Introduction
Obesity is not impartial a substance of aesthetics &a few extra pound sterling. It is a serious disease that doctors call the “epidemic of the 21st century”. And that is no exaggeration – more and more people in the world, including Poland, are struggling with excess body weight, which carries the risk of serious complications, from diabetes to heart disease like coronary artery disorder. What is obesity? What are the risks and how can you fight it?
What is obesity?
Giving to the World Health Organization (WHO) explanation:
“ Obesity is uncharacteristic & excessive buildup of chubby material in the humanoid figure “.
Putting on too much fat tissue is caused by repeatedly eating more calories than you use each day. Basically, if we take in more calories than we burn, the extra calories end up as extra fat which can cause metabolic problems and increase our chances of getting sick.
Obesity in Poland is a growing problem. According to statistics provided by the Central Statistical Office, in 2019, as many as 57% of adult Poles struggled with excess body weight. The population of overweight or obese people has increased by 3% in 5 years and is expected to continue to grow. The problem of over Wight also affects children: according to the WHO, Poland ranks 8th in the ranking of European countries with the highest mass index in the youngest. And in this case, excess kilograms are a huge burden on the health of the body that is still developing.
Causes of obesity
Obesity is a disease whose main cause is excessive energy intake from food , exceeding daily requirements. The development of over Wight is facilitated by environmental factors , such as frequent consumption of highly processed products, increased consumption of fats and sugar, low physical activity and chronic stress.
Sometimes obesity has a genetic basis . It can also be promoted by certain hormonal disorders – Cushing’s disease or hypothyroidism. The risk of over Wight is increased by the use of hormonal contraception, glucocorticoid therapy, antidepressants and neuroleptics.
Issues related to feelings can play a role, too: depression, autism spectrum feeling bad about oneself or having trouble meeting personal needs may contribute to making someone obese. Comments impulsive eating disorder or food addiction are also important with respect to stress. For everyone, no matter their genes, comorbidities or the medications they are taking, excess calories compared to used energy is what truly leads to obesity
Main symptoms of obesity
The first and most obvious symptom is excess body weight, but that’s just the beginning. Depending on gender, over Wight can take different forms. Male over Wight is more often abdominal – fat tissue accumulates around internal organs, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. In turn, female obesity is more often manifested by the accumulation of fat around the hips, thighs and buttocks , which can lead to problems with circulation and the musculoskeletal system.
Obesity is also an illness which affects not only a person appearance, but also degrades silently the physical and mental health. Being overweight also poses a great threat to getting coronary artery disease where the fat traces block the arteries and reduce the number of blood supply to the heart. It also increases the risks of atrial fibrillation (AF) or irregular heart beat that causes congenital heart defect and stroke. Eventually, being overweight can cause one to suffer heart failure because the heart becomes overstretched and unable to work effectively.
There is also increased occurrence of hypertension (high blood pressure) and myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) in the context of obesity. However, the harm is not over yet, as obesity is associated with depression and nervousness, even with the binge eating disorder that causes a vicious circle between the body and the brain. Losing weight is not the only thing when it comes to prevention of obesity, but it is also heart, brain, and general body protection.
Most types of obesity are associated with lasting exhaustion, feeling winded after a little exercise, pain in joints and the back and feeling heavy. It’s possible to observe leg swelling, snoring in the evening (and sometimes sleep apnea) and excessive sweating. Sometimes, people pick up on mood changes, a drain on their energy and troubles staying focused.
Obesity – diagnosis
Obesity is diagnosed, among other things, based on Body Mass Index, also called the over Wight index by some, which is calculated by dividing body weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. An amount of body fat indicated by a BMI of 25–29.9 implies that a person is overweight, yet a BMI over 30 suggests obesity
In addition to BMI measurement , the assessment of body fat content using the bioimpedance method is commonly used . over Wight is diagnosed if the percentage of fat in this test is above 27% in men & 37% in women. Waist circumference measurement can show where your fat is distributed.
Circumference values of at least 94 cm in men and 80 cm in women indicate excessive accumulation of fat tissue in the abdominal area and the presence of visceral obesity, the so-called apple-shaped obesity, which is particularly unfavorable for health and is more often associated with the development of diabetes or hypertension.
A simple way to measure how tissue is distributed is by using the waist-to-hip ratio. Abdominal obesity is diagnosed at WHR >0.85 in women and WHR >0.9 in men.
In order to diagnose obesity complications, additional supportive tests are performed, such as blood glucose levels , lipid profile , uric acid levels, TSH and liver enzymes in the blood .
Types of obesity
Depending on the BMI, we distinguish the following degrees of over Wight :
- Stage I – BMI between 30 and 34.9 kg/m2,
- II degree – BMI between 35 and 39.9 kg/m2,
- 3rd degree (Morbid over Wight ) – BMI equal to or higher than 40 kg/m2.
Besides, over Wight is also sorted into groups by how extra weight is carried and the effects it can have on health. A type of v called abdominal or visceral obesity is when fat accumulates around the person’s waist and stomach. Gaester is the most frequent way that men become obese. Pear-shaped or gynoid obesity, also called gluteal and femoral over Wight , consists of a build-up of fat mostly in the hips, thighs and buttocks. More women are likely to be obese in this way. This is a more common form of over Wight in women.
Obesity and its complications
Untreated over Wight , especially visceral over Wight, leads to the development of many complications.
- prediabetes and type 2 diabetes , associated with impaired insulin secretion after a meal due to excessive accumulation of fat tissue,
- arterial hypertension , which develops under the influence of inflammation induced by excess adipose tissue, which causes endothelial dysfunction,
- over Wight -related disease in the kidneys (OIG) that may result in continuous decline in kidney function
- some hormonal issues , for example , a reduction in testosterone in men,
- Being obese raises a woman’s chance of developing endometrial, gallbladder, kidney, breast, pancreatic and colon cancer and it also raises a man’s risk of esophageal, thyroid, colon, liver and melanoma cancers, among others
How to treat obesity?
Obesity therapy should be comprehensive. The basic element of an effective fight against over Wight is a change in lifestyle. It is necessary to modify the diet , which involves limiting processed products, fats and sweets in favor of whole grain products, vegetables, fruits and fish.
It is also extremely important to increase physical activity .
You should try cycling, swimming or water exercises because they are gentle to the knees.
In the case of complicated overweight or obesity of the 3rd and 4th degree, pharmacological treatment is implemented . If, despite therapy and changes in eating habits, there is no improvement, patients with over Wight of the 2nd or 3rd degree and with complications in the form of hypertension or diabetes are offered bariatric surgery . A doctor for over Wight , i.e. a specialist who deals with the treatment of obesity in their practice, is a bariatrician. During the treatment, patients usually also need the support of a dietician .
the work of dieticians. Supporting a grieving person emotionally is very valuable . Because of this, we recognize why we eat emotionally, forgive ourselves for old habits and learn how to eat right and accept our body.
Obesity prevention
The basic elements of effective over Wight prevention are maintaining a healthy diet, drinking adequate amounts of water (at least 2 liters per day) and regular physical activity . You should focus on reducing stress, sleep enough and give up alcohol and smoking too.
March 4 is World Obesity Day – it is not only an opportunity to reflect on statistics, but above all a moment to start acting – for health, better well-being and a longer life. If excess body weight is also your problem, do not delay and start fighting over Wight today!
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