The definition of an obese person is a person who has excess fat tissue and has a body mass index (BMI) value of over 30. BMI is an indicator that measures weight compared to height. Excessive fatty tissue can have serious health consequences such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high levels of lipids in the blood.
Obesity is one of the most common medical conditions in Western society today, and one of the most difficult in terms of treating and managing obesity. Relatively little progress has been made in treating obesity (with the exception of lifestyle changes), but much information has been collected regarding the medical consequences of obesity.
Causes and risk factors of obesity
Until recently, obesity was associated with a lazy (sitting) lifestyle and sustained excessive calorie consumption. Today, however, it is known that these causes of obesity are important, but there are also different genetic factors that play a role in the occurrence of obesity.
As evidence, in adoptive children, we see a pattern of obesity that is similar to the pattern we see in their biological parents, more than that we see in their adoptive parents. Research with identical twins has also shown that the effect of genetic factors on BMI is greater than the influence of environmental factors on it.
It is estimated that between 40% - 70% of obesity can be attributed to various genetic factors, not to environmental factors or lifestyle.
As research in mice showed, the presence of 5 genes linked to appetite, these genes are the ones that lead to obesity. These genes are also present in humans. One of the main genetic factors in obesity is the hormone leptin. 
Today, it is believed that obesity is a combination of certain genes and not just the result of a single defect in one gene. The increase in obesity in the past decades is mainly due to environmental influences such as lifestyle and eating habits.
Obesity complications
Obesity is associated with higher rates of death and disease.
There are a large number of diseases that are more common in people who suffer from obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease, degenerative joint disease and psychosocial disorders.
It should be noted, that obese patients also often suffer from Metabolic syndrome that includes 3 or more of the following symptoms: large abdomen, high blood pressure, high level of lipids in the blood, and high blood sugar levels. During fasting, low levels of HDL (low levels of good cholesterol).
In addition, obesity has a link with the following diseases: bowel, ovarian and breast cancer, emboli and hypercoagulability, digestive system diseases (gallbladder sac disease and heartburn) and various skin disorders.
Women who are obese during pregnancy have a higher risk of developing complications from childbirth and pregnancy.
Obese people suffer more from lung diseases and various endocrine disorders, such as sleep
apnea and hormone secretion disorders.
ليست هناك تعليقات:
إرسال تعليق