Obesity is defined as having an excessive amount of body fat. Obesity is more than just a cosmetic concern, though. It increases your risk of diseases and health problems such as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Doctors often use a formula based on your height and weight - called the body mass index (BMI) - to determine if you are obese.

Being extremely obese means you are especially likely to have health problems related to your weight. The good news is that even modest weight loss can improve or prevent the health problems associated with obesity.

Causes of Obesity

The most common cause of obesity is increase intake of calories than required and reduced amount of work or expenditure of calories than required. The excess calories ultimately leads to excess fat deposition in the body resulting in Extreme or Morbid Obesity. However there are other causes of obesity defined below:

• Genetics - Obesity can often be traced to genes, and the brain can induce appetite tendencies.
• Illness - Hypothyroidism, Cushing Syndrome and depression.
• Psychology - Mental illness and emotional problems.

You may be able to lose weight and improve your health by addressing the causes of your obesity.

But sometimes these attempts do not work without surgery. If you have been losing the battle with obesity, it may be time to consider bariatric surgery. To help you make a decision, talk to a qualified bariatric physician and surgeon.

Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents. It occurs when a child is well above the normal weight for his or her age and height. Childhood obesity is particularly troubling because the extra weight often start children on the path to health problems that were once confined to adults, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Childhood obesity can also lead to poor self-esteem and depression.

One of the best strategies to reduce childhood obesity is to improve the diet and exercise habits of your entire family. Treating and preventing childhood obesity helps protect the health of your child now and in the future