Overweight and obesity knows your ABC

• April 26, 2024

The specialists define the obesity as the abnormal or excessive accumulation of grease in a person, which can be harmful to your health. In some parts of the world it can occur in 50% of the total population, and every day is more frequent in children, which is a cause for concern.

To identify the overweight and the obesity , both at an individual and population level, the body mass index (BMI), that is, the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the size in meters (kg / m2); a simple indication of the relationship between weight and the size which is used frequently.

With this measurement, obesity can be divided into three categories:

1. Overweight: BMI 25-30
2. Obesity: BMI 30-40
3. Morbid: BMI over 40

Exclusively for GetQoralHealth , the doctor Ranier Gutiérrez , laboratory specialist Neurobiology of Appetite , of the Cinvestav-IPN Tells you what obesity is:

According to studies, in the last decade the prevalence of obesity is increasing in some countries. In Mexico the figures are not encouraging, there are 44 million people who suffer overweight Y obesity .

Causes

The obesity is manifested by an increase in body weight due to the excessive accumulation of fat in the tissues subcutaneous, when more food is consumed than required according to the needs of the organism, according to age, sex, physical activity and physiological state. This excessive consumption of food (especially high energy content) is causing the accumulation of grease and consequently the weight gain.

The global increase in overweight Y obesity It is attributable to several factors, among which are:

1. The modification of the diet, with a tendency to increase the intake of hyper caloric foods, rich in fats and sugars, but with scarce vitamins , minerals and others micronutrients .
2. The tendency to decrease the physical activity due to the increasingly sedentary nature of many jobs, changes in means of transport and increasing urbanization.

In addition, certain problems of thyroid they can cause a considerable weight gain to occur. Genetic factors contribute, in part, to the development of obesity; In fact, children of obese parents are 10 times more likely to be obese than children of parents with normal weight.

Signs

To determine a case of obesity , the doctor can perform a physical examination and ask questions about the medical history, eating habits and routine exercises of the patient.In addition, measures of skin folds are taken to verify the composition of the body and analyzes of blood to look for thyroid or endocrine problems that could lead to weight gain.

Weight psychology

The human being responds to external stimuli, such as images, smells and taste for food, which can trigger almost addictive tendencies towards food. The bombing of advertising is constant, and one of the main culprits is television. During meal times, advertisers take advantage to promote their fast food products, which make recipients think of sweets, fats and other stimulating flavors.

On the other hand, people also have a tendency to gratify themselves with food. An exit to the cinema, the fair or a sporting event is usually accompanied by a "gratification" with a sweet drink or a snack made with sugar or processed meat. This association of food with fun can become permanent.

At the end of the day, the increase in grease and the weight is due to the fact that the calories consumed are more than the calories consumed. For example, running a mile at maximum speed burns approximately 400 calories, but a hamburger provides 450 calories.

Treatment

At an individual level, people can:

1. Achieve an energy balance and normal weight
2. Reduce the intake of calories coming from the fats and change the consumption of Saturated fats by unsaturated
3. Increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts
4. reduce the sugar intake
5. Increase the physical activity (at least 30 minutes, exercise with moderate intensity, most days). To reduce the weight, greater activity may be necessary.

Experts estimate that the loss of 10% of excess weight provides beneficial effects on health. Slow weight loss (around one kilo per week) is effective in the long term. To maintain a healthy weight, changes in lifestyle must be maintained, such as reducing the size of the portions and avoiding eating at odd hours.

Experts mention that an effective solution for the morbid obesity (overweight extreme) is the surgery bariatric , which is used to reduce the size of the stomach , so that the amount of food that can be eaten decreases; This surgical procedure can cause losses of weight very remarkable.

Weight loss is rapid at the beginning, then gradually decreases, until reaching a level that is often maintained. This usually relieves complications and improves the patient's mood, self esteem , the body image, the level of activity and the ability to to work and interact with other people.

The bariatric surgery is carried out under specialized programs that have demonstrated sufficient safety and efficacy, such as those established in the Institute of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome Angeles Hospitals .

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