Being overweight and obesity
How to combat obesity or being overweight
Each person’s body is different. That’s why there are many reasons why increasing numbers of people are affected by being overweight. But the fact is that carrying too much weight is a health risk. This Guide gives an overview of the differences between being overweight and obesity, and it explains what factors can contribute to weight gain. We will also look at health risks that are associated with being overweight, and we will give you tips on how you can do something good for your body.
Being overweight and obesity: what’s the difference?
“Being overweight” generally describes an excess amount of body fat. Being significantly overweight is also referred to as obesity. But how much is too much? This question is not at always easy to answer. To give a rough idea, the Body Mass Index, or BMI, has become the standard.
BMI is the ratio of body weight to height, and is calculated as follows:
BMI = body weight in kg/(height in m)²
Your BMI number will tell you where you are on the following scale:
However, BMI needs to be viewed critically. Those who exercise a lot, and thus develop more muscle mass, will easily reach a higher BMI – but without being overweight in the classic sense.
BMI should therefore be more of a rough guide. If you’re not sure whether your weight is trending toward being overweight or even obesity, or if you don’t feel healthy, possibly even suffering from problems, such as joint pain or shortness of breath, make an appointment with a physician to be examined. Your physician can measure the percentage of your body fat using bioimpedance analysis, but also detect water accumulation.
Being overweight: a widespread condition?
According to the GEDA Study conducted by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) in 2019/2020 with a representative sample, around 34.5 percent of adult study participants in Germany were overweight, another 19 percent suffered from obesity. This means that 53.5 percent of people surveyed were over the healthy weight, with men being affected more than women.
Data provided by the German Federal Statistical Office also shows that the number of overweight and obese people has steadily increased since the beginning of the 2000s.
Why is weight even relevant?
The fact is that being overweight has a negative effect on health.
Being overweight subjects the joints to significant strain. Pain in the knees, hips, and back are very common. Painful joint wear conditions, such as osteoarthritis of the knee or hip, as well as arthritis are also exacerbated by being overweight.
Furthermore, being overweight and obesity increase the risk of secondary diseases. These include:
Being overweight is therefore not a question of esthetics. This should – if at all – just play a subordinate role. It’s much more important to critically address one’s body weight to stay healthy in the long term and therefore make sure you feel good. Knowing why you might be overweight helps with this.
What are common causes of obesity?
This question cannot be answered in general terms. There are all sorts of reasons why people gain weight:
Certain conditions will increase a person’s weight. These include hormonal imbalances, such as hypothyroidism for example. Cushing’s Syndrome also has a significant impact on a person’s weight. With this condition, the body produces excess amounts of cortisol which can sometimes cause extreme weight disorders. In cases of lymphedema, i.e. lymphatic fluid accumulating in the extremities, being overweight can be a trigger as well as exacerbate symptoms. Medication, too, can cause a person to become overweight.
It’s therefore always recommended to have a physician examine you to exclude conditions. Most of the time, the cause of being overweight is actually down to us and our lifestyle.
How lifestyle influences weight
When it comes to lifestyle, there are three main aspects that influence weight: diet, exercise, and stress management.
How much and what we eat has a significant impact on our weight. If we constantly consume more than our bodies need, i.e. have a calorie excess, we will gain weight. This applies in particular, if our diet mainly consists of meals high in fat or sugar.
But it’s not just big portions in the morning, at lunch time, and in the evening that represent a problem: food is available around the clock, and there is a strong temptation to grab small snacks between our main meals or have a bag of chips at hand in the evening when lounging on the couch.
Also be careful with drinks: sodas and energy drinks contain a lot of calories, and hardly any nutrients. This also applies to low-sugar and sugar-free drinks. They usually contain sugar substitutes which are known to be bad for our health.
Our mind is also closely connected with our eating habits. We console ourselves with a piece of cake when we’re feeling down or quickly reach for unhealthy fast food when we’re stressed. In cases of major psychological strain in particular, it may be hard to make sure we eat healthily – on the one hand, this requires attention and energy that we may not have in such a difficult situation and on the other hand, eating food just feels good at times and you might see it as a support.
Another aspect that has a significant impact on being overweight and other widespread conditions like back pain is inactivity. Increasing numbers of jobs are carried out while sitting, and a lot of people spend more time on the couch than being active during their leisure time. And those who rarely move around use up less energy than they consume, thus provoking long-term health issues.
And what about genetics? Studies have substantiated that our genes also play a part in whether we tend to become overweight. But it must be mentioned that we’re not helpless slaves to our genes – it’s also up to us how our body develops.
Help with being overweight and obesity: what you can do
First of all, it’s important to work out why you may be overweight. Speak to your physician about that so that conditions and drugs you may be taking can be excluded as causes. You then have to examine your everyday life. It’s best if you have a close look at your diet, mental state, and exercise regime.
Help for the mind
Food isn’t just beneficial for the body but also for the soul. In cases of emotional or psychological stress, food is used to bring comfort. This behavior will become a problem if it’s used as a constant solution. Monitor yourself: do you frequently eat chocolate when you’re stressed or angry? Do you eat when you’re frustrated? Or do you eat to relax even when you’re not hungry?
This type of behavior often creeps in unnoticed and becomes established over time. If you realize that your eating habits are seriously influenced by psychological stress, it’s best to seek professional help. In this case, too, your family physician is a good port of call for the right options and can refer you to programs that help you deal differently with struggles and stress.
Start to enjoy being active
In addition to nutrition, exercise is the second major component when battling being overweight. The good thing is: exercise will not just banish excess weight but it also has many other positive effects on your health. It strengthens your muscles, bones, and joints, keeps your cardiovascular system going, and boosts your lungs as well as your immune system. This applies particularly if you exercise in the fresh air. Plus: exercise is good for your mental health, it reduces stress, and puts you in a good mood.
Those who haven’t exercised for a long time may be frightened at the prospect – when they’re overweight in particular, it may not be easy to get used to physical activity again. But don’t worry: you don’t have to overdo it and reach your limits. The important thing is that you make a start on getting active. And when you notice how much this benefits you, you will want to increase your activity levels yourself.
To begin with, try to incorporate more activity into your everyday life. When using an elevator, get off one or two floors early and take the stairs for the rest of the way, get off the bus one stop early and walk the rest of your journey, go for a small walk after dinner every day, with a more extensive route at the weekend... The possibilities are endless, just be creative!
Depending on your fitness, your body will first have to get used to this activity. Joint problems are common in overweight or obese people. It may therefore happen that your knees start hurting. Don’t let that stop you! Just remember that you won’t be able to lose weight without exercising.
But if needed, ask your physician for appropriate help. A knee support, for example, can provide your knee with relief and the stability you’ll need to get back to an active life. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you can ask for specific foot orthoses that benefit your feet.
And last but not least: stick with it!
Are you excited and can’t wait to get active and start eating healthily? Excellent! But make sure you keep your enthusiasm going – and don’t attempt too much in the beginning. Getting rid of lifelong habits is often not easy. Those who strive for change will also experience set-backs. That’s completely normal. Don’t get discouraged but stick with it!
Gradual progress will help you. Don’t try to turn your life upside down immediately but incorporate small changes into your everyday life bit by bit. You’ll see that you won’t just lose weight gradually and in the long term, but you’ll also gain more energy as well as improve your health – and you’ll feel amazing! And that’s exactly what you’re trying to achieve.
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