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Obesity
Obesity weight loss methods
The treatment of obesity involves two main components. One is reducing calorie intake and the other is increasing calorie consumption, mainly emphasizing a comprehensive treatment based primarily on diet and exercise. Secondly, medications or surgical treatments can be utilized. In the case of secondary obesity, it is important to treat the underlying cause. So, what is behavioral therapy? It involves educating patients and their families about obesity and its risks, enabling them to cooperate with the treatment, adopt a healthy lifestyle, change dietary and exercise habits, and maintain these changes consciently in the long term as the foremost and most important measures in the treatment of obesity. Thirdly, controlling diet and increasing physical activity are crucial. Individuals with mild obesity can control their total food intake with a low-calorie, low-fat diet. For those with moderate to severe obesity, total calorie intake should be strictly controlled, with women limited to 1200-1500 kcal per day and men to 1500-1800 kcal per day. Following this standard, a weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week can be achieved. Furthermore, for severe obesity, medications can be used to reduce weight, which can then be maintained. If necessary, surgical procedures such as jejunoileal bypass or biliopancreatic diversion surgery can be considered.
How is obesity treated?
Regarding the treatment of obesity, the cause of obesity must first be identified. For patients with simple obesity, the primary approach involves lifestyle interventions, including exercise and diet. The diet should involve a calculation of caloric intake based on activity levels, generally focusing on a low-calorie or very low-calorie intake. Additionally, it is recommended to engage in suitable aerobic exercises. Currently, there are products available such as fat enzyme inhibitors that reduce weight by inhibiting the absorption of fats in the intestines. Also, in the United States, GLP-1 agonists are available for the treatment of simple obesity. If obesity is caused by certain medical conditions, such as an endocrine disorder known as Cushing's syndrome, which can also lead to obesity, treatment should first address the primary disease, which would also resolve the obesity.
Harms of Obesity
In the case of obesity, it is first necessary to distinguish between physiological obesity and pathological obesity. For pathological obesity, further examination of the adrenal glands is required, such as respiratory syndrome, some problems with the pituitary gland, or conditions caused by Cushing's syndrome, all of which can lead to pathological obesity. The risks associated with obesity are quite significant. Firstly, it directly causes disturbances in the body's energy metabolism, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, or other issues. Obesity can also lead to fatty liver, lipid deposition in the heart, kidneys, and other organs, resulting in corresponding organ damage. Additionally, it can cause infertility due to the deposition of fat in the ovaries, and in terms of joints, it places excessive load on the human joints, leading to various joint diseases, and consequently increasing the risks of cardiovascular diseases and sudden death risks.
Surgical treatment of obesity
Surgical treatment for obesity is applicable under certain conditions. This requires the obesity to reach a specific level, defined by indicators such as a BMI of over 35, and in the absence of severe diabetes or complications associated with diabetes. Considering surgical interventions for weight loss, these primarily involve bariatric surgeries like gastric bypass or gastroenterostomy which reduce food intake and absorption, thereby decreasing calorie absorption to achieve weight loss. While the effects of surgical weight loss are generally quite good, it can lead to some long-term postoperative complications, so careful consideration is required.
What department should I register for obesity?
For obesity, one should register for an appointment in the endocrinology department. Obesity is a chronic metabolic disease caused by excessive accumulation or abnormal distribution of body fat. Obesity often occurs due to a higher calorie intake than expenditure in the body, resulting in excessive fat accumulation and thus overweight and bulky physique. An actual weight measurement exceeding 20% of the standard weight, and a fat percentage exceeding 30% can be classified as obesity. In endocrinology, obesity is generally divided into primary and secondary types. Some secondary factors, such as hypothalamic-pituitary disorders, hypercortisolism, hypothyroidism, hypogonadism, insulinomas, etc., can cause secondary obesity, therefore, it is appropriate to consult the endocrinology department for obesity.
Can obesity get pregnant?
Obesity firstly needs to be differentiated, whether it is a type of physiological obesity or a pathological obesity, such as diseases of the growth gland, Cushing's syndrome, etc., which cause pathological obesity. In this case, some corresponding examinations are required for differentiation. If it is simple obesity, further tests for insulin resistance, blood glucose, blood lipids, and other metabolic indicators are necessary to determine if they are normal, as well as liver and kidney functions. If these conditions are all acceptable, pregnancy is possible. However, it is still important to monitor these indicators during pregnancy. Obesity is not an absolute contraindication for pregnancy, but of course, it is best to control the weight before getting pregnant.
Obesity can cause which diseases
Firstly, obesity, also known as adiposity, is a chronic metabolic disease caused by excessive accumulation or abnormal distribution of body fat. Diseases closely related to obesity include cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes, etc. Complications of obesity also include sleep apnea syndrome, venous thrombosis, and others. Moreover, the occurrence of malignant tumors increases with obesity, as prolonged obesity can lead to skin folds that are prone to abrasions and subsequent fungal or purulent infections.
symptoms of obesity
Regarding the symptoms of obesity, they vary with the type of disease. For example, in secondary cases, there are clinical manifestations of the primary disease. For instance, obesity caused by hypothyroidism may also present with fatigue, poor appetite, dry skin, etc. Some people have obesity due to insulinoma or recurrent hypoglycemia, leading to repeated eating. The clinical manifestations also include symptoms of hypoglycemia such as palpitations, trembling hands, sweating, and a sense of hunger. If it is a case of simple obesity, generally, men primarily show an apple-shaped obesity, with fat accumulated mainly above the waist. In contrast, women exhibit a pear-shaped obesity, with fat accumulation below the waist, such as in the lower abdomen, buttocks, and thighs. Of course, related to obesity, there are also manifestations of cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, etc. Some people with obesity may also experience sleep apnea syndrome, venous thrombosis, and so on. Studies suggest that the incidence of malignant tumors is also higher in patients with obesity. Because patients with long-term obesity carry excess weight for a long period, they may experience lower back pain, joint pain, swelling, and are more prone to abrasion or combined fungal or purulent infections in the folds of the skin. Therefore, the clinical manifestations of obesity vary according to the cause of the disease.