Obesity and excess body weight are not only an aesthetic problem, but also a serious burden on the body. Recently they have become epidemic.
in developed countries. Obesity affects people of different genders and ages (children and adolescents, as well as mature and elderly people). For example, as of 2008, more than 1.4 billion people aged 20 years and older were overweight. And since then, these numbers have only increased.
A small amount of fatty tissue, which is deposited under the skin and around internal organs, is necessary for their normal functioning and does not pose a threat. But when you abuse calories, the amount of fat deposits increases, as well as body weight and its volume.
How does obesity appear?
Under the influence of various factors (endocrine system disorders, lack of physical activity and a sedentary lifestyle, dietary errors, etc.), excess nutrients turn into fat deposits. The body uses substances supplied with food in metabolic processes to obtain energy for all its needs. Those substances that are not used for this purpose are stored “in reserve” in the form of adipose tissue. If this happens regularly, the volume of fat deposits increases. This is how extra pounds appear. In addition, adipose tissue has the ability to perfectly accumulate water, which also adds excess weight.
Causes of obesity
The most common causes of obesity are:
- Excessive and unhealthy diet (abuse of fast food, baked goods and sweets, etc.). Malnutrition means high calorie content of food, its saturation with fats, sugars, salt and low content of fiber, as well as vitamins and minerals.
- Physical inactivity, sedentary work and lifestyle.
- Diseases of the endocrine system (diseases of the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, pituitary gland, ovaries).
If you cannot cope with obesity on your own, you understand that you have lost control over your own weight, you should immediately consult a doctor, since the cause may require not only a change in your daily routine and diet, but also treatment by an endocrinologist.
Blood tests often help to correctly determine the cause of obesity, thanks to which you can not waste time on futile attempts to regain your previous weight with the help of strict diets, but immediately begin effective treatment.
How to eat if you are obese
To treat and prevent obesity, doctors recommend switching to a healthy diet. This will be useful for everyone, even people with normal weight.
Doctors and nutritionists recommend taking food in small portions, but more often. It would be optimal to eat 4-5 times a day, avoiding overeating. The diet should be balanced and varied; you should definitely try to eat fresh fruits and vegetables all year round, and not just in season. It will be useful to switch to whole grain products. It is better to replace fatty meat with poultry; in rare cases, eating lean meat is allowed, but you will have to forget about meat and sausage products. You can consume milk and dairy products, but preference should be given to low-fat ones. Vegetable oils will be useful, but in moderation. The same goes for fish, nuts and legumes; it is recommended to include them in your diet at least 1-2 times a week. It is better to cook by steaming, avoiding frying.
Food should be chewed thoroughly and sufficient time should be given to eating. The last meal should be light; it is better to limit yourself to a glass of kefir or fruit. You should not eat immediately before bed; this will force the body to work again and will not give it the opportunity to prepare for rest. You need to leave at least a couple of hours for “unloading” before going to bed.
Why is obesity dangerous?
The danger of obesity is that excess weight increases the load on the heart and spine, increases the risk of complications of existing diseases and causes the emergence of new ones. According to WHO, obesity causes more deaths than being underweight.
The most common consequences of obesity for the body:
- Diseases of the heart and blood vessels
.
Excess weight contributes to the imbalance of lipids in the blood and the development of atherosclerosis. As a result, obese people have a much higher risk of vascular thrombosis, stroke and heart attack
. In addition, they experience hypertensive crises more often, and heart failure gradually develops. - Diabetes
. With obesity, cell receptors become less sensitive to the level of glucose in the blood, as a result of which the production of insulin by the pancreas suffers and diabetes develops. An increase in blood glucose has a destructive effect on many organs and systems, including the heart, blood vessels and nerves. - Oncological diseases
. According to many recent studies, obesity seriously increases the risk of malignant tumors. The risk of developing tumors of the colon and mammary gland is especially high. - Diseases of the spine, joints, ligaments and muscles
. Excess weight leads to serious stress on the musculoskeletal system, which provokes arthritis and arthrosis, lower back pain, transverse flat feet, herniated discs, radiculitis and osteochondrosis. Under the influence of excess weight, inflammation of the plantar aponeurosis can often cause concern, manifested by burning pain in the foot when walking. - Hormonal disorders
. Adipose tissue itself is capable of secreting hormones, one of which is estrogen. As a result, obesity often causes menstrual irregularities, infertility, impotence, and impaired blood clotting.
Weight problems (obesity)
People have different attitudes towards excess body weight. For some, this is a hereditary trait and it is believed that this state of affairs cannot be changed. For others, these are the consequences of lifestyle and attitude towards oneself, and here either laziness or willpower wins. For others, it’s a serious illness.
Obesity is a disease characterized by the presence of excess fat tissue in the body. Adipose tissue helps maintain optimal energy conversion and metabolism in the body. In the process of life, the human body expends a certain amount of energy (calories), which is formed as a result of the breakdown of carbohydrates, fats and proteins supplied with food.
Fats are the most caloric and, accordingly, have the greatest value and provide the greatest energy charge. The body independently regulates the balance between the energy spent by a person and its compensation through metabolism. And if an excessive amount of substances enters the body, in the case of excess nutrition, then first of all neutral fats begin to accumulate there, which increase human adipose tissue. In case of insufficient nutrition or, for example, a large waste of energy, neutral fat is broken down and covers its needs by the body. For normal functioning of the body, adipose tissue of a man’s total weight should be no more than 15%, and for women – from 15 to 18%.
