Obesity is a complicated ailment that results from abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat in the body. It presents a great risk for other health problems like heart attack, stroke, high BP or blood pressure, diabetes, and certain specific cancers. A body mass index(BMI) of anything over 25 is called overweight and over 30, it becomes obese. It has become a rapidly growing concern in the present world a large population of people dies every year because of it.
There are reasons why so many people face issues in losing weight. Obesity can be due to a lot of factors like physiological or environmental and sometimes even inherited or lack of physical activities or workout deficiency along with unhealthy diet.
From 1975 to 2016, the problem of obesity has increased by 4 times, from 4% it soared to 18%. However, with a healthy diet and regular exercising, health problems related to obesity can be kept at bay while losing weight at the same time.
The primary reason for obesity is when the number of calories that we intake exceeds the amount that could be burned through daily routine activities and exercises. Causes of obesity can be genetic, behavioural, metabolic, hormonal influences and these can also play a major role in determining our body weight.
The increasing trend of junk eating and quick bites are leading to an increase in calories which positively impacts the digestive system. The fad of eating high-calorie fast food and sodas contribute largely to obesity, especially in the younger generation.
Stress eating could also cause obesity as people eat faster even after they feel full. Extended work hours, late-night snacking or lack of physical activities are large contributing factors to obesity. The change in working life which has resulted in lesser physical activities wherein people have stopped taking the stairs or sitting for a longer tenure in front of their computers, etc. have led to lower consumption of daily calories. And courtesies like escalators, lifts, online shopping, etc are also reducing the regular activities of the body leading to use up fewer calories.
BMI meaning Body Mass Index is one of the most commonly used parameters that is considered to diagnose obesity in human beings. However, the concept of BMI alone would be flawed as it varies from region to region along with age and other factors. For Asian ethnicity, a BMI of 18-24.9 is usually considered healthy.
To calculate the BMI for men and BMI for women, the regular formula is weight in kg divided by the height in metre and then squared.
For example, if your height is 172 cm, i.e. weight is 70 kgs, then your BMI would be 70/ (1.72 * 1.72) = 23.66, which falls in the healthy region.
Let’s take a look at the chart given below to understand the BMI and Weight Status relationship, in order to further understand obesity symptoms-
| BMI | Weigh Status |
|---|---|
| BMI less than 18.5 | Underweight |
| BMI between 18.5 to 24.9 | Normal BMI |
| BMI between 25 to 29.9 | Overweight |
| BMI of 30 or more | Obesity |
Again there are different classes of obesity:
| For BMI more than 30 but less than 35 | Obese Class I |
| For BMI more than 35 but less than 40 | Obese Class II |
| For BMI more than 40 but less than 45 | Obese Class III |
Usually, BMI helps in estimating reasonable body fat. But, this is not the correct parameter to measure fat directly because for some people in specific professions such as athletes, weightlifters, the bodyweight could be in the category of obesity due to their muscle weight and not fat. Thus, BMI is not the only parameter to measure obesity but it is the prevalent and widely used concept.
Some doctors even measure the circumference of the waist to decide the treatment required. Obesity-related issues are common if the waist circumference is more than 40 inches in men and 35 inches in women.
Obesity leads people to develop other serious health issues that include-
Obesity increases the risk of insulin resistance and diabetes in the body which directly affects how our body uses insulin to control blood sugar levels.
Obesity makes you prone to abnormally high cholesterol levels or high BP or blood pressure which are highly related to heart diseases and stroke.
Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder in which a person suddenly stops breathing and starts breathing in the sleep. It is a serious health condition.
Obesity increases the risk of certain types of cancers. They are- the cervix, uterus, ovary, breast, endometrium, rectum, colon, oesophagus, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, prostate as well as kidney.
Along with inflammation in the body, obesity leads to osteoarthritis in which increased stress is placed on knees and back that are weight-bearing joints.
Obesity increases the risk of developing liver problems, gallbladder disease, and heartburn.
Obesity is considered to be high-risk as far as severity in covid-19 symptoms is concerned if infected. The person might need treatment in the intensive care unit and mechanical support to breathe.
To cut off obesity from life it is extremely important o develop healthy food habits and regular exercise. Below are given few tips to keep obesity under control-
Replace the quick bites and fast food with healthier alternatives like fruits, green vegetables, protein, and vitamins. This will hugely impact the digestive system in a positive way.
Obesity happens when you eat even when not hungry. Avoid binge eating and eat only when you feel hungry. Chew slowly, it leads to better digestion.
If you keep unhealthy alternatives in the house, you will feel more and more compelled to eat them. Instead of doing that, stock your pantry with healthy fruits. Allow yourself to snack on less-healthy food as little as possible.
Incorporate at least 60 minutes of daily activities in your routine to stay healthy. It could be through games, exercise, walks, gym classes, or outdoor activities.
Worrying a lot also leads to obesity and loss of health. Make sure you take less tension and catch on enough sleep every day.
Here are some health insurance policies that can be considered
| Name of the Plan | Best Features |
|---|---|
| Aditya Birla Active Health Enhanced - Platinum |
Cashless treatment and hospitalization available at 9000 network hospitals Sum insured ranges from INR 2 lakhs to INR 2 crore Health return, recovery benefit, expert wellness coach and some other programs are the highlights of this plan Cumulative bonus increased by 50% for the first claim-free year and can reach upto 100% of INR 1 crore for each claim-free year |
| Star Comprehensive Plan |
The sum insured can increase upto 100% for successive claim-free years Pre and post hospitalization expenses are covered Mid-term inclusion benefit is available on the plan |
| Manipal Cigna Lifetime Health |
Available sum insured ranges from INR 50 lakhs to Rs 3 crore Covers pre and post-hospitalization plans Restoration of the sum insured is available |
A disease like obesity always keeps you under the tension of developing a serious health problem like heart disease, cancer, or stroke. It not only will take a physical toll on you but also bite out a large part of your savings. However, if you buy health insurance, it will ensure that you get the best treatment without the tension of bills.
Let us take a look at the benefits of health insurance for Obesity:
Every year, thousands of people die due to severe health problems developed from obesity. Being covered by a health plan will ensure that you will get quality treatment without having to worry about finances.
Obesity-related plans have a minimal waiting period after which the plan could be fully utilized.
Insurance companies also offer insurance for obesity on an individual and as well as a family floater basis. This allows you to cover your loved ones too.
Most health insurance plans for obesity offer a lump sum amount required for the treatment after making the claim. This feature makes health insurance extremely beneficial.
A health insurance policy for obesity helps you cover the financial burden to a great extent whenever there is a requirement for treatment due to severe health problems. Some of the inclusions may differ from company to company, however, the basics include-
Every insurance plan comes with a certain set of exclusions. However, certain exclusions are common for all plans. Those include-
Obesity makes you more likely to catch serious health problems compared to fit people, hence the premium you need to pay becomes higher.
This is not true. Health insurance is a protection against critical illnesses and not particularly obesity or overweight.
Yes, people with higher BMI requires to pay a higher premium since they are more at risk of catching serious health problems, and every year many people die due to obesity.
Yes, BMI, also known as Body Mass Index is a parameter to measure your weight status. However, it is an exception in the case of athletes.
If you are overweight, you will need to pay higher premiums. You will run a high risk of getting critical health illnesses that might drain your money.
It is estimated that obesity costs 2% to 7% of the total healthcare costs.
