The consequences of obesity and methods of its control

Do you think that extra pounds are purely an aesthetic issue? Unfortunately, no. Behind them hides a terrible diagnosis — obesity (or adiposity). The World Health Organization classifies it as “the plague of the 21st century”.

Almost 2 billion people in the world are diagnosed with “obesity”, and it’s almost every third, as the WHO warns.

What is obesity?

It’s not just some excess weight, it is a significant excess of adipose tissue that appears around the internal organs.

This condition is the basis, not the consequence!

There are several reasons for obesity, but it is not just a consequence of diet and a sedentary lifestyle. These are:

• consumption of more than the norm of one’s dietary nutrients than the body actually needs, predominance in the diet of food with a large composition of fats and simple carbohydrates;
• hormonal changes in the body — underdevelopment of the gonads, malfunctions of the thyroid gland and pituitary gland, the presence of damage to nerve cells in the hypothalamus, taking hormonal drugs;
• genetic predisposition;
• lack of any physical activity.

In addition, the peculiarity of adiposity is that it provokes the exacerbation of old diseases and the development of new ones, such as:

• cardiovascular diseases — the risk of heart attack and stroke increases, hypertension begins to develop;
• diabetes mellitus — the risk of developing insulin-dependent diabetes increases by 40 times;
• diseases of the musculoskeletal system — due to excess weight, the load on the spine and joints increases, which leads to deformation of the joints and the development of gout and arthritis;
• a failure in the hormonal system — insulin resistance occurs (a condition in which the sensitivity of the body’s tissues to insulin decreases and the level of glucose in the blood increases). In women there is a violation of the menstrual cycle, the amount of the hormone progesterone decreases, due to which the appearance becomes more masculine;
• gallbladder disease — cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder) and gallstone disease are most often diagnosed;
• apnea — breathing disorder during sleep.

What are the degrees of obesity?

To assess the degree of obesity, you need to know the body mass index (BMI). For this, divide your weight by the square of your height.

The World Health Organization classifies three degrees of obesity:

• the first degree — BMI is within the normal range — 30-34.9, the first signs of adiposity appear in the form of extra kilograms, shortness of breath, sweating, and swelling. In this case, a balanced diet within the limits of your KPFC, increased physical activity and consultation with a specialist will help;
• the second degree — the BMI is in the range of 35-39.9, the symptoms are accompanied by a decrease in working capacity and it becomes difficult to engage in any physical activity. Specialist help is needed here;
• third degree — BMI higher than 40, in addition to the already listed symptoms, there is a headache and disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Together with an endocrinologist and a nutritionist, such a condition can be cured in a timely manner.

Can adiposity be cured?

Definitely, yes! Here’s a list of how to do it:

• eat a balanced diet with all the necessary macro- and micronutrients, such as proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Here are the formulas to help you calculate your rate:
  • you need to consume 1-1.2 g of protein per kilogram of body weight;
  • you need to consume 3-5 g of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight;
  • you need to consume 1 g of fat per kilogram of body weight;
• have a calorie deficit — it is enough to just add physical activity to your routine;
• eat consciously, according to physical needs, not emotional needs — focus on the real feeling of hunger, try to eat without distracting factors, do not overeat;
• limit the amount of processed products in the diet — they have a large amount of sugar and fats and saturate the body for a short time;
• on the recommendation of a doctor, you can use medical drugs or perform bariatric surgery (resection of the stomach);
• get regular medical check-ups to prevent illness.

Obesity in children

Childhood adiposity has reached a new level: over the past 20 years, the number of strongly overweight children has increased by 2–3 times. And it’s a deplorable statistic because in 60% of cases, in the future they may have serious diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, arthrosis, oncology, and infertility.

For prevention, it is enough to:

• establish a clear regime of the day for the child;
• reduce the amount of products with a high content of sugar and fat;
• add physical activity to the child’s schedule;
• detect symptoms of eating disorders that appear in a child on time and react to them;
• be an example for your child so that he copies your habits and behavior.