Did you know ~1 in 4 adults in Alberta have obesity?
Obesity is defined as:
“A prevalent, complex, progressive, and relapsing chronic disease, characterized by abnormal or excessive body fat (adiposity) that impairs health.” – Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines (2020)
Let’s break down the medical jargon. Obesity is:
- Prevalent: many people struggle with it (30% of Canadians and 40% of Americans)
- Complex: affected by many factors (genetics, environment, biological and psychosocial) and is not only lifestyle related
- Progressive: tends to get worse over time
- Relapsing: even with treatment obesity can return (and often does)
- Chronic Disease: affects us over a long period of time
- Impairs health: it’s not just weight or body size, but obesity negatively affects our health in so many ways from our heart, to our joints, to our hormones
Put simply, obesity is a long term condition that affects a lot of us, is influenced by multiple factors, gets worse over time, can recur even after treatment, and has serious negative effects on our health.
The good news is with the right understanding, mindset, tools and support, we can manage obesity long term.
When I help clients with obesity, the focus is on improving their overall health, making it easier to do daily activities, helping them live longer, enhancing their quality of life, and strengthening self-confidence, self-worth, and mental health.
It is not just about the number on the scale.