Obesity

The term "obesity" applies when a person has excessive body fat and is at least 20 percent heavier than he or she should be in proportion to his height and physique. It is a common problem in western countries and in higher income groups of developing nations like India.
Causes
Eating errors: Usually obesity is the result of eating too much, allowing more calories into the body than are being used up by energetic exercise.
Obese peoples' energy requirements may be less because of a slower metabolic rate.
Inherited factors: A tendency to obesity can be an inherited one, which runs in the family.
Hormonal factors: Rarely, obesity can develop as a result of hormonal disorders such as hypothyroidism.
Signs & Symptoms
Obesity is a grave problem as the extra accumulated fat puts a strain on the vital organs like heart, kidney and liver as well as on large weight bearing joints of hips, knees, and ankles.
Obese persons are susceptible to several critical diseases like coronary thrombosis, heart failure, hypertension, diabetes, arthritis etc.
Obesity is the hunting ground for diseases.
To sum up, "The longer the belt, the shorter the life".
Herbal Medicines
Regular exercise helps up to a point. Therefore the best approach is to blend dieting and exercise suitably.
A sensibly balanced and slimming diet is the cornerstone in the management of obesity.
Lemon juice and honey: One teaspoonful of honey, and fresh juice of half a lemon should be well mixed and added to a glass of lukewarm water and taken twice or thrice a day.
Ayurvedic Remedies
Triphala decoction can be prepared by adding 20gm of Triphalachurna to 200ml of water and boiled till 50ml remains. After filtering, this oral liquid should be taken twice a day i.e., 25ml morning and 25ml evening along with pills of Medohara Vidangadi Loha, an Ayurvedic medicine available over the counter. This combination is effective in the long run.
Arogya Vardhini Vati in the dose of 1 to 2 tablets twice daily is very effective in controlling obesity.
Do's & Don'ts
Diet: Bread, sugar, refined cereals, meat, fish, fast food, fatty and fried food must be avoided. Intake of salt should also be restricted.