WEIGHT CONTROL is the process of losing or avoiding excessive body fat. It is based on the relationship between the amount of food you eat and the amount of exercise you get. The less you eat and the more you exercise, the less fat you will have. Weight control has medical importance because being obese (too fat) can lead to health problems. Obesity is a serious disorder and may result in emotional and social problems. Overweight people may not be obese, though the word overweight is often used for obese. Being overweight means weighing more than the average for a certain height. Some people weigh less than average for their height because they have small bones and muscles. Others are underweight because they have less fat. In either case, being underweight is not unhealthy. But people may be underweight as the result of a disease--cancer, diabetes, or tuberculosis, for example. In some children, underweight may be the first sign of growth failure. An underweight person should consult a doctor. If no illness is found, there is no reason to worry. An overweight person who is not too fat does not need to lose weight for health reasons. The person would do better simply to stay physically fit with such exercise as walking or taking part in sports. Dangers of Obesity Obese people are more likely than thin people to get certain diseases. The treatment of these diseases among the obese is also less likely to succeed. Such diseases include appendicitis, cirrhosis, diabetes, and diseases of the heart and blood vessels, especially coronary heart disease. A fat patient with one of these diseases has a better chance of recovery if he or she reduces. Obese people have more falls and other accidents than thin people because they are slower and clumsier. Their recovery from injury is often difficult because surgery performed on them is complicated. Obesity cuts down freedom of movement, especially in the elderly, and thus can l...
