World Obesity Day
Dr. Syeda Sadaf Akber
World Obesity Day is observed globally on 11 October with the view of promoting practical solutions to end the global obesity crisis. Obesity is a condition where a person has accumulated so much body fat that it might have a negative effect on their health. If a person’s bodyweight is at least 20 % higher than it should be considered obese. If our Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 25 and 29.9, then we are considered overweight. If our BMI is 30 or over we are considered obese.
Most of the increased food consumption has consisted of carbohydrates. Increased consumption of sweetened drinks has contributed significantly to the raised carbohydrate intake of mostly young adults. With the arrival of televisions, computers, video games, remote controls, washing machines, dish washers and other modern convenience devices, people are commonly are leading a much more sedentary lifestyle compared to their parents and grandparents.
Some decades ago shopping consisted of walking down the road to the high street where one could find the grocers, bakers, banks, etc. As large out-of-town supermarkets and shopping malls started to appear, people moved from using their feet to driving their cars to get their provisions.
The less we move around the fewer calories we burn. Physical activity has an effect on how our hormones work, and hormones have an effect on how our body deals with food. Several studies have shown that physical activity has a beneficial effect on our insulin levels keeping them stable. According to researchers from the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, LA, reported in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, children who have a television in their bedroom are much more likely to be obese or overweight than kids who do not have.
Research has suggested that if we do not sleep enough, our risk of becoming obese doubles. According to Professor Cappuccio, The epidemic of obesity is paralleled by a ‘silent epidemic’ of reduced sleep duration with short sleep duration linked to increased risk of obesity both in adults and in children. These trends are detectable in adults as well as in children as young as 5 years.
A team from the University of Barcelona (UB) presented a study in the journal Hepatology that provides clues to the molecular mechanism through which fructose in beverages may alter lipid energy metabolism and cause fatty liver and metabolic syndrome.
Poorly balanced diets and the lack of physical exercise are key factors in the increase of obesity and other metabolic diseases in modern societies. Researchers from Yale University School of Medicine compared the effects of fructose and glucose on the brain with MRI scans and found that high fructose diets may be behind the current obesity epidemic.
According to the National Institutes of Health, Not everyone gains weight when they stop smoking. Among people who do, the average weight gain is between 6 and 8 pounds. Roughly 10 percent of people who stop smoking gain a large amount of weight – 30 pounds or more.”
According to an article in Annals of Pharmacotherapy, some medications cause weight gain. “Clinically significant weight gain is associated with some commonly prescribed medicines. There is wide interindividual variation in response and variation of the degree of weight gain within drug classes. Where possible, alternative therapy should be selected, especially for individuals predisposed to overweight and obesity.”
Obesity is an important risk factor for osteoarthritis in most joints, especially at the knee joint. A recent study indicated that obesity is a strong determinant of thumb base osteoarthritis in both sexes. Obesity carries a penalty of an associated adverse cardiovascular risk profile. Largely as a consequence of this, it is associated with an excess occurrence of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality.
Being overweight is a significant risk factor for gallstones. In such cases, the liver over-produces cholesterol, which is then delivered into the bile causing it to become supersaturated. Some evidence suggests that specific dietary factors are the primary culprit in these cases. There are multiple reasons why obesity causes hypertension, but it seems that excess fat tissue secretes substances that are acted on by the kidneys, resulting in hypertension.
The primary dyslipidemia related to obesity is characterized by increased triglycerides, decreased HDL levels, and abnormal LDL composition.
Obesity can also cause respiratory problems. Breathing is difficult as the lungs are decreased in size and the chest wall becomes very heavy and difficult to lift. Obesity has been found to be linked to sleep apnea. Also, weight reduction has been associated with comparable reductions in the severity of sleep apnea.
One of the strongest risk factors for type 2 diabetes is obesity, and this is also one of the most modifiable as it can be partially controlled through diet and exercise.
The key is to make slow, steady lifestyle changes, which over the long-term will help you to lose weight and keep it off. There is no quick fix – but the ongoing benefits in terms of your health and well-being make it well worth the effort. Make physical activity part of the day, every day. Find exercise you enjoy doing and try to work it into your daily routine. Try to create a healthy environment for your family by limiting time spent in front of electronic devices. Less time in front of a screen gives you more time to be active. Eating smaller amounts is the best way to cut down energy in form of kilojoules and calories. Build small changes into your everyday habits. Limit the amount of sweet baking, chips, fried foods and fizzy drinks as these are high in energy, fat and sugar. Satisfy your thirst with water – it’s calorie free and essential for our body to function well.
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