Obesity: Lifestyle or Disease?
Written by Dr. Ionel Z. Donca
Obesity seems to be the most common metabolic disease. Overweight and obesity are defined as increases in size and amount of fat cells in the body. There are many risk factors, including eating patterns, lack of sleep, lack of physical activity, certain medications, and genetics and family factors. The fundamental cause of obesity and overweight is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expanded. Globally, there has been an increased intake of high-energy foods and a decrease in physical activity due to an increase in the sedentary nature of work, transportation, and urbanization.
Obesity affects people in many ways. Some are mechanical effects of excess weight, causing joint pain, back pain, and sleep apnea. Others are subtle chemical changes that increase the risk of diabetes, elevated blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers. There are also indirect effects associated with obesity, including memory and cognitive impairment, increased risk of dementia, depression and anxiety, and infertility.
Walking is a great activity to reduce obesity. Experts recommend you get at least 30 minutes of exercise, 5 days per week to maintain a healthy lifestyle. More may be required based on your specific BMI.
Fortunately, overweight and obesity are largely preventable. Even small weight changes can have a significant impact on someone's health. Scientific data suggest that even weight loss of as little as 5% of body weight can bring health benefits. Not every weight loss method works for everyone. Most people have tried to lose weight more than once, and keeping it off is just as crucial as losing it.
The goal of weight management is to prevent, treat, and reverse the complications of obesity and improve quality of life. The first step in management is to determine the degree of overweight (body mass index-BMI), the presence of abdominal obesity (waist circumference), and the presence of under-risk factors and comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, sleep apnea). Click here to view a BMI calculator.
The initial treatment of individuals with obesity is a comprehensive lifestyle intervention related to diet, exercise, and behavior modification. Pharmacologic therapy is available for individuals who cannot achieve weight loss goals with a comprehensive lifestyle intervention. At Great Lakes Care, we work with our patients to develop a holistic plan of care to help them fight the challenges of Obesity. Schedule your in-person or virtual visit with one of our providers today.