Many scientists and health care professionals would loudly declare yes. Obesity—the more, the worse—is, they'd say, a disease or very risky in terms of getting a disease.

Obesity results from the excess accumulation of fat that exceeds the body's skeletal and physical standards. According to the American Obesity Association, obesity is a disease. Obesity is defined as being 20% or more over ideal weight (BMI >25). Ideal weight is the weight associated with the longest life. Ideal weight tables show the ideal weight as it relates to gender and height.

MSN Health & Fitness does not provide medical or any other health care advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Obesity results when there is an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure. In other words, you consume more calories than you expend in your daily activities. There can also be medical causes for obesity, such as glandular irregularities. Many glandular problems are now medically treatable.

This surgery is obviously a very serious step. Patients with psychiatric conditions such as depression, bipolar disease, and/or schizophrenia should be under the care of a psychiatrist before they consider surgery. These conditions can become exaggerated by the body changes that are associated with weight loss. There are some medical conditions which make the surgery too dangerous to perform. These occur rarely but must be taken into account.

Morbid obesity is a much more severe form of obesity. A person who is 100 or more pounds overweight or twice the ideal body weight and has a BMI of 40 or a BMI of 35 with multiple co-morbidities is morbidly obese. Morbid obesity affects an estimated 9 million Americans. Morbid obesity is a common condition that can have profoundly negative health and social consequences. It is considered a serious disease and has been linked to shortened life expectancy.

Yes, just like pregnancy, any factor that increases pressure in the veins could result in formation of varicose veins and spider veins.

There are no specific raw foods which are unhealthy, but some foods if eaten in excess can be stressful to the digestive system. Having too much of the higher-fat raw foods such as nuts, seeds and avocados in your diet can be stressful to your system, especially for people who have been raw for years so their system is not used to all the heavier food anymore. Also, avoid eating too high a percentage of fruit or any one type of vegetable in your diet for a long period of time.

Today's lifestyles subject us to stressful living. The following four main factors contribute to a toxic liver: The typical American diet is harsh on the liver. Improper diets high in carbohydrates, saturated and hydrogenated fats can be hard on the liver. Diets low in quality protein do not provide the building blocks for repairing the body and stimulating the immune system.

If left unchecked, symptoms of liver dysfunction can result in chronic fatigue syndrome, immune disorders, high blood pressure, and the most serious and life threatening liver diseases - cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, liver cancer, and complete liver failure. unhealthy liver creates a toxic condition that manifests itself in one or more of the following symptoms:

That's one of many strategies we need to employ to transform the food available to children in Canada's schools. But many schools don't have food available at all. We need to ensure that children have equal access to nutritious food across the country with national nutritional standards.