Skip to main content
  • Obesity
    Worldwide obesity has more than doubled since 1980. In 2014, more than 1.9 billion adults, 18 years and older, were overweight. Of these over 600 million were obese. 39% of adults aged 18 years and over were overweight in 2014, and 13% were obese. Most of the world's population live in countries where overweight and obesity kills more people than underweight. 42 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2013. Obesity is preventable.
Submitted by PatientsEngage on 22 February 2016

The word "obesity" literally means too much body fat which might eventually have adverse effects on their health. Whether a person is obese or not is generally based on the body mass index (BMI) and the waist circumference. Body mass is divided by the square of the body height, and is universally expressed in units of kg/m2. 

The WHO definition is

  • BMI greater than or equal to 25 is overweight
  • BMI greater than or equal to 30 is obesity.

The waist circumference >102 cm (male) and >88 cm (female) is also considered obese.

Condition

Stories

  • A man sleeping with a CPAP machine attached to his face
    How I Fixed My Sleep Apnea Problem
    Rohan Kapoor*, 42 from Delhi has been dealing with Obstructive Sleep Apnea disorder for last fifteen years, and uses a CPAP machine to get undisturbed sleep. Please tell us a bit about your condition I have been living with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) since 2004, when it was diagnosed through a Sleep test. I use a CPAP machine to help me sleep and manage my condition fairly successfully because of the device. हिंदी में पढ़ें: मैंने अपनी स्लीप एपनिया समस्या को कैसे ठीक किया What were the…
  • Ragi Veg Tart - A Diabetes Friendly Recipe
    Most tarts are made from refined flour (maida) and often are loaded with sugar or cheese. Here is a recipe with a difference - good for everyone, especially people with diabetes contributed by Diabetes Awareness and You Serves:    4 Ingredients for Ragi Veg Tart Ragi (millet) flour:  100gm Wheat flour: 2 Tbsp Mix veg ( tricolour bellpepper, broccoli, Cabbage):  1 ⅟₂cup                      Green chilli :  1 pc Onion…
  • A collage of pictures of Rohini showing her before and after weight loss
    Losing Weight Is Not Easy But I Did It!
    Going through the treadmill of work and life, Rohini Subramanian Katriar was jolted when the weighing scale tipped past 100Kg. With a family history of diabetes, and two kids to look after, she knew she had to get serious about losing excess weight. She shares her experience of losing more than 20 Kg over 4 years with very pragmatic tips. My parents were super proud of their two chubby little girls. It was a matter of pride that we were healthy (read plump) and in their words, the cutest babies…
  • Diwali nut barfi with chocolate
    Healthy Eating Tips and Quick Recipes For Diwali
    Are you in a panic about making Diwali mithai last minute? Or worried about the weight you will put on during Diwali or the indigestion, acidity you go through? Sujata Din, a Certified Holistic Health Coach shares two simple recipes of nutritious sweets and practical tips to help you through the festive season. It's the festive time of year when many of us are busy preparing for Diwali and have many dinner parties planned. This makes it very easy to let go of your healthy eating habits, as you…
  • A woman in a yogasana at the gym. In the foreground are dumbbells, in the background gym equipment
    Step-wise Process To Boost Stamina
    Shilpa Aneja, who credits her own Breast Cancer recovery to a positive mindset and her passion for fitness and exercise, shares step-wise process to build stamina based on her own experience.  I believe even though you cannot always keep cancer from coming back, it's important to eat right, exercise regularly and go for follow up check ups. Being fit makes you feel positive and keeps a lot of health issues at bay. Before you start, here are a few pre-requisites: Speak to your doctor…
  • On the left an Indian woman in a pink dress and white scarf who was over weight and on the right a trimmer version woman in a white and yellow top and black pants
    I Walk with Hand-Weights to Lose Weight and Build Health
    Kavita Behl, 53, who was diagnosed with high levels of uric acid causing excruciating pain and swelling in her feet, got back her health with a strict walking regimen and disciplined diet. Her mantra now - Be positive and Keep walking.  My problems started two years back in May 2016. I had developed swelling and pain in both my ankles and feet. The pain was so acute that I was not able to put my feet down. I had to go to a doctor. After a series of tests, I was detected with high levels of…
  • Image of a person snoring and sleeping with demonstrations of airways being affected
    When You Need To Take Snoring Seriously
    Loud snoring is often a sign of a more serious condition known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Here are all the facts on sleep apnea that you should know if you or your loved one snore. Including treatment options available. What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea? Obstructive Sleep Apnea or OSA is a medical condition in which breathing stops periodically during sleep in an involuntary process. These brief periods of no breathing are called apnea. हिंदी में पढ़ें: खर्राटों को कब गंभीरता से…
  • A woman in black leotards in a Half Boat Pose (Ardha Navasana)
    Yoga To Help Lose Weight
    Simple and valuable yoga tips which have a direct relation to weight loss, Definitely worth a try. Contributed by Healers at Home. International Yoga Day Yoga has so many benefits. People practice yoga at home to stay fit and healthy by losing weight. Yoga and meditation also keep a person mentally fit and stable. Researches show that stress leads to a poor diet. If you practice yoga at home regularly, it will reduce stress and by that you can take better decisions and your cortisol levels will…
  • Divya Parashar as she looks today
    It Takes A Lot Of Hard Work To Keep The Kilos Away
    Dr Divya Parashar, Head of Rehabilitation Psychology, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre, New Delhi, shares about her own battle with weight issues and how her loss of the extra kilos also invited flak. This is me, 12 years ago, when we were packing to return to India, and a few months after I had just turned 30 and started on a journey to regain my health by losing a whole lot of weight. Weight that was playing host to a few medical conditions: PCOD, Metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, pre-…
  • Winter Bean Stew in a bowl
    Don't Like Salads In Winter?
    Don't worry. Sujata Din, a Certified Holistic Health Coach suggests a protein packed winter bean stew to keep warm and add variety to your meals. Many of my clients share that in the past they have struggled to maintain a healthy diet because they got bored with the same meals and don’t want to be restricted to salads, especially in the colder months. Instead at this time of the year they want warm meals which not only taste good but fill them up. Stews or Soups are perfect at this time of the…