Essays

Once I was travelling on a bus. The person sitting next to me got up to get down at the next stop and disappeared in the crowd. As I tried to adjust myself comfortably, within no time a heavy mass, as if an iron boulder, landed with a big thud on the seat. I was choked and could not move. A look at the right made me realize that the bulldozer was nothing but a burly aunt, who was ecstatic to have got a seat, as it escaped her the fatigue of carrying the burdensome weight of her own body. Wiping the sweat from her face, as if she ran past a hundred miles, she flashed a grin at me and I, though half my body crushed under the weight of her flabby arm and shoulder, had to reply out of courtesy,

It is not an abnormal sight these days- the sight of individuals huffing and puffing after carrying the gross weight of their own bodies. With pizzas, french fries, chowmein, burgers, cold drinks and much more flooding the market, the problem of obesity is not only restricted to a middle aged few who are suffering from diseases. It is fast spreading in children as well who gorge on these items and end up looking like pumpkins. Sedentary lifestyle, peer pressure to eat junk food to appear modern and trendy, food addiction, wrong food choices, stress, thyroid problem-factors are umpteen for this growing problem. With both parents working, there is hardly any time to cook food and the increasing number of eating outlets available in the vicinity has become an easy option. So, while parents 'order' something for breakfast at office, children happily munch a 'take away' burger with delicious cheese to solve the problem for the day. Due to paucity of time, this one day affair turns into a daily routine which becomes the cause of worry.

While going to the market the other day, I saw Gupta uncle with his grandson Guddu, who is three times the size of lanky Gupta uncle, and in fact looks like uncle's grandfather. While Guddu was falling short of breath to match the pace of uncle, uncle smartly strode past. His early morning walks explains his fitness level even at the age of 65.

In this world of advertisements and packaging, children are drawn to 'tasty' food in comparison to healthy food.   Such habits when persisted over a period of time result in disastrous consequences-  We are what we eat. Unhealthy food gets reflected in the ailments that our body develops. Obesity increases the risk of diseases like hypertension, heart attack, diabetes, cancer, blood pressure, liver and gall bladder diseases. According to a newspaper report, kids as young as 10 are at the risk of heart disease due to obesity- A study published in the Lancet medical journal recently said that almost 1 in 5 Indian men and over 1 in 6 Indian women are overweight.

Proper exercise and adopting good eating habits is the only solution to this problem. Dancing, aerobics, swimming, gymming, jogging, yoga or sports-there are various ways through which we can keep ourselves healthy and fit.  Besides improving energy level and physical health, exercise also works wonders for mental health. Studies reveal that exercise leads to the secretion of endorphin and other 'happy hormones' in the body. A study at the Laval University in Sainte-Foy, Quebec suggests that those who exercise are less likely to lose their mental abilities or develop dementia, including Alzheimer's. A regular exercise regime is the sure shot way to cope with depression, anxiety and stress. For obesity due to thyroid or hormonal problems, proper medication and doctor's help is advisable.

God has gifted us with this body, an instrument of expression and identity, to showcase our talents and communicate with the outer world. It is important that we maintain healthy bodies to enjoy the beauty of life.