The World Health Organization (WHO) warns against an obesity epidemic and states that 2.6 million people die every year on account of being overweight or obese. Obesity poses one of the main risks for global deaths nowadays. It is no longer an aesthetic problem, but a serious medical concern. In Poland, as many as 46% of the population have problems with maintaining proper body mass. Can overweight and obesity be ignored then? It can, but is it worth it? The consequences of abnormal body mass are very serious: heart failure, cerebral stroke, diabetes, osteoarthritis, etc. Obesity affects every group of the society, but what makes it even worse, it more and more frequently affects children and adolescents.
The World Health Organization's statistics are alarming - approximately 2 billion people in the world are overweight, and 500 million people suffer from obesity. Problems with maintaining normal body weight may be related to the changes taking place in our bodies with age. Only 2% of Poles perceive themselves as obese, while almost 60% of Poles aged 50+ are overweight, and yet we are still considered to belong to the slimmer part of the European nations. Paradoxically, the statistical data continue growing despite millions of people fighting obesity globally.
According to research results, the majority of obese adults in Poland are men. In the age range from 15 to 49 there are 10% more obese men than women. They start gaining weight already in their thirties: more than 50% of men at that age still have a normal body weight, but they later gain weight as well. The percentage of obese women grows among women after the age of 40, but still 66% of women maintain normal body weight then.
In Poland, 29% of women and only 6% of men attempt to fight with overweight and obesity. And it should be remembered that each kilogram of weight lost means less work for the heart! Unfortunately, the problems of overweight and obesity grow dramatically among children and adolescents.
Since we Poles are unwilling to follow dietary restrictions, and the percentage of persons declaring regular physical activity is still alarmingly low, the future of our society's health looks rather bleak, and it should encourage those responsible for the society's health to undertake effective and long-lasting preventive measures and awareness campaigns.
Let us have a look at the heart of the matter first. Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat accumulates to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health and lead to reduced life expectancy.
Obesity may be diagnosed by means of several indexes, such as the waist circumference, BMI (Body Mass Index, BMI > 30), and WHR – Waist to hip ratio.
High calorie diets, processed high-fat foods (containing fat which we nota bene cannot see), sweets which we eat to conquer stress and boredom, a sedentary lifestyle - all these factors contribute to the ever growing number of overweight and obese people. The following factors can be mentioned as the causes of obesity:
Obesity can be divided into primary and secondary types. The former results from disturbances in the energy balance, i.e. energy output and energy consumption. This is a positive energy balance - energy output is less than energy consumption. Secondary obesity is the consequence of diseases causing a disorder of the metabolic balance.
Taking into consideration the ever growing number of obesity cases and its tangible dangerous consequences for our health, we should all face the problem and undertake active preventive measures.
Because of the scale of the problem the World Anti-Obesity Day has been established on 24 October.
Obesity is also connected with disorders of the proper cholesterol level in blood, i.e. hypercholesterolemia. Elevated levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol lead directly to serious heart and cardiovascular system diseases (hear failure, cerebral stroke, hypertension, etc).
In combating overweight and maintaining a healthy body we can be supported by a dietary supplement, Sterolea. It is intended for people who do not remain passive facing the problems of overweight, obesity and hypercholesterolemia and who particularly value their good cardiovascular condition.
Sterolea contains plant sterols1,1a, which together with a balanced diet help to lower the cholesterol level1 and then to maintain its proper level1a. Scientific research has proved that plant sterols lower the cholesterol level in blood1.
It is commonly known that a high cholesterol level is a risk factor for developing coronary heart disease.
Why is it worth using Sterolea?
Two of the most important factors of the cardiovascular system's dysfunction are an increased cholesterol level and high blood pressure. We all want to stay in good shape for as long as possible, which is why we should take good care of the proper cholesterol level starting today1,1a. A change of diet and its supplementation with natural plant sterols included in Sterolea will help us achieve this goal.
For whom is dietary supplementation with Sterolea particularly beneficial?
For people who want to naturally, safely, comfortably, actively and consciously take care of their health and support their heart and cardiovascular system. For people who suffer from a high cholesterol level and knowing that a high cholesterol level is a risk factor for developing coronary heart disease, do not want to remain passive. Plant sterols lower the cholesterol level in blood1 and help to maintain a proper cholesterol level1a.
How does Sterolea work?
The product is intended exclusively for people who want to lower the cholesterol level in blood. The effect of lowering the cholesterol level occurs within 2 – 3 weeks (from the time of starting the treatment), with the daily consumption of 1.5 – 2.4 g of sterols1.
The obvious truth is that normal body weight is of elementary meaning for our health, and obesity is not just an aesthetic flaw but a disease.
If we wish to maintain good health and a slim body we should start with a proper diet. Above all, we should consult a physician or dietician in order to choose a diet appropriate for the requirements of our body, which will improve our cardiovascular condition and our lipid profile. An active lifestyle also brings notable benefits. Morning exercising, long walks, aerobic exercises increase the cardiac efficiency and the general physical fitness.