Most of us are aware of how the modern urban setting is causing an extreme change in our lifestyle. We work hours on end, sitting at the same spot for more than half a day and reward ourselves with whatever we wish to eat. The stress that stems from tight deadlines, traffic and other things associated with the fast-paced life we’re living can disturb our circadian cycle with no fixed timing for meals and not enough sleep to help our body recuperate.
Due to this lifestyle, there’s a number of health issues that have arisen and are being referred to as ‘lifestyle diseases.’ It is only recently that we’ve started viewing obesity with the same lense. To clear things out a little, obesity isn’t entirely a matter of how much you weigh. It is actually related to your BMI (body mass index) which is derived from your height and mass. Those who have a BMI of 30 or above are obese.
Being obese can, no doubt, affect one’s self-image. It can have immediate consequences such as reduced mobility, knee pain and reduced stamina. The long term consequences are definitely more serious and can reduce not just life quality but also life span. Obesity can cause heart diseases, diabetes, diseases related to joints and even an increased risk of some cancers.
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No wonder then that obesity is something that needs to be tackled. The best way to tackle it would be to know what causes it so that appropriate changes can be made. Here are three things that can cause obesity:
1. HAVING IRREGULAR MEALTIMES
What time do you have lunch every day? If you don’t have a clear answer to that, you need to regularise your mealtimes. We all have to delay or prepone mealtimes once in a while but doing so regularly can be harmful.
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition stated that those who take their meals at irregular timings tend to be hungrier more often. What’s more, it also puts them at risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and metabolic syndrome as their body’s internal clock is not able to regularise natural processes like digestion, appetite, and insulin production.
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2. NOT DRINKING ENOUGH WATER
Majority of us are guilty of this, aren’t we? We try to follow the eight-glasses-of-water rule for a day before giving up and at times, even apps that remind us to drink water aren’t of much help. The thing is that water is extremely important for us not only because it keeps us hydrated but also because it helps us feel more full which helps us avoid overeating. A study published in the European Journal of Nutrition observed that those who drank water before breakfast consumed fewer calories.
3. SITTING FOR TOO LONG
This isn’t a surprising one! Our jobs require us to sit and work for hours on end but that has some severe consequences on our health. A study published on PubMed Central titled ‘Sitting time and all-cause mortality risk’ notes that those who sit for too long are at a higher risk of chronic diseases. But, you can manage this by compensating your sitting time with physical activity. You can start with 30 minutes of jogging or skipping rope.
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If you’re guilty of any of these things, it’s time for some change!
(This story was originally published on HealthShots.com)
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