Obesity has become an endemic in New Zealand and many other countries. It is estimated that 25% of Kiwis have developed various types of obesity. Obesity can cause a variety of health problems and can lead to serious diseases that can carry high rates of mortality and morbidities. Obesity is considered to be the second common cause of preventable death.
The main risk factors of obesity are sedentary life style, lack of exercise and excessive energy consumption. It was recently discovered that obesity is closely related and linked to certain genetic, familial, metabolic and environmental factors.
The following are some common problems associated with obesity:
Wittert, G. (2009). Complications of obesity. 2009-Australasian Conference on Obesity. Auckland: University of Auckland.
