obesity.

The health problems associated with obesity are numerous. Obesity is not just a cosmetic problem. It's a health hazard. Someone who is 40% overweight is twice as likely to die prematurely as is an average-weight person. This is because obesity has been linked to several serious medical conditions, including:

• Heart disease and stroke.
• High blood pressure.
• Diabetes.
• Cancer.
• Gallbladder disease and gallstones.
• Osteoarthritis.
• Gout.
• Breathing problems, such as sleep apnea (when a person stops breathing for a short time during sleep) and asthma.

Many obesity experts believe that people who are less than 20% above their healthy weight should still try to lose weight if they have any of the following risk factors.

• Family history of certain chronic diseases. People with close relatives who have had heart disease or diabetes are more likely to develop these problems if they are obese.
• Pre-existing medical conditions. High blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, or high blood sugar levels are all warning signs of some obesity-associated diseases.
• "Apple" shape. People whose weight is concentrated around their stomachs may be at greater risk of developing heart disease, diabetes or cancer than people of the same weight who are "pear-shaped" (they carry their weight in their hips and buttocks).

Fortunately, even a modest weight loss of 10 to 20 pounds can bring significant health improvements, such as lowering one's blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

erm. i have to motivate myself to live healthy, as a health care personnel, i must show good example to others right? erm. starting from today, i'm gonna start working on to lose weight. i'm way to busy? NO! NO MORE EXCUSE!