The relationship between obesity and lifestyle in Brazilian adults

Obesity is characterized by the extreme build-up of body fat relative to lean mass. Its frequency reached essential percentages, being one of the main issues that deal with public health in contemporary societies. During the last decade, studies revealed that obesity has increased in developing countries. Obesity increases the threat of a number of persistent illness, such as diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular illness, coagulation modifications, degenerative expression illness, neoplasias, and sleep apnea, to name a few. Regarding the relationship between obesity and mortality, a current study showed an increased risk just for clients with a higher grade of obesity. Nevertheless, the majority of the outcomes published highlighted that overweight patients have a boost in death (Must et al., 1999; Adams et al., 2006; Guh et al., 2009).

The most frequently used method to assess obesity in adults is the body mass index (BMI). BMI is determined as body weight (in kilograms) divided by the square of height (in meters). BMI is extremely correlated with body fat, but it does not directly determine the proportion of fat. Table 1 provides the classification of BMIs according to the World Health Organization. Topics are considered obese, which is linked in practical and health deficits, when they provide a BMI between 30 and 40 kg/m2, a range that varies only in the degree of health problem.

Weight ranges according to body mass index (BMI).

Obesity is thought about as a multifactorial condition, implicating medical, psychiatric, and social elements. According to Dobrow et al. (2002 ), obesity is a behavioral condition that reflects excess food consumption compared with energy expenditure; for that reason, the hereditary contribution to the initiation and maintenance of obesity requires to be considered.

The genetic predisposition to obesity can be expressed in various degrees, either greater or lower, however environmental aspects likewise play a role. The biological/environmental design instead of the mental design finest describes the behaviors that result in obesity, although its effects affect mental variables. According to Dobrow et al. (2002 ), several research studies have exposed high connections between obesity, depression, and low self-esteem.

No matter the particular causes of obesity, its psychological aspects are necessary when considering the quality of life (QoL) of obese individuals. Research studies revealed that overweight individuals are adversely impacted by judgments and indirect and direct criticisms from others. Therefore, negative feelings about oneself and the world frequently happen, causing stress and anxiety and depression. Unfavorable personal beliefs about inability are common in overweight people. Additionally, excess body weight can cause muscle pain, expression pain, and discomfort. Due to the fact that the overweight body is bulky and heavy, it uses up more energy to move, consequently resulting in the need to rest more frequently.

The World Health Organization specifies QoL as an individual's understanding of his/her position in life within the context of the culture and value systems in which she or he lives and relative to his or her objectives, spans, fixations, and patterns. QoL includes (1) physical aspects, such as pain, fatigue, rest, sleep, and energy, (2) mental elements, such as self-confidence, memory, negative and favorable feelings, and perceptions of body image and appearance, (3) social elements that primarily regard individual relationships, and (4) environmental aspects, such as security, finances, leisure, and info (World Health Organization, 1996; Table 2). Research studies on obesity and QoL recommend a possible interaction in between these 2 variables (Hlatky et al., 2010; Buttitta et al., 2014; McLaughlin and Hinyard, 2014), in which physical, medical, and cultural elements that belong to obesity are straight reflected by ratings on evaluations of QoL. Diseases related to being overweight, the troubles and shame that obese individuals frequently experience, and cultural beliefs about beauty, character, efficiency, and functionality attributes (e.g., self-control and perseverance) can negatively interfere with the way of life of obese individuals.