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Obesity: solutions through nutrition

The facts are undeniable and increasingly apparent. According to the World Health Organization, there are more than 1.9 billion adults worldwide who are overweight, with over 650 million of them being obese. 

Contributors to weight gain

A number of factors can play a role in weight gain. These include diet, lack of exercise, factors in a person’s environment, and genetics. People gain weight when they eat more calories than they burn through activity. This imbalance is the greatest contributor to weight gain. A measure to classify overweight and obesity is Body Mass Index, which calculates the ratio between height and body weight. A body mass index (BMI) over 25 is classified as overweight. A BMI exceeding 30 is classified as obese. Evidence suggests that obesity significantly increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes and other life-threatening conditions.

Obesity prevention

Obesity and overweight are complex conditions influenced by various factors. One fundamental reason for obesity is the imbalance between the calories consumed and those expended by the body. Over the years, our diets have changed with the inclusion of more energy-dense foods rich in fat and added sugars. At the same time, there is a reduction in physical activity resulting from changes in work environments, easier and greater access to transportation, and increased urbanization. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet and regular exercise, is crucial in tackling this global challenge.  

Governments all over the world have begun initiatives that make regular physical activity and healthier dietary choices available, affordable, and easily accessible to everyone. Examples of such a policy is a tax on sugar sweetened beverages, and the use of clear nutritional information on food products, such as the Nutri-score (several European countries) or the Traffic light system (UK).

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