JOIN USObesity doesn’t just make you look fat, it can hinder your fertility, warns Dr Shobha Gupta .
Obesity is a chronic medical condition characterized by too much body fat. Obesity is diagnosed by a number called the Body Mass Index (BMI), which calculates the amount of body fat. Your BMI is calculated from your current height and weight. The higher the BMI the more body fat a person has. We are all aware that being obese is not healthy.
It's not a choice that one makes in life. No one would want to suffer the problems caused by obesity. Experts believe obesity has to do with the lifestyle issues of the major population in urban India.
The urban populace has easy access to high-calorie packaged foods such as burgers, chips and colas. Moreover, people in cities follow a sedentary lifestyle. Little or no physical activity and a predilection for gizmos such as video games, computers are to blame.
Yet another growing problem in today’s time among the population is infertility caused due to obesity. Weight problem cases are on increase everywhere, and so are infertility clinics. Almost 10% of couples in the country get affected by infertility and are hesitant to take medical advice. The obesity rates in India have been rising at an extensive rate, out of which quarter of the women’s population is defined as medically obese.
Fertility issues due to obesity
n Irregular or infrequent
menstrual cycles
n Less success with fertility treatments
n Increased risk of miscarriage
n Increased risk of abnormal babies
Lifestyle changes required
Obesity needs to be managed long-term with a combination of diet, increased activity and lifestyle changes.
n Balanced diet
n Regular physical exercise and relaxation exercise
n Eat three meals everyday - good breakfast, moderate lunch, and light dinner
n Reduce your intake of food or drinks that contain high level of sugar and fat
n Quit smoking and drinking
n Brisk walk twice a day for atleast 30 minutes
(The writer is an IVF expeprt)