 1087 William the Conqueror could no longer
ride his horse because he was too fat. Stories and pictures depicting يصورthe portly were common during the Middle Ages
and the Renaissance period. Once the property of the rich, obesity is now more
prevalent السائدة among the poor. Because
of the introduction of new foods and beverages المشروبات, such as corn, potato, coffee, tea and
chocolate, rotundity became more common during the 17th and 18th centuries.
The misconception المفهوم الخاطىء of obesity as a weakness
of character prevailed for hundreds of years. Now physicians and researchers
recognise that obesity "fits all the medical definitions of a disease --
an interruption, cessation وقف or disorder of a bodily
function, organ, or system." Not only is it viewed as a disease, like
diabetes, but as an addiction like drugs and alcohol. The obese crave sugar,
flour, and fats, and experience similar withdrawal symptoms اعراض when dieting as
alcoholics do.
Obese people are not happy to be obese. Not only do they have a
50- 100 per cent increased risk of premature سابق لاوانة death, they are shunnedعدم التعامل معه by society, prone to many diseases, suffer
embarrassment, job discrimination, discomfort, lack of mobility, and dream of
being thin. Hundreds of centres and aid groups have sproutedظهرت
in the UK and the US, such as Overeating
Anonymous المجهول, much like Alcoholics Anonymous, with the purpose of aiding
food addicts to control their cravings الرغبة
الشديدة .
The terms "obese" and "overweight" are often
used interchangeably, but technically they are different.
"Overweight" refers to an increase in body weight from optimal health
standards, while "obesity" is excess body fat in relation to lean
body mass. "Morbid obesity,هوس السمنة " 40-50kg over ideal, will inevitably
develop major medical problems.
" A study from Scotland concluded that their estimated one
million obese adults, have a twofold increase in age-related macular
degeneration -- the leading cause of sight loss in the UK. Trish Richmond of
Motherwell, whose blindness was caused by overweight complained that she had no
idea her excess weight would lead to blindness. "If they had told me that,
I would have been more motivated to lose weight." We are now forewarned.
The risk of losing our sight, the most precious of our senses,
may put some sense into our diet habits, and motivate us to seek a healthier,
happier, longer life. If we watch what we eat, limit our fat intake, walk 30-45
minutes a day, a better tomorrow awaits us.
The destiny of countries depends on the way they feed
themselves.
-- Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826)
-- Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826)
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