Obesity is characterized by the excessive build-up of body fat relative to lean mass. Its frequency reached crucial proportions, being among the primary issues that deal with public health in modern-day societies. Throughout the last years, studies showed that obesity has increased in establishing nations. Obesity increases the threat of numerous chronic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, coagulation alterations, degenerative articulation disease, neoplasias, and sleep apnea, to name a few. Concerning the relationship between obesity and death, a current research study revealed an increased danger only for clients with a greater grade of obesity. However, the majority of the outcomes published highlighted that overweight patients have an increase in mortality (Must et al., 1999; Adams et al., 2006; Guh et al., 2009).
The most typically utilized approach to examine obesity in grownups is the body mass index (BMI). BMI is calculated as body weight (in kilograms) divided by the square of height (in meters). BMI is extremely correlated with body fat, however it does not straight determine the percentage of fat. Table 1 presents the classification of BMIs according to the World Health Organization. Topics are considered obese, which is implicated in practical and health deficits, when they provide a BMI in between 30 and 40 kg/m2, a variety that varies just in the degree of illness.
Weight ranges according to body mass index (BMI).
Obesity is thought about as a multifactorial condition, linking medical, psychiatric, and social aspects. According to Dobrow et al. (2002 ), obesity is a behavioral condition that shows excess food intake compared to energy expense; for that reason, the genetic contribution to the initiation and upkeep of obesity requires to be considered.
The genetic predisposition to obesity can be revealed in different degrees, either greater or lower, however environmental factors likewise contribute. The biological/environmental design instead of the mental model best explains the habits that result in obesity, although its repercussions impact psychological variables. According to Dobrow et al. (2002 ), a number of research studies have revealed high correlations between obesity, anxiety, and low self-esteem.
No matter the specific causes of obesity, its psychological aspects are necessary when thinking about the quality of life (QoL) of obese individuals. Studies revealed that obese individuals are adversely impacted by judgments and indirect and direct criticisms from others. Hence, negative sensations about oneself and the world frequently occur, causing stress and anxiety and depression. Negative individual beliefs about inability prevail in obese people. Additionally, excess body weight can trigger muscle pain, expression pain, and discomfort. Since the overweight body is heavy and bulky, it uses up more energy to move, as a result resulting in the requirement to rest regularly.
The World Health Organization defines QoL as a person's understanding of his/her position in life within the context of the culture and value systems in which he or she lives and relative to his/her objectives, patterns, expectancies, and fixations. QoL includes (1) physical elements, such as discomfort, fatigue, sleep, energy, and rest, (2) mental elements, such as self-esteem, memory, favorable and unfavorable sensations, and perceptions of body image and look, (3) social aspects that primarily regard individual relationships, and (4) ecological aspects, such as security, finances, leisure, and information (World Health Organization, 1996; Table 2). Research studies on obesity and QoL suggest a possible interaction in between these 2 variables (Hlatky et al., 2010; Buttitta et al., 2014; McLaughlin and Hinyard, 2014), in which physical, medical, and cultural elements that belong to obesity are directly shown by scores on assessments of QoL. Health problems associated with being overweight, the troubles and humiliation that overweight individuals often experience, and cultural beliefs about beauty, performance, character, and productivity qualities (e.g., self-discipline and perseverance) can adversely disrupt the way of life of overweight people.