Obesity

What is obesity?

Obesity is a disorder that occurs in a person when he or she is too overweight. In order for a person to be obese, he or she needs to have a body mass index (BMI) over 30. BMI is a measurement based on a person’s height and weight. In order to be considered having normal weight, your BMI must range from 18.5 to 24.9. To calculate your BMI, first divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters. Then, divide your quotient by your height in meters to find your BMI. You can also use online BMI calculators. Obesity can have many negative implications on a person’s health.

How are canned food and obesity related to each other?

First of all, canned foods generally contain BPA, which can cause obesity. According to a Japanese study, this could be because BPA can imitate hormones, such as estrogen, causing changes in the body. One of the changes might be hyperplasia (an increase in the number of fat cells in the body) and hypertrophy (an increase in the size of fat cells), leading to obesity. In fact, scientists in Tufts University did an experiment on rats which supports this. As the rats were exposed to BPA, the scientists observed an increase in the number of fat cells in their bodies. On top of BPA, canned food also contains extra sugar, which is used as a preservative. For instance, sugar is added to fruit when it is canned. Extra sugar can lead to obesity as it causes unnecessary buildup of fat.

How serious is obesity?

Obesity may not seem like a big deal, but in reality, it can lead to serious health complications. For example, if you are obese, you have a higher chance of acquiring Diabetes 2, heart disease, bone and joint problems, and certain types of cancer. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, 35 percent of women and 31 percent of men are obese. The National Institutes of Health calculates that approximately 300,000 people die due to obesity every year.

How can obesity be avoided?

Avoid canned food as much as possible as it can contain things that can lead to obesity, such as BPA and extra sugar. Exercise on a daily basis so your BMI stays on the right level. Do not eat junk food or anything else that has an excessive amount of calories. Prefer eating fresh fruits and vegetables instead. Last, but not least, avoid eating in plastic since plastic also contains BPA.