WHY BEING OVERWEIGHT IS A PROBLEM
Obesity is having a high amount of body fat; people who are obese are 30 pounds or more over what their weight should be for their height. Being obese causes more health problems than smoking or drinking, just a few of the negative health effects include:
- “Severely obese people (100 pounds overweight) are more than twice as likely as people of normal weight to be in fair or poor health and have about twice as many chronic medical conditions. …
- Weight also has a dramatic effect on people’s ability to manage five basic activities of daily living: bathing, eating, dressing, walking across a room, and getting in or out of bed.”
- People who are severely obese are SIX TIMES as likely to have a problem with activities of daily living as people of average weight.
- Obesity is a major cause of chronic back pain.
- Obesity is a factor in the development of diabetes.
OBESITY AND DISABILITY
People with disabilities are much more likely to be obese than those without disabilities. This is especially true for people who have difficulty walking or moving on their own.This is an important area for family members to be involved, because this is one place where a difference can be made through diet and exercise.
Exercise is important in preventing obesity, especially in older adults. It also helps people who suffer from anxiety or depression, since exercise helps to alleviate stress and distributes endorphins (the so-called "happy hormones") in your body. People who maintain a normal weight and active lifestyle are less likely to develop a whole range of secondary disabilities that are more common later in life. Just a partial list of these disabilities related to obesity and an inactive lifestyle are; Diabetes, Depression, heart disease (COPD), hypertension, arthritis, chronic back pain.
Exercise in Adulthood