Dangers of Obesity for Vegetarians by Laura Ng

How much do you know about the dangers of obesity as an obese vegetarian? Are you obese when you're overweight? It's actually not like what you've been reading elsewhere about the dangers of obesity. Here let me show you what determines obesity and the potential risk of being an obese vegetarian so that you know exactly how to combat your obesity issue as a vegetarian.

Weighing heavy does not necessarily lead to obesity. Look at the heavyweights - their weight come from their muscle mass. Of course for us, the common people, heavy weight means overweight!

The logic is simple: if we consume more calories than we use, the excess calories will get stored in our bodies as fat. When you're obese, it simply means you're carrying way too much fat in your body. Therefore, obese people run a higher risk of suffering from high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Obese vegetarians are no exception, even though you're considered relatively "healthier" than obese meat-eaters.

Let's now take a look at what factors exactly contribute to your gaining of weight and cause you to become an obese vegetarian. They affect the way your body burns calories, thereby deciding whether you'll gain weight or not.

Lifestyle

Our long working hours and other commitments often become our excuses not to cook nutritious vegetarian meals. Instead we head for the nearest fast food outlet or food center even though we know these prepared vegetarian foods are often high in fat and calories and the portion size is usually too large. On top of that, many of us lack exercise which is vital to burn away the excess calories. The end result: the excess calories turn into fat.

Psychological

Are you someone who tends to overeat to cope with your emotional problems such as stress, depression or boredom? If so, this is one of the causes to your obesity issue.

Genetics

Your genes actually affect the amount of body fat you store and where the fat is distributed. Take a look at your parents - are they obese too?

Age

Your muscle mass decreases with age. You'll also become less active as you age. This in turn leads to a decrease in metabolism and calorie needs. Therefore, if you do not reduce your caloric intake as you age, you'll most likely gain weight.

Medical

Problems like low thyroid function, arthritis, excess production of hormones by the adrenal glands (Cushing's syndrome) or other hormonal balances, such as polycystic ovary syndrome - these disorders can make your fat grow too.

These are just some common factors that trigger weight gain and result in obesity. However, you can reverse the situation.

Getting on with a healthy vegetarian lifestyle will definitely help you lower your body fat and return you a slender body and more importantly, your overall health which will in turn, extend your life. The only concern is, how long will it take for you to achieve your goals?

That really depends on how many factors contribute to your obesity problem. If you're plagued with only one factor like psychological, you probably need relatively less effort than if you were plagued by two or more of the above factors combined. In other words, the more factors you need to deal with, the longer and more effort it'll require of you.

But that shouldn't deter you from pursuing good shape and health. Think about your loved ones. Do you want them to worry about your health day and night? Do you want them to see to your funeral and mourn over your death? Don't you want to take good care of them for life? The choice is yours.