For those people suffering from being grossly overweight and veering towards obesity, then it's necessary for them to understand the causes of this potentially dangerous condition. Once the causes are known and understood, then it becomes easier for the sufferer to comprehend the necessity to take action.

Once the sufferer is completely aware of the consequences of failing to address the problem, of being aware of the dangerous health consequences, then he/she will have no trouble in adapting their lifestyle to combat this disease.

Causes of Obesity

Ongoing research into obesity carried out by health research institutions and the medical professions have come to the unanimous opinions that this problem has two major causes - the food we eat and our sedentary lifestyles.

An inadequate diet is recognized as perhaps the principle cause of obesity. A diet comprised largely of processed, fatty foods, high in sugar and salt, with an excess of alcohol and sugary soft drinks is a recipe for a health disaster. Allied with this is a lack of fresh fruit and vegetables and the problem becomes worse. A complete change of diet and greater awareness of the need to eat nutritional food is necessary.

Bad eating habits are picked up inside the home, and especially for children, at school. Obese children will more likely than not have obese parents and siblings. And as obese children will grow up to be obese adults, their children will also be obese. Bad eating habits is a problem that's carried on from generation to generation.

The second most likely cause of obesity is lack of regular physical exercise, particularly with children. Again this is a habit picked up off their parents. If the parents practice a lazy lifestyle, then there is every chance the children will copy it too. Child obesity has grown alarmingly in the past 20 years, due principally to children preferring to get their entertainment sat in front of a TV or computer rather than playing outdoors.

Physical exercise and exertion is vital for good health, be it walking, jogging or swimming. Children can get all the exercise they need whilst playing a competitive sport outdoors. Adults should be looking at a daily 45 minute walk at the very least. Anything over and above this would be a bonus. A brisk walk around the local park or neighborhood would be sufficient to work off the fat consumed in a meal. Or some people may prefer swimming or playing an action sport such as tennis.

A third cause of obesity and one that has been getting a lot of attention recently is the hereditary factor - the tendency for a person to inherit genes that cause obesity from one or both parents. Research into this aspect of the disease is still in its early stages but the indications are that there may be some genetic correlation between obese parents and their children.

Health Risks of Obesity

The degree of excess weight of people is measured by an index called the Body Mass Index (BMI)

It's calculated by taking into account a persons height and their body weight and arriving at a double digit figure. A healthy person would have a BMI of between 20 and 24.9. A figure of 25 to 29.9 would indicate that a person is overweight, whilst a 30 to 39.9 reading indicates obesity. Anything above 40 indicates morbid obesity.

Morbid obesity is an aspect of the disease that leads to early death amongst sufferers. It's not obesity itself that causes death, it’s the associated health problems. These health problems are so life threatening that an obese person can expect to live 9 years less than a non-obese person.

These life threatening conditions could include some of the following:

Type 2 diabetes - this is recognized as being one of man kinds most serious diseases. It's caused by excessive overweight and leads to blindness, loss of limbs, and eventually death.

Chronic heart disease, hypertension, disease of the arteries, stroke

Several forms of cancer are more prevalent in obese people - colon, prostate, bowel, kidney, and breast

Arthritis is more common amongst overweight people

People suffering from morbid obesity, having a BMI figure of 40 plus, will also experience difficulties in enjoying a normal lifestyle. They may have difficulties in walking or moving about (here lack of exercise will compound their problem). They could even have problems in being able to breathe.

Once the disease reaches this stage, a decline in the quality of life is inevitable. When this happens a sufferer usually withdraws from social life; they rarely venture outdoors; and they lose contact with their friends and neighbors.

Social Effects of Obesity

Whilst the health problems and restrictions of obesity are serious enough, the psychological problems associated with the disease are just as traumatic. The two biggest considerations here are a lack of self esteem experienced by a sufferer, and perhaps more important, social discrimination.

Lack of self-esteem is an immensely difficult ordeal that obese people have to endure. They are all too aware that large numbers of the general public regard obese people as being lazy and lacking in self respect. Depression and a feeling of hopelessness is common amongst obesity sufferers.

Discrimination is one of the most destructive aspects of having obesity. All sympathy for the plight of sufferers is denied as most of the public consider that being overweight is a voluntary condition and can be avoided quite easily. All it needs, according to the public, is a large measure of self control.

This was the attitude of large numbers of the medical profession until very recently, but these attitudes are quickly changing.

However, discrimination in the workplace, even though it's illegal, still presents a problem. Employers have the attitude that an obese person must be lazy to allow themselves to become overweight, so such a person would have difficulty in convincing an employer that they'd be a good team player.

In spite of these problems faced by the obese, help is at hand. Not only is there a growing realization that these people need help and guidance, there is a huge volume of information and advice available on the internet.

In addition to all this there are products on the market that claim to help obesity sufferers lose weight.

One such product has been clinically proven to reduce fat taken in by the body after eating a meal, and has been endorsed by the European Union as being a proven fat inhibitor. This product, Proactol, also meets the guidelines set down by the US Food and Drug Administration.