An Overview of Obesity and the Role of Fat in Our Body

Most of us are worried about the excess fat in the body that completely spoils our figure. But, let me begin with a simple question. Do we really need fat in the body? Well this might sound a bit surprising but the truth is yes, fat is essential for our body. But I would like to clarify that there are several types of fat and all are necessary to give us the energy to do work but it has to be made sure that the fat stored in the body is not in excess.

Fat plays an important role in absorbing the heat and shock in the body. Plus they also function as the storehouse of energy in our body .It is this energy that we use to perform our works. The deposition of fat for men is quite different from women. For men, the excess fat gets stored around the belly and the hip area while in case of women; the excess fat gets accumulated in the thighs and buttocks. I guess most of you are aware of the different names given to people based on their body structure. Apple shaped, pear shape are some of the common examples of the body structures. More fat getting deposited in the belly part is called as being apple shaped and a peer shape body is one wherein more fat is distributed in the hip and buttocks of women. In general, the deposition of fat is more in the middle part of the body that is around the belly region.

Given below is a detailed description of the process of accumulation of fat in the body. Actually, fat in the body first gets stored in the form of triglycerides in a connective tissue and this tissue is called adipose. Depending upon its color, it is further classified as white and brown adipose tissue. White adipose is present underneath the layer of the skin. It plays a pivotal role in acting as effective heat insulators and a major storehouse of energy. When the energy stored is more than the energy burnt then it gets stored as excess fat in the body. Note that energy is measured in units called joules. Over a period of time, all the unused energy gets stocked up as fat and results in obesity. This is the same reason for being overweight even in case of children.

Body Mass index (BMI) is a term that is used to measure the excess fat stored in the body. The formula to calculate the BMI is given below.

BMI= weight (in kg)/height (metres)*height (metres).

The BMI value helps us to detect the condition of the fat stored in the body. If the BMI is less than 18.5, then the person is said to be lean or underweight. The BMI for a normal person should be anywhere between 18.5 and 22.9. BMI of 23-27.4 is said to be overweight and when it is between 32.5 and 37.5 the person is termed as being obese. And if the BMI is more than 37.5 the person is considered to be morbidly obese and such people have a high risk of chronic diseases and illness. Now that you have gained a bit of knowledge, be sure to call your friends or relatives with any of the reliable home phone connections such as Time Warner Phone and share what you have learnt with them.

Simple tips to burn off excess fat:

Eat more small meals instead of one big meal. Break one full meal into 3 or 4 and eat it. This will reduce the deposition of fat in the body.

Exercise is a must to burn off the excess calories. Simple exercises like stretching, walking, power walking, or jogging is just enough to burn off the excess calories.

Cody - About Author:
Cody is a freelance writer and an active blogger. He writes on a wide range of topics including home entertainment, technology, Internet, food, health and environment. He enjoys talking on his phone conection powered by the services of Time Warner Phone.

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