World Obesity Day is observed annually with the aim of changing perspectives on obesity, correcting misconceptions, ending stigmas and raising awareness on this medical condition, which is described as excess body weight in the form of fat as when this fat builds up, it can cause serious health problems such as heart diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, severe arthritis and even certain cancers. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher is considered overweight and a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.
It is a public health crisis worldwide where one third of all world population suffers from it and reportedly about 1 in 5 children and more than 1 in 3 adults struggle with it. Innumerable co-morbidities are associated with obesity like hypertension, diabetes, ischemic heart disease, fatty liver, liver cirrhosis, gall stones, acidity, stroke, cancers, osteoporosis, infertility and psychological trauma.
Obesity becomes serious as it associates with poorer mental health outcomes and reduced quality of life and even during Covid-19 pandemic, obese patients were reported with severe coronavirus illness and a poor outcome as compared to normal individuals.
Date:
World Obesity Day is a unified day of action that takes place on March 4.
History:
The day was convened by the World Obesity Federation in collaboration with its global members and was first observed in 2015 as an annual campaign with the goal of encouraging and supporting practical actions that will assist people in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, as well as reversing the global obesity crisis.
Significance:
World Obesity Day is celebrated to promote practical solutions to assist people in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, receiving proper treatment, and reversing the obesity epidemic. Even the modest weight loss can improve or prevent the health problem associated with obesity and seeing the reasons for obesity – healthy lifestyle, diet and physical activity plays a magnificent role in one’s life.
In young children weight loss approach is a difficult part since their bodies are growing and developing hence, children should be encouraged to play outside in a open area instead of spending time inside home watching television. By providing healthy meals and snacks on a regular interval they should be encouraged to adopt healthy eating patterns.