Obesity: The state of being well above one's normal weight. Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and increased health problems.
A person has traditionally been considered to be obese if they are more than 20 percent over their ideal weight. That ideal weight must take into account the person's height, age, sex, and build. Obesity has been more precisely defined by the National Institutes of Health (the NIH) as a BMI of 30 and above. A BMI of 30 is about 30 pounds overweight.
The BMI (body mass index), a key index for relating body weight to height, is a person's weight in kilograms (kg) divided by their height in meters (m)squared. Since the BMI describes the body weight relative to height, it correlates strongly (in adults) with the total body fat content. Some very muscular people may have a high BMI without undue health risks.
Obesity is often multifactorial, based on both genetic and behavioral factors. Accordingly, treatment of obesity usually requires more than just dietary changes. Exercise, counseling and support, and sometimes medication can supplement diet to help patients conquer weight problems. Extreme diets, on the other hand, can actually contribute to increased obesity.
Overweight is a significant contributor to health problems. It increases the risk of developing a number of diseases including; Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, cancer, gallstones, gout, osteoarthritis, infertility, and sleep apnea.
Olestra
A fake fat substitute. This will save you calories, but may also deplete your body of nutrients. If you use this product, or products containing this, make sure you good your 2% dose of essential fatty acids (EFA).
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
An essential fatty acid (EFA) that seems to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. This is considered a type of 'good' fat. Sources include fish, salmon, mackerel, sardines. You need approximately 2% of your daily calories as EFA's.
Ornithine
A non-essential, non-structural amino acid made from Arginine shown to influence growth hormone release: most anabolic when combined with alpha-ketoglutarate (OKG).
Osteoporosis is a disease of the bones that leads to fragility and an increased risk of boone fracture. In osteoporosis the bone mineral denisty (BMD) is reduced, bone microarchitecture is deteriorating and the amount and variety of proteins in bone is altered. Osteoporosis is defined as a bone mineral density that is 2.5 standard deviations or more below the mean peak bone mass of a young, healthy adult. The most important risk factors for osteoporosis are advanced age in both men and women. For women an estrogen deficiency following menopause or oophorectomy is correlated with a rapid reduction in bone mineral density, while in men a decrease in testosterone levels has a comparable effect. Estrogen replacement and Testosterone Replacement can help prevent and restore lost bone mass.
