- What is obesity?
- Types of obesity
- Symptoms of obesity
- Causes of obesity
- Consequences of obesity
- Treatment of obesity
We explain what obesity is, the types that exist and the symptoms of this disease. In addition, its causes, consequences and treatment.
What is obesity?
The obesity It is a chronic disease that has various possible origins, consisting of the excessive accumulation of fatty tissue in the body. It is often considered an extreme and dangerous degree of overweight, which far exceeds the normal storage limits of Energy segregating lipids, and rather puts in risk the proper functioning of the body.
The problems of obesity go far beyond physical appearance, since the volume of body mass is so much that at organism It takes much more work than normal to move or even function, as the muscles must make a huge effort (including the heart) and constant.
In addition, obesity is part of the metabolic syndrome whose consequences and derived diseases have made it the fifth cause of death human in the world. Annually 2.8 million adults in the world die due to causes related to obesity.
Thus, although it is medically considered an individual condition, certain possible inherited patterns in obesity have been determined and it is currently considered a problem of Health public in many Western countries, especially with regard to minors.
The fight against obesity is complex and lacks quick solutions, much less in countries whose average diet abuses the consumption of lipids and carbohydrates, especially those from processed sugar.
Types of obesity
Two types of obesity are commonly distinguished, according to their origins:
- Exogenous obesity. That which is the product of a deficient or disorderly diet, combined with little physical action that allows the excess of calories.
- Endogenous obesity. That which is due to metabolic disorders of genetic origin, such as hormonal or pancreatic deficiencies, in turn due to other types of disease.
Symptoms of obesity
The World Health Organization has established certain limits to define from when the simple fat becomes obese or morbid fat. To do this, the body mass index (BMI) is used, which is the quotient squared between the weight and the size of a human being adult.
When said index is equal to or greater than 30 Kg / m2, or when the abdominal perimeter (where the excess lipid is usually deposited) exceeds 102 cm in men and 88 cm in women, we will be facing a case of obesity.
Causes of obesity
Obesity generally responds to metabolic causes, such as hormonal deficiencies (especially in the thyroid and gonads) that prevent fat burning due to more exercise and diet, or insulin-related deficiencies. metabolism of sugars.
Although a disorderly diet rich in lipids and sugars can make a person fat, even to the limit of being considered obese, obesity is most likely not caused by eating disorders, as much as by genetic factors.
Many obese people exercise regularly and obsessively control their diet, without being able to reverse or "cure" their fat.
Consequences of obesity
Obesity has a series of negative consequences on physical and psychological health, such as:
- Pre-diabetes. Obesity leads in most cases to uncontrolled glycemia and carbohydrate metabolism, which tends to degenerate into diabetes mellitus, seriously endangering health.
- Cardiovascular risks. A heart weakened by the weight of fat, in the face of very dense blood (rich in cholesterol) and forced to work excessively is a lethal combination, which leads to heart attacks, ischemic problems (stroke, arteriosclerosis) and other heart diseases.
- Self-image problems. Obese patients often have problems with socialization or problems of self-acceptance due to the brutal pressure that our societies exert on the physical and beauty standards, which often triggers obsessive eating behaviors and contributes to worsening the picture.
- Others problems derivatives. Obese people often suffer from sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, a tendency to certain forms of cancer, as well as skin and gastrointestinal diseases.
Treatment of obesity
The treatment of obesity requires first of all the determination of its causes. There is no simple procedure to combat it, and generally the dosage of drugs that remedy the underlying hormonal or metabolic imbalance must be combined, along with significant changes in lifestyle, such as a controlled diet and regular exercise.
It should be understood that obesity is not usually remedied by eating less or doing miracle diets, which can also cause irreparable damage to an already weakened body.