Being obese or overweight means you are carrying too much weight and body fat. Being obese puts you in the highest weight range, over what’s considered healthy. Being overweight also means your body weight is outside a healthy range, but it’s not as extreme as obesity.

<18.5 is underweight

18.5 to 24.9 is a healthy weight

25-29.9 is overweight

>30 is obese

In Australia, 2 out of 3 adults, and 1 in 4 children are obese or overweight. Obesity is also more common among disadvantaged Australians. Experts predict that by 2025, more than three-quarters of Australian adults will be either obese or overweight.

Poor Diet

It’s no secret that a poor diet over a long period of time will result in weight gain. However, what exactly makes up a poor diet is sometimes not so straightforward. The average man will burn 2500 calories daily and the average woman 2000 calories. 

Weight loss will happen once the amount of calories being used daily exceeds daily intake. An excess of daily calories can come from a variety of dietary sources, including:

Fast food - Fast foods are often high in fats and sugars which cause them to contain significantly more calories than normal meals. Alcohol - Alcohol itself is ridiculously calorie dense and is often mixed with other drinks filled with sugars and paired with consumption of calorie-dense foods. Overeating - Large portion sizes at each meal can result in significant excess of daily calories. Drinking habits - Juices, soft drinks, and milkshakes all contain vast amounts of unnecessary sugars. Unbalanced diets - Eating too much of any one food group can result in nutritional deficiencies in others. It can also lead to increased weight gain.

Lack of Exercise

A general lack of exercise will mean the calories burned each day will likely remain lower than the daily intake. This will result in weight gain over time.

Genetics

Studies have found that indeed, genetics play a role in weight loss, weight gain, and obesity. They can affect appetite, metabolism, fat distribution, and the sense of fullness after meals. While this might be true it is also stated that obesity-related genetics can still be overcome.

Medicines

Some medications can cause weight gain as a side effect. For example, some antipsychotic medicines can cause weight gain by stimulating appetite resulting in overeating. Similarly, some birth control medicines can stimulate appetite and fluid retention causing weight gain. Any weight gain attributed to treatments should be discussed with your GP before potentially changing therapy or managing the side effect.

Medical conditions

A variety of medical conditions can result in weight gain these include:

• Hypothyroidism
• Diabetes
• Cushing’s syndrome
• Depression
• Insomnia
  

These can all result in weight gain through various pathways and long term management solutions should be discussed with your managing GP if your weight gain is related to a medical condition.

Obesity can dramatically increase the risk of developing a number of health problems including:

• Cardiovascular diseases - heart attacks and strokes become more likely as fat begins to build up in the blood vessels.
• Sexual - women may experience infertility and irregular menstrual bleeding due to obesity. 
• Obesity in men can result in erectile dysfunction.
• Type 2 diabetes - excess weight can change the way your body responds to insulin over time resulting in diabetes.
• Cancer - being overweight increases the risk of developing cancer of the uterus, liver, prostate, breast, ovary, colon, esophagus, and kidney.
• Digestion - increased risk of developing heartburn and fatty liver disease.
• Sleep apnea - excess fat around the neck can block normal breathing during sleep leading to sleep apnea.
• Osteoarthritis - excess weight on load-bearing joints like the knees can result in an increased risk of osteoarthritis later in life.
• Low self-esteem - dissatisfaction with the shape of your body can lead to serious mental health issues such as loss of confidence and possibly depression.

Losing as little as 5% of your body weight has been shown to have drastic effects on overall health. The listed risks associated with obesity all have been proven to drop a clinically noticeable amount with this small percentage drop in body weight.