Obesity is a condition in which a person has excess of body fat. A normal person has about 30 to 35 billion fat cells. When a person gains weight, the fat cells grow in their size and later on, start increasing. A BMI of 18 to 24 is considered the normal weight, 25 to 29 are considered overweight and any person who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.



A proper nutrient diet helps people in maintaining the body's calorie need. Rich source of vitamins and minerals help people in meeting their body needs. What makes obese people different from normal people is that normal people follows a regular nutrient diet at a proper time and do regular exercises, where as obese people take food at their wish. Physical inactivity is also a main cause.

While it's long been known that it is better to be fit and fat than being thin and sedentary, now thinness has become a prerequisite of attractiveness.

Causes of being obese
Physical inactivity is one of the important factors for both overweight and obesity. Genetics, family history and age also determine the size of an individual. Eating too much of wrong foods, attitude, lifestyle and interpersonal factors are also important causes for obesity. Stress has also been cited to be a cause to many of the health problems associated with weight. Eating junk food and consuming alcohol are also practices generally considered unhealthy.

Effects
Obese people often face obstacles beyond health risks. Emotional suffering is one of the most painful parts of obesity.
Obesity can lead to social stigmatization and disadvantages in employment. Obese workers, on an average when compared to normal counterparts, have higher rates of absenteeism from work and take more disability leave, thus increasing costs for employers and decreasing productivity.
Some research shows that obese people are less likely to be hired for a job and are less likely to be promoted. Obese people are also paid less than their non-obese counterparts for an equivalent job.
Physical appearance is going to be very important these days. The desire to look good has made many people become judgmental towards obesity. Psychologically, being obese can affect your body image and damage self-esteem. People who are obese often face discrimination in the job market, at school and in social institutions.

There is a difference in attitude towards obese people as obesity is related to unattractive, lazy, and unhealthy.

Common physical problems include
Difficulties in Breathing
Difficulties in walking and running
Pain in knee and back
Feeling tired very often
Besides physical discomfort, obese people are at greater risk of getting diabetics, heart related diseases, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and other health problems.
Common medical problems include
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Diabetics, heart attack, stroke
And many other health related diseases

Overall, normal people are metabolically healthier than people who are obese or overweight. By comparison, among the overweight, more than half the people have two to more risk factors.

Even though there is a health risk from being too fat, you can eliminate much of the potential risk by exercising and nutritional diet. A conscious effort to alter diet habits and a changed lifestyle are the best methods to manage obesity.