Obesity
Overview
Obesity -a specific medical term that talk with you about your weight. The word “obesity” means too much body fat. It’s usually based on your body mass index (BMI). BMI compares your weight to your height. BMI= Weight in Kg/(Height in meter)sqare. If your BMI is 25 to 29.9, you’re overweight but not obese. A BMI of 30 or more is in the obese range.
The prevalence of overweight will more than double among Indian adults aged 20–69 years between 2010 and 2040, while the prevalence of obesity will triple. Specifically, the prevalence of overweight and obesity will reach 30.5% and 9.5% among men, and 27.4% and 13.9% among women, respectively, by 2040. The largest increases in the prevalence of overweight and obesity between 2010 and 2040 is expected to be in older ages, and there will be a larger relative increase in overweight and obesity in rural areas compared to urban areas.
Obesity is common. Obesity is associated with a higher risk for serious diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, PCOS and cancer.
Factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, and muscle mass can influence the relationship between BMI and body fat. But BMI isn’t everything. BMI also doesn’t distinguish between excess fat, muscle, or bone mass, nor does it provide any indication of the distribution of fat among individuals.”
Despite these limitations, BMI continues to be widely used as a way to measure body size.
Know The Classification From BMI
BMI Class
18.5 or under underweight
18.5 to <25.0 “normal” weight
25.0 to <30.0 overweight
30.0 to <35.0 class 1 obesity
35.0 to <40.0 class 2 obesity
40.0 or over class 3 obesity (also known as morbid, extreme, or severe obesity)
To Calculate Your BMI- Click Here
Childhood Obesity:
Childhood obesity is now an epidemic in India. With 14.4 million obese children, India has the second-highest number of obese children in the world, next to China. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children is 15%.
For a doctor to diagnose a child over 2 years old or a teen with obesity, their BMI has to be in the 95th percentile for people of their same age and biological sex.
| Percentile range of BMI | Class |
|---|---|
| >5% | underweight |
| 5% to <85% | “normal” weight |
| 85% to <95% | overweight |
| 95% or over | obesity |
Obesity? causes Lies Behind:
Eating more calories than you burn in daily activity and exercise on a long-term basis may lead to obesity. Over time, these extra calories add up and cause weight gain.
But it’s not always just about calories in and calories out, or having a sedentary lifestyle. While there are indeed causes of obesity, that you can’t control.
Common specific causes of obesity include:
- genetics, which can affect how your body processes food into energy and how fat is stored
- growing older, which can lead to less muscle mass and a slower metabolic rate, making it easier to gain weight
- not sleeping enough, which can lead to hormonal changes that make you feel hungrier and crave certain high-calorie foods
- pregnancy, as weight gained during pregnancy may be difficult to lose and might eventually lead to obesity
Certain health conditions are there….
that can also lead to weight gain, which may lead to obesity. These include:
- Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), a condition in which the thyroid gland doesn’t produce enough of certain important hormones.
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition that causes an imbalance of female reproductive hormones
- Cushing syndrome, a condition caused by having high cortisol levels (the stress hormone) in your system
- Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare condition present at birth that causes excessive hunger
- osteoarthritis (OA) and other conditions that cause pain that may lead to reduced activity ,ultimately getting weight.
What are the complications of obesity?
Obesity is not only to simple get weight gain. Having a high ratio of body fat to muscle puts strain on bones as well as internal organs. Sometimes Obesity may be linked to some diseases that may be life threatening if not treated. Usually those are:
- type 2 diabetes
- high blood pressure
- high cholesterol
- heart disease
- stroke
- fatty liver disease
- gallbladder disease
- sleep apnea and other breathing problems
- arthritis
- infertility
How is Obesity Diagnosed?
BMI is a rough calculation of a person’s weight in relation to their height. One can searches on BMI Calculator to know whether s/he is obese.
Other more accurate measures of body fat and body fat distribution include:
- skinfold thickness tests
- waist-to-hip comparison
To diagnose obesity-related health risks there are also other certain tests to help . These may include :
- screening tests, such as ultrasounds, CT scans, and MRI scans
- blood tests to examine cholesterol and glucose levels ,thyroid tests, liver function tests
A measurement of the fat around waist is also a good predictor of your risk for obesity-related diseases.
How is Obesity Treated?
If you have obesity and been unable to lose weight on your own, medical help is needed. Beside the medication you may need lifestyle changes. Lifestyle and behavioral changes are the preferred weight loss methods for children, unless they’re extremely overweight.
Which lifestyle and behavioral changes can help with weight loss?
Educate yourself on food choices and get a healthy eating plan that works for you.
A structured exercise program and increased daily activity — up to 300 minutes a week — will help build up your strength, endurance, and metabolism.
Counseling may also identify unhealthy triggers and help you cope with any anxiety, depression, or emotional eating issues.
Medicines That Are Prescribed For Weight Loss?
Medications are usually prescribed only if other methods of weight loss haven’t worked and if you have a BMI of 27.0 or more in addition to obesity-related health issues.
Common Allopathic Weight loss drugs..
More common Allopathic prescription weight loss drugs which have been in use longer include:
- Liraglutide (Saxenda),
- Naltrexone-bupropion (Contrave),
- Orlistat (Alli, Xenical),
- Phentermine (Adipex-P, Ionamin, Pro-Fast),
- Phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia).
The medication semaglutide (Wegovy) received FDA approval for treatment of obesity in 2021. Before getting a weight loss drug prescription, tell your doctor about your medical history like any allergies or other conditions you have; medicines or supplements you take (even if they’re herbal or natural); and whether you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to get pregnant soon.
Is there any Homoeopathic Weight loss medicines?…
There is no specific homoeopathic medicine for weight loss.. when obesity complicated with health related issues like T2DM,Hypothyroidism,PCOS etc.. your doctor prescribe the medicine depends upon your totality of symptoms which will be your work for choice..
But there are few medicines which are more used than others like
- Calcarea carb
- Capsicum Annum
- Ferrum Met
- Graphaites
- Ammon Mur
- Antim Crud,
- Baryta Carb
- Calcarea Ars
- Kali Bi,
- Lac Defloratum
- Pulsatilla
- Phosphorus
- Phytolacca
- Fucus Vesiculosus
- Thyroidinum.
But Consult your doctor before taking any of these medicines..
What’s next.. The Weight Loss Surgery!!
It is recommended that adult who have a BMI of at least 35.0 (classes 2 and 3) may be considered for weight loss surgery. Weight loss surgery is commonly called bariatric surgery.
Types of weight loss surgery include:
- Gastric bypass surgery. In this procedure, surgeon creates a small pouch at the top of stomach that connects directly to small intestine. Food and liquids go through the pouch and into the intestine, bypassing most of the stomach. It’s also known as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery.
- Laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB). LAGB separates stomach into two pouches using a band.
- Gastric sleeve surgery. This procedure removes part of stomach.
- Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch. This procedure removes most of stomach.
Limitations: Weight loss surgery isn’t a quick fix. It’s a major surgery and can have serious risks. Afterward, people who undergo surgery will need to change how they eat and how much they eat, or they risk getting sick.
Lastly.. To Prevent Obesity:
Obesity is associated with a higher risk for serious diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, PCOS. There’s been a dramatic increase in obesity and in obesity-related diseases in the last couple decades.
As a personal, you can help prevent weight gain and obesity by making healthier lifestyle choices:
- Aim for moderate exercise like walking, swimming, or cycling for 20 to 30 minutes every day.
- May practice Yoga.
- Eat well by choosing nutritious foods, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein.
- Eat high-fat, high-calorie foods in moderation.
- Regular Health Screening ,if any diseases lying behind.
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