Physical activity and obesity

ABSTRACT

Obesity has become one of the major public health problems in the Caribbean. It affects more than a quater of the adult population, particularly our women. Obesity is one of the easiest medical conditions to recognize but most difficult to treat. It can be defined as a condition in which the body stores excess fat in such a way that health is negatively affected. When an individual becomes obese or has excess body fat this can be a serious health hazard as the person becomes prone to other chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus type 2, cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, stroke and certain types of cancer.