|
More than 50 percent of the Guyanese population is overweight,Chris Hogan Patriots Jersey UK, Minister of Health, Dr Leslie Ramsammy, has revealed. And the dilemma, according to the Minister is not restricted to the adult population as it has been revealed that some 15 percent of the school-aged population alone is overweight.And it is a near impossible task these days to identify individuals with the recommended Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 20,Antonio Brown Steelers Jersey UK, said Minister Ramsammy.According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the prevalence of overweight and obesity is commonly assessed by using BMI which is defined as the weight in kilograms divided by the square of one’s height in metres (kg/m2).A BMI of over 25 kg/m2 is defined as overweight, and a BMI of over 30 kg/m2 as obese. These markers provide common benchmarks for assessment, but the risks of disease in all populations can increase progressively from lower BMI levels.Obesity, the Minister said, is often rooted in the diet that people prefer to consume over the recommended daily diet. “Sixty-three percent of us do not include enough fruits and vegetables in our daily diet and we have changed the way we do things. Manufacturers are now trying to punch things in cans because we don’t want fresh fruits and vegetables,” the Minister asserted.In addition, he noted that if persons are consuming more than they are burning, the excess will undoubtedly be converted into fat, thereby lending to obesity. Obesity,Merril Hoge Steelers Jersey UK, according to the WHO, has reached epidemic proportions globally,James White Patriots Jersey UK, with more than one billion adults being overweight – at least 300 million of them clinically obese.And this state of affairs the WHO has revealed is a major contributor to the global burden of chronic disease and disability.Often coexisting in developing countries with under-nutrition,Tyson Jackson Falcons Jersey UK, obesity is a complex condition, with serious social and psychological dimensions, affecting virtually all ages and socioeconomic groups.Increased consumption of more energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods with high levels of sugar and saturated fats, combined with reduced physical activity, have led to obesity rates that have risen three-fold or more since 1980 in some areas of North America, the United Kingdom, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, the Pacific Islands, Australasia and China,Morgan Burnett Packers Jersey UK, according to WHO.The obesity epidemic is not restricted to industrialized societies; this increase is often faster in developing countries than in the developed world.Obesity and overweight pose a major risk for serious diet-related chronic diseases, including Type Two diabetes,Sammie Coates Steelers Jersey UK, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke,Joe Gilliam Steelers Jersey UK, and certain forms of cancer. The health consequences range from increased risk of premature death, to serious chronic conditions that reduce the overall quality of life.Of especial concern is the increasing incidence of child obesity,Troy Polamalu Steelers Jersey UK, WHO has emphasised. |
|