Causes of obesity
An unbalanced diet and a sedentary lifestyle are the main causes of obesity. In both cases, the body fails to restore the balance between the energy consumed and the resulting excess fat. As a result, a person begins to develop fat deposits primarily in the soft parts of the body.
The disease can develop as a result of a number of mental illnesses. In the human nervous system there are centers that regulate the processes of hunger and satiety of the body. If the mechanisms regulating the volume of adipose tissue are disrupted, the deposition of neutral fat also occurs. Reasons for this: stress, depression, lack of sleep. At the same time, the metabolic process slows down. By using sweet and high-calorie foods, antidepressants, and antipsychotics to compensate for negative emotions, the risk of obesity increases.
Hormonal imbalances can cause obesity. A decrease in the level of thyroid hormones contributes to a decrease in metabolic rate and, as a result, rapid weight gain. Pancreatic dysfunction increases glucose and insulin levels, leading to fat accumulation in the tissue. Problems in the functioning of the adrenal glands affect the level of cortisol, and with an increase in the production of this hormone, obesity develops.
The problem of excess weight is not a local problem. Obesity can lead to a number of other diseases. These are cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerosis, apnea (temporary cessation of breathing during sleep, in common parlance - snoring), diabetes mellitus. Obesity increases the risk of developing cancer (esophagus, colon).
Obesity symptoms
The symptoms of obesity are obvious - the appearance of extra pounds, fat deposits in the soft parts of the body. And if traditional methods of stimulating weight gain (diet, exercise, balanced stress on the nervous system) do not produce a positive effect within 2-3 months, then it is imperative to undergo tests to determine the most likely causes of weight gain. This will make it possible to prescribe an effective course of treatment.
Tests for obesity
To establish the cause of obesity, as well as diagnose diseases accompanied by obesity, we suggest taking tests at the Synevo medical laboratory - package No. 14 “Weight problems” (1235).
get tested for obesity in Minsk, Baranovichi, Bobruisk, Borisov, Brest, Vitebsk, Gantsevichi, Gomel, Grodno, Zhlobin, Lida, Mogilev, Mozyr, Molodechno, Novogrudok, Novopolotsk, Orsha, Pinsk, Polotsk, Rechitsa, Svetlogorsk, Slutsk, Smorgon, Soligorsk.
How to protect yourself from the consequences of obesity?
To protect yourself from the consequences of obesity, you must monitor your condition. But you cannot rely only on sensations, because for some time, especially in young people, the consequences of obesity can develop without pronounced manifestations, but then they manifest themselves acutely and often irreversibly.
It is convenient to control your health with the help of tests. The most important is a biochemical blood test with a detailed lipid profile
. This test will allow you to monitor your blood glucose levels, liver and pancreas condition. By the concentration of different types of cholesterol derivatives in the blood, you can quickly notice an increased risk of heart and vascular diseases, signs of atherosclerosis and damage to the heart muscle. Monitoring changes in all analysis indicators over time allows you to identify your personal risks and take measures to reduce or eliminate them.
Blood tests for hormones and blood tests for tumor markers may also be useful
. Checking hormone levels often helps to identify not only the consequences of excess weight, but also its possible cause. And tumor markers provide a chance to early detect a serious illness caused by obesity in order to successfully treat it.
The best way to rid yourself of the consequences of obesity is still to lose weight. Moreover, it is better to lose weight correctly and under the supervision of a doctor. During the entire process of losing weight, it is also necessary to conduct blood tests to monitor your condition over time and, if necessary, change your diet or exercise patterns.
I can't lose weight. What tests should I take?
Hello, please help. Tell me what hormone tests should be taken to check insulin resistance. So that I eat properly, I eat boiled, steamed, no sugar, salt only for vegetable soup (large pan), a lot of greens: parsley, onion, dill, basil, also boiled breast. I eat everything right: celery, green beans (in soup) and sometimes a tomato (1 for the whole pan), carrots (I read a textbook on dietetics). I myself am a 6th year medical student. Institute. So - I’ve been doing gymnastics and physical education at home for 2 months now, I walk a lot - 7-12 km a day, always walking to the floor of the house (7th floor). Last summer I lost so much weight from 81 kg to 67 kg in 1.5-2 months. The weight was holding. Then I started eating incorrectly (studies started, sessions and so on - almost no sleep (3-5 hours a day, zero sports, eating poppy seeds, colloquiums, tests, tests - stress) - I gained a lot of weight: at the beginning of May I already weighed 85 kg Then I decided to lose weight again - as I described above: I included sports and good nutrition (I never go hungry, I eat these soups, salads and vegetables 5-6 times a day, rarely fruits (for breakfast), I don’t like porridge, but 2-3 I eat buckwheat once a week (I fill it with water at night and eat it in the morning). So in 2 months minus 700 g - now my weight is 84.3 kg. I’m shocked, I want to quit everything. I started reading textbooks and came across biochemistry - cortisol can affect the release weight. Is this so? Tell me what tests need to be taken to check: T3, T4, insulin and sugar? That’s all? Or tell me what the problem might be?
