Obesity is now becoming a global health concern with cases becoming prevalent among children.

Dr. Domingo Solimen, an endocrinologist of the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center, said obesity which is characterized by the presence of excesss fat in the body, has serious health risks.

Obesity can be generally measured through a person’s body mass index (BMI). A BMI is measured by dividing an individual’s weight (in kilograms) with the square of his height (in meters).

“Generally, a person with a BMI of 25 but less than 30 is considered overweight, while those with  BMI of 30 or more are already obese,” Solimen explained.

Obesity is the fifth leading risk for global deaths. At least 2.8 million adults die each year due to obesity, according to the World Health Organization.

WHO data also showed that in 2010, 40 million children under five were overweight.

Solimen said in the Philippines, obesity and being overweight are becoming prevalent among men and women. A 1999 data showed 16 percent of Filipinos are overweight and five percent are obese. This increased to 25 percent in 2005, the WHO reported.

Considered in the past as only a problem in high income countries, overweight and obesity are now dramatically on the rise even in low and middle-income countries particularly those in urban settings, Solimen said.

Solimen said a healthy lifestyle is still the key in avoiding these health conditions. He warned the public against eating too much especially those high in calories. He said unburned calories due to lack of physical activity form the extra fat in a person’s body.