Nearly six million Canadians are in need of clinical help to treat obesity. Here are some facts you need to know about obesity and how to treat it.
What is obesity?
Unfortunately, obesity is a commonly misused term in today’s conversations about weight. A few extra pounds do not make you obese, no matter what your inner critic says.
Clinical obesity is a persisting condition with many symptoms. Weight gain is only the tip of the iceberg, where at its base hides increased mortality rates and social isolation due to immobility. Imagine not being able to leave your house because you physically can’t. Because obesity is a leading cause of many health risks, weight loss to decrease these risks becomes a priority in obesity treatment. If you think you might be clinically obese, use the following steps as a gateway to start this important conversation with your doctor and get help for obesity today. Your future self will thank you.
Understand the causes of obesity
Understanding causes of obesity is the first step to helping obesity and yourself. Obesity can be due to various factors, many of which are not a fault of your own, such as: familial inheritance, your body’s reduced energy consumption or another underlying illness.
Evaluate the risks
Body weight impacts other organs’ functions. For example, with more weight, your heart may have to work harder to supply blood across the entire body. It is not a coincidence that greater rates of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and younger mortality rates are observed in people with obesity. The risk of maintaining weight is your body’s inability to properly function over the long-term.
Get a proper diagnosis
Obesity is not assessed with just a weight scale. To diagnose, a doctor has to evaluate your weight to height ratio as well as the presence of additional factors in yours and your family’s medical history. Make sure you go see your doctor before you self-diagnose.
Commit to making positive changes
Successful obesity management requires a long-term commitment to a lifestyle that allows maintaining weight loss. Quick-fix diet plans target a specific weight goal that might not be sustainable in the long run. Every individual responds to weight loss differently. It is important to accept the best weight for your health might not be the ideal weight you seek. In order to make a positive change for your health, you have to commit to adapting your everyday habits.
Go ahead and find a local doctor to get obesity help, discuss your concerns about weight, various sustainable weight loss options and the overall lifestyle changes you need to make to ensure long-term health.
