You
will quite agree with me that looking plump; well-rounded with rolls of fat
evenly spread all over the body was a much desirable look by our grandparents. Oh yes, men of old believed that for a woman
to be considered beautiful she must be ‘well-endowed’. These women often called
‘thick madam’ were our original African Queens. In the Efik tribe of Calabar
and Akwa-Ibom, young girls preparing for marriages were usually taken to a
fattening room and kept in seclusion for several months; they were fed with
rich and fatty foods with the sole purpose of, well, getting them fat. For this
proud culture, being fat symbolised wealth, good fortune, beauty and fertility.
Fast
forward to today, Nigeria’s attitudes and perceptions of beauty and wellness couldn't be more different. Nigerian society now encourages women to be smart
and fit for longevity and healthier lifestyles. Being round or overweight is no
longer desirable and even frowned upon in certain circles. Perhaps this is due
to the growing influence of the Westernization.
An average lady now wants to have a “perfect coke shape bottle”. Being overweight is more often than not, seen
as a symbol of gluttony, excess, over indulgence and even laziness than an
object of desire. Irrespective of
whether the definition of beauty includes the size of one’s waist, Obesity is
one of the biggest health problems in the world. It travels with various other
diseases, which combined, kills millions of people per year. Obesity can lead
to a number of ailments, for example, bowel disease and type 2 diabetes. It is
also a risk factor for some cancers such as breast cancer.
Checkout
the 3 factors that I believe are leading causes of obesity:
First
and foremost, genetics is one of the leading factors of obesity. It's true that
family genetics plays a role in the way you store fat and where it accumulates
on your body. Genes alone do not mean you will be obese, but can cause certain
obesity-related diseases.
Another
factor is eating junk food. Filling your diet with junk food causes an array of
problems in your body. Junk food is often high in sugar, fat and calories,
while providing very few nutrients. You can treat yourself to some ice cream or
your favourite snacks once in a while, but keep your portions to a minimum!
Also,
Inactivity is another factor; a lack of energy balance most often causes
overweight and obesity. People who are
inactive are more likely to gain weight because they don't burn the calories
that they take in from food and drinks. An inactive lifestyle also raises your
risk for coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, colon cancer,
and other health problems. In
order to eliminate obesity in our society, we should all strive to life a full
life that is also healthy. Getting to
and staying at your healthy weight should be your goal and this begins with
research - to determine what your ideal weight should be. The next step will be
regular physical activity, drinking plenty of water every day; good eating plan
and getting plenty of high-quality, restorative sleep.
As
we celebrate this New Year, let’s embrace a healthy attitude by eating healthy
balanced meals. We can start by, adding more fruits to our shopping list,
exercising more often, eating breakfast, and drinking minimum of eight glasses of water daily.
Cheers to a
prosperous and fabulous new year!
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