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What is obesity ::
Obesity results from the excessive accumulation of fat that
exceeds the body's skeletal and physical standards. According
to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), an increase in 20
percent or more above your ideal body weight is the point at
which excess weight becomes a health risk. Today 97 million
Americans, more than one-third of the adult population, are
overweight or obese. An estimated 5 to 10 million of those are
considered morbidly obese.
What is morbid obesity ::
Obesity becomes "morbid" when it reaches the point of
significantly increasing the risk of one or more
obesity-related health conditions or serious diseases, also
known as co-morbidities. These co-morbidities are conditions
or diseases that result in either significant physical
disability or even death. Morbid obesity is typically defined
as being 100 lbs. or more over
ideal body weight or having a
Body Mass Index of 40 or higher. According to the National
Institutes of Health Consensus Report, morbid obesity is a
serious disease and must be treated as such. It is a chronic
disease, meaning that morbid obesity symptoms build slowly
over an extended period of time.
Causes of morbid obesity ::
The causes of obesity are multiple and complex. Despite
conventional wisdom, it is not simply a result of overeating.
Research has shown that in many cases a significant,
underlying cause of morbid obesity is genetic. Studies have
demonstrated that once the problem is established, efforts
such as dieting and exercise programs have a limited ability
to provide effective long-term relief.
Science continues to search for answers. But until the morbid
obesity disease is better understood, the control of excess
weight is something patients must work at for their entire
lives. That is why it is very important to understand that all
current medical interventions, including weight loss surgery,
should not be considered medical cures. Rather they are
attempts to reduce the effects of excessive weight and
alleviate the serious physical, emotional and social
consequences of morbid obesity.
Contributing Factors of Morbid Obesity
::
The underlying causes of severe obesity are not known. There
are many factors that contribute to the development of obesity
including genetic, hereditary, environmental, metabolic and
eating disorders. There are also certain medical conditions
that may result in obesity, such as the intake of steroids and
hypothyroidism.
Genetic Factors :
Numerous scientific studies have established that your genes
play an important role in your tendency to gain excess weight.
The body weights of adopted children show no correlation with
the body weights of their adoptive parents, who feed them and
teach them how to eat. Their weights do have an 80 percent
correlation with their genetic parents, whom they have never
met.
Identical twins, with the same genes, show a much higher
similarity of body weights than do fraternal twins, who have
different genes.
Certain groups of people, such as the Pima Indian tribe in
Arizona, have a very high incidence of severe obesity. They
also have significantly higher rates of diabetes and heart
disease than other ethnic groups.
We probably have a number of genes directly related to weight.
Just as some genes determine eye color or height, others
affect our appetite, our ability to feel full or satisfied,
our metabolism, our fat-storing ability, and even our natural
activity levels.
Environmental Factors :
Environmental and genetic factors are obviously closely
intertwined. If you have a genetic predisposition toward
morbid obesity, then the modern American lifestyle and
environment may make controlling weight more difficult.
Fast food, long days sitting at a desk, and suburban
neighborhoods that require cars all magnify hereditary factors
such as metabolism and efficient fat storage.
For those suffering from morbid obesity, anything less than a
total change in environment usually results in failure to
reach and maintain a healthy body weight.
Metabolism :
We used to think of weight gain or loss as only a function of
calories ingested and then burned. Take in more calories than
you burn, gain weight; burn more calories than you ingest,
lose weight. But now we know the equation isn't that simple.
Obesity researchers now talk about a theory called the "set
point," a sort of thermostat in the brain that makes people
resistant to either weight gain or loss. If you try to
override the set point by drastically cutting your calorie
intake, your brain responds by lowering metabolism and slowing
activity. You then gain back any weight you lost.
The Pima Paradox :
The Pima Indians are known in scientific circles as one of the
heaviest groups of people in the world. In fact, National
Institutes of Health researchers have been studying them for
more than 35 years. Some adults weigh more than 500 pounds,
and many obese teenagers are suffering from diabetes, the
disease most frequently associated with morbid obesity.
But here's a really interesting fact - a group of Pima Indians
living in Sierra Madre, Mexico, does not have a problem with
obesity and its related diseases. Why not?
The leading theory states that after many generations of
living in the desert, often confronting famine, the most
successful Pima were those with genes that helped them store
as much fat as possible during times when food was available.
Now those fat-storing genes work against them.
Though both populations consume a similar number of calories
each day, the Mexican Pima still live much like their
ancestors did. They put in 23 hours of physical labor each
week and eat a traditional diet that's very low in fat. The
Arizona Pima live like most other modern Americans, eating a
diet consisting of around 40 percent fat and engaging in
physical activity for only two hours a week.
The Pima apparently have a genetic predisposition to gain
weight. And the environment in which they live - the
environment in which most of us live - makes it nearly
impossible for the Arizona Pima to maintain a normal, healthy
body weight.
Co-Morbidities or Obesity-related health conditions ::
Obesity-related health conditions are
health conditions that, whether alone or in combination, can
significantly reduce your life expectancy. A partial list of
some of the more common conditions follows. Your doctor can
provide you with a more detailed and complete list:
Type 2 Diabetes.
Obese individuals develop a resistance to insulin, which
regulates blood sugar levels. Over time, the resulting high
blood sugar can cause serious damage to the body.
High blood pressure/Heart disease.
Excess body weight strains the ability of the heart to
function properly. The resulting hypertension (high blood
pressure) can result in strokes, as well as inflict
significant heart and kidney damage.
Osteoarthritis of weight-bearing joints.
The additional weight placed on joints, particularly knees and
hips, results in rapid wear and tear, along with pain caused
by inflammation. Similarly, bones and muscles of the back are
constantly strained, resulting in disk problems, pain and
decreased mobility.
Sleep apnea/Respiratory problems.
Fat deposits in the tongue and neck can cause intermittent
obstruction of the air passage. Because the obstruction is
increased when sleeping on your back, you may find yourself
waking frequently to reposition yourself. The resulting loss
of sleep often results in daytime drowsiness and headaches.
Gastroesophageal reflux/Heartburn.
Acid belongs in the stomach and seldom causes any problem when
it stays there. When acid escapes into the esophagus through a
weak or overloaded valve at the top of the stomach, the result
is called gastroesophageal reflux, and "heartburn" and acid
indigestion are common symptoms. Approximately 10-15% of
patients with even mild sporadic symptoms of heartburn will
develop a condition called Barrett's esophagus, which is a
pre-malignant change in the lining membrane of the esophagus,
a cause of esophageal cancer. For more information on
Heartburn, its causes and possible cures, visit
www.heartburnhelp.com.
Depression.
Seriously overweight persons face constant challenges to their
emotions: repeated failure with dieting, disapproval from
family and friends, sneers and remarks from strangers. They
often experience discrimination at work, cannot fit
comfortably in theatre seats, or ride in a bus or plane.
Infertility.
The inability or diminished ability to produce offspring.
Urinary stress incontinence.
A large, heavy abdomen and relaxation of the pelvic muscles,
especially associated with the effects of childbirth, may
cause the valve on the urinary bladder to be weakened, leading
to leakage of urine with coughing, sneezing, or laughing
Menstrual irregularities.
Morbidly obese individuals often experience disruptions of the
menstrual cycle, including interruption of the menstrual
cycle, abnormal menstrual flow and increased pain associated
with the menstrual cycle..
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