Obesity is the result of an excessive supply of energy in relation to the body's needs. The etiological factors include environmental factors, genetic factors, sedentary lifestyle, avoiding physical activity, stress or eating excessive amounts of fat. It is estimated that the problem concerns almost 60 million Europeans. Obesity is associated with the possibility of many health complications, including hypertension, carbohydrate disorders, insulin resistance and cancers. Treatment of obesity is a long-term process that needs to be started by finding the main cause, by choosing the right diet, pharmacology, and psychotherapy for rehabilitation. The essence of the fight against obesity is physical activity, which in addition to reducing weight and improving the appearance of other results, such as: strengthening the osteoarticular system, improving the lipid profile, increasing efficiency and physical fitness and improving the mental state. Typical training used in the treatment of obesity are general exercises, characterized by medium or low intensity, effective use of oxygen by working muscles, mobilization of large muscle groups working alternately during exercise, cyclicity and the possibility of long-term exercise without breaks. The features of general fitness exercises include, among others: Nordic walking, walking, cycling, swimming and water exercises, aerobics, dancing and much more.

obesity, physical activity, BMI, exercises

World Health Organization. Obesity: preventing and managing the global epidemic. WHO Technical Report Series number 894. Geneva: WHO. 2000.

Dinç G, Eser E, Saatli GL, et al. The relationship between obesity and health related quality of life of women in a Turkish city with a high prevalence of obesity. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2006; 15 (4): 508–515.

Bieńkowski Przemysław, Szulc Agata, Paszkowski Tomasz, Olszanecka-Glinianowicz Magdalena. Treatment of overweight and obesity – who, when and how? Interdisciplinary position of the Expert Team. Nutrition, Obesity & Metabolic Surgery 2018; 5 (1): 1–10.

Przybylska Daria, Kurowska Maria, Przybylski Piotr. Obesity and overweight in the adolescent population. Hygeia Public Health 2012; 47(1): 28-35

Ahima RS. Digging deeper into obesity. J Clin Invest 2011; 121 (6): 2076-2079.

Obuchowicz A. Epidemiologia nadwagi i otyłości – narastającego problemu zdrowotnego w populacji dzieci i młodzieży. Endokrynol Otyłość Zaburz Przem Materii 2005; 1 (3): 9-12.

Bryl W, Hoffman K, Miczke A, Pupek-Musialik D. Otyłość w młodym wieku – epidemiologia, konsekwencje zdrowotne, konieczność prewencji. Przew Lek 2006; 9: 91-95.

Sweeting H. Measurement and Definitions of Obesity In Childhood and Adolescence a field guide for the uninitiated. Nutritional J 2007; 9: 345-356

Komiya H, Masubuchi Y, et al. The validity of body mass index criteria in obese school-aged children. Tohoku J Exp Med 2008; 214: 27-37

Brończyk-Puzoń Anna, Koszowska Aneta, Nowak Justyna, Dittfeld Anna, Bieniek Joanna. Epidemiology of obesity in the world and in Poland . Forum Zaburzeñ Metabolicznych 2014; 5 (1):1–5

M. Ng i in., Global, regional, and national prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adults during 1980–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013, „Lancet” 2010; 384 (9945): 766–781

Zgliczyński Wojciech Stefan. Nadwaga i otyłość w Polsce. Infos. Biuro Analiz Sejmowych. Zagadnienia społeczno-gospodarcze 2017; 4 (227)

Szymocha M, Bryła M, Maniecka-Bryła I. Epidemia otyłości w XXI wieku. Zdr Publ 2009, 119: 207-212

Szatkowska A, Bodalski J. Otyłość u dzieci i młodzieży. Przew Lek 2003; 6 (9): 54-58

Zachurzok-Buczyńska A, Małecka-Tendera E. Zespół metaboliczny u dzieci i młodzieży. Endokrynol Otyłość Zaburz Przem Materii 2005; 1 (3): 13-20

Nawarycz T, Ostrowska-Nawarycz L. Rozkłady centylowe obwodu pasa u dzieci i młodzieży. Pediatr Pol 2007; 87(5-6): 418-424

Longina Kłosiewicz-Latoszek. Obesity as a social, medical and therapeutic problem. Probl Hig Epidemiol 2010; 91(3): 339-343

Kowrach Marek. Postępowanie w otyłości. Modern management of obesity Clinical Medicine 2009; 6 (9): 617-621

PlewaMichał, Markiewicz Andrzej. Physical activity in prevention and treatment of obesity. Endokrynologia, Otyłość i Zaburzenia Przemiany Materii 2006; 2 (1): 30–37

Lenart-Domka Ewa, Kwolek Andrzej. Rehabilitacja dzieci otyłych– czy jest rzeczywiście potrzebna? Przegląd Medyczny Uniwersytetu Rzeszowskiego 2007; 1: 99–105

Gołębiewski Patryk, Bryl Wiesław, Hoffmann Karolina. The influence of selected physiotherapy techniques on weight reduction in obese people. Forum Zaburzeń Metabolicznych 2013; 4 (1): 37–42

Brownell K.D., Wadden T.A. The LE- ARN Program for Weight Control. American Health Publishing Company. Dallas 1999

Liuke M., Solovieva S., Lamminen A. i wsp.: Disc degeneration of the lum- bar spine in relation to overweight. Int. J. Obes. Relat. Metab. Disord. 2005; 29: 903–907.

Dylewicz P., Jegier A., Piotrowicz R. i wsp.: Kompleksowa rehabilitacja kar- diologiczna. Folia Cardiologica 2004; 11: 20–26.