Learn about Exercise & Obesity 

Exercise & Obesity 

What is obesity? Obesity is a condition characterized by being excessively overweight. Obesity is denied by Body Mass Index. A score of ≥ 30 means you are obese. Please visit our calculator section to determine your Body Mass Index. The important points to consider related to obesity is that the correlation to serious illnesses, disorders, and diseases is well documented and establishes definitive health risks and mortality that can be prevented for most people. Obesity is correlated with the decline in almost all facets of human health. Obesity has been studied, in great detail, for many years. For most people obesity is preventable. Obesity and being overweight have been linked to many diseases and disorders including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, depression, reproduction, respiratory disease, memory & cognitive functions, musculoskeletal disorders, and mortality, among other serious health problems[1]. It should be clearly stated, and understood, that being overweight can lead to obesity, and the health risk factors for overweight people are very similar to the preventable risk factors for serious disorders and illnesses associated with obesity.

Does exercise reduce obesity? 

Exercise, along with healthy eating, is your best line of defense strategy against becoming overweight or obese. Exercise is an effective behavior proven to burn calories, reduce body fat, and body weight helping you to avoid becoming obese. When you exercise you are able to burn extra calories you consume and condition your body to improve your musculoskeletal system and circulatory system strength and endurance. In addition to improving the health of these systems in your body, exercise stimulates your mood and central nervous system resulting in improved mental and emotional health. Regular exercise is recommended for weight management and reduction of body fat and obesity based on several of your medical, emotional, and physical factors and values.

It is essential to consider biological influences or factors, psychological factors, and social interactions, support systems, and behaviors, to determine how to develop an effective and safe exercise program. Obesity isn’t a result of overeating alone. There are several determinants that influence the way you think, behave, and live. It is common to realize how events in your life might influence the way you think about food. Emotional attachment to behaviors that can either positively or negatively affect the way you live contribute to your overall health. Essentially, becoming overweight or obese is associated with your psychological and physical challenges and experiences. For example, eating disorders, including overeating and binge eating, may be connected to behavioral disorders such as major depression and anxiety[2]. If you have a mood disorder it is common that food may become a source of comfort for you. Without intentional assessment and diagnosis, it can be difficult to determine exactly what strategies can be most helpful to help you manage your weight and develop coping mechanisms to manage triggers for behavior that is harmful to your health.

The development of a sound exercise program includes exercise that will not create unreasonable stress on your joints, connective tissues, and back is essential. Additionally, exercising outside the levels of your prescribed target heart rate can put excessive stress on regulatory systems in your body and your heart. Although popular weight loss shows on television illustrate narratives in which obese and morbidly obese people lose excessive weight every week by performing high-intensity interval training exercise at very high-intensity levels, resulting in extraordinary weight loss in excess of one pound a day or more, this practice must be closely monitored by a qualified physician and exercise professionals very closely. If you are not living in the environment of safety, daily evaluation, and supervision as offered in these types of weight loss television programs you can risk serious harm to your health. That said, the health risk factors of obesity or morbid obesity put you at greater risk for serious health problems than associated risks of physical activity or exercise within your prescribed duration, frequency, and intensity values. Exercising with appropriate intensity, duration, and frequency can help you to lose a safe and recommended amount of weight. the recommended amount of weight to lose each week is about 1 to 2 pounds. If you are beginning an exercise, your goal should be to reduce body weight by about 10% of your current body weight[3].

Regular physical activity for 30 minutes or more, for adults, and 60 minutes or more for children and adolescents, every day, within a prescribed exercise intensity or heart rate zone, meaning moderate to vigorous exercise or physical activity is most effective for losing extra body weight and body fat. That said, you may not be able to complete this level of physical activity in the beginning stage. It is recommended that exercise in duration from 30 to 60 minutes, 4 to 5 days per week, is a great start[4]. If this schedule is too difficult to perform, you can break the suggested duration of 30 to 60 minutes down into smaller exercise sessions lasting as few as 10 minutes per session. You will feel better immediately! As your fitness level improves you will simply gradually increase your exercise sessions to the recommended guidelines as described above.

This can be accomplished by choosing to perform exercises in a pool, as a part of a group fitness class known as aqua-aerobics or aquatic-exercise. It is a good idea to wear a heart rate monitor to have a constant measure of your heart rate during exercise. Starting with exercise in a pool is a smart start because there is very little impact on the joints while exercising in water. You may find it quite easy to bring your exercise heart rate up to the prescribed level in the beginning. As you progress, lose more weight, feel more energized, and develop better cardiovascular endurance you will be able to participate in more ambitious exercise and as a result, accomplish a greater level of fitness and continued weight and body fat loss. In addition to cardiovascular or aerobic exercise, if you are overweight or obese, resistance exercise is an important part of your physical activity program. If cleared by your doctor to exercise with resistance, you can realize improvements in strength, body composition, increase in muscle density and muscle function. Your ability to participate in activities of daily living can improve greatly. It will become much less difficult to move, tie your shoes, walk for greater distances, and do the things that most people who are not obese may take for granted.

Obesity in America

Obesity Rates in America[5]

Obese

Overweight or Obese

Obese

Overweight or Obese