Obesity is a term that stands for an increased percentage of body fat. In contrast to a normal body weight, overweight people mostly not only suffer from psychological or aesthetic disorders, but as a result often also from various diseases and symptoms that have arisen from being overweight.
What is obesity?
Obesity is very widespread in the western industrial world. Due to the fact that in the age of technology movement has fallen by the wayside, more and more people are becoming overweight. This is a concomitant symptom of a lack of exercise and the intake of increased and high-fat food.
Obesity does not stop at any social class, including men, women and children. For this reason, it is also commonly referred to as a widespread disease and should definitely be treated. There are various ways of getting overweight under control, from calculating the correct weight to therapy.
causes
There are several reasons why people are overweight and others have no problem with their weight. Some people are affected by the fact that they cannot notice a feeling of satiety due to a disturbed transmission between the stomach and the brain. These people take in more calories with their food than they can break down through exercise.
An important reason that made obesity a widespread disease are the many fast food options and sugary foods such as sweets, cola and small snacks. Many of these dishes are pure calorie bombs that put unnecessary strain on the body and thus promote obesity.
Another cause of the incidence of obese people is sedentary lifestyle. This usually occurs in childhood. Many children just sit in front of the computer or watch TV and snack on sweets. Here it is very obvious that these children, due to this circumstance and the lack of exercise, have to be treated in later years for the secondary diseases of being overweight.
Diseases with this symptom
- Obesity
- Hip arthrosis
- Sleep apnea
- Fatty liver
- arthrosis
- Hormonal imbalances
- Heart failure
- Angina pectoris
- arteriosclerosis
- gout
- Diabetes mellitus
- Thyroid diseases
- Osteoarthritis of the knee
- stroke
- Gallstones
course
There are many causes of obesity. The most common is the lack of exercise; in addition to this aspect, there is also a disease-related course. In no case should the psychological circumstance be forgotten, which also promotes obesity. Many patients who are prone to psychological problems and also stress compensate for them with the term food and consume everything that is offered to them.
These so-called food cravings are a big problem, the risk of being overweight to treat successfully. In a short time, so many calories are added to the body that it cannot break down again. For this reason, after the conversion of fat into carbohydrates in the cells, additional fat deposits are formed.
Complications
Obesity promotes the development of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus and lipid metabolism disorders, which can lead to fatty liver and gallstones. If the lungs are overweight, they have to work harder to meet the body's need for oxygen: If the lung capacity is insufficient, a chronic oxygen deficiency can develop, which is noticeable in the form of shortness of breath and a bluish discoloration of the mucous membranes.
Nocturnal pauses in breathing and heavy snoring caused by obesity also hinder the oxygen supply and lead to tiredness and fatigue during the day. The risk of developing malignant tumors in the intestines, kidneys, breast, prostate, uterus and ovaries is excessive if you are overweight. Esophagitis caused by backflow of gastric juice is also more common in obese people.
The high weight puts a lot of strain on the spine, hip joints and knee joints, which often leads to premature signs of wear and tear and severe pain. Obesity during pregnancy carries a higher risk of miscarriage, gestational diabetes and metabolic disorders up to pregnancy poisoning are also more common.
Radical diets, which are supposed to reduce excess weight quickly, throw the organism out of balance and often lead to metabolic and circulatory disorders. Diet pills and appetite suppressants should only be taken under medical supervision, as uncontrolled consumption can cause dangerous side effects.
When should you go to the doctor?
As a rule, obesity is always a dangerous condition for the body and should therefore always be subjected to medical treatment. In many cases, however, the person affected can fight the excess weight and lose weight. A doctor should be consulted if the obesity occurs suddenly and without any particular changes in lifestyle and thus restricts everyday life.
This can be another underlying disease that must be examined in any case. A visit to the doctor is also necessary if it is not possible for the patient to fight the excess weight himself. The doctor can support the person affected and help them lose weight. If the obesity is due to an illness, a doctor's advice is also necessary in order to avoid consequential damage. In most cases, you can see your doctor first to find out the cause of the obesity. Further treatment can then be carried out by a specialist or by a nutritionist.
Doctors & therapists in your area
Treatment & Therapy
Obesity can be treated and the general practitioner will help anyone who has the desire. So the first thing to do is measure obesity. This can be determined with the Broca Index or the Body Mass Index. Then all examinations are carried out, including blood values, EKG and ultrasound, the liver and bile are examined.
If an organic disease can be ruled out after these precise examinations, a diet and exercise plan can be drawn up with the attending physician. It would be best to consult a nutritionist, especially in the area of diet, in order to achieve even greater success.
Registration in the gym and regular exercise would also be advisable in order to lose excess pounds quickly and effectively. If the obesity has arisen due to psychological problems, psychotherapy should be carried out in addition to diet.
Outlook & forecast
In general, being overweight is a very unhealthy and dangerous condition for the body and should be avoided if possible. If the obesity persists over a long period of time, it can lead to heart or joint complications. As a rule, this damage is irreversible. In the case of stress, the overweight patient may need treatment from a psychologist. It is also advisable to consult a psychologist for other psychological complaints that lead to food addiction.
In a long-lasting overweight condition, symptoms of the cardiovascular system primarily occur. The patient is no longer able to do heavy physical work or sports. In extreme cases, the joints are damaged so that movement is restricted.
Pregnant women are overweight at an increased risk of miscarriage. Many people also experience diabetes. As a rule, the lungs are also damaged, which is why the body sometimes has to be supplied with external oxygen. Otherwise acute shortness of breath can occur.
Treatment by a doctor is only necessary if the overweight is due to an underlying disease. In many cases the patient can fight the obesity himself and thereby bring the body into a healthy state.
prevention
If the overweight is not due to a lack of exercise and / or the feast, the actual cause or illness must be treated superficially. For everything else, plenty of exercise, sport and a limited, but healthy diet, perfectly protect against obesity.
You can do that yourself
Obesity can put a lot of strain on everyday life. In most cases, however, obesity can be managed with your own intervention. The most important factor in obesity is diet. Those who consume more calories in the long term than the body needs to do their daily work will gain weight. In order to get rid of excess pounds, a negative energy balance is therefore necessary. However, knitted fasts are not for everyone.
In order to be able to maintain the weight in the long term, a holistic change in diet is desirable. Not only the energy density of the food is important, but also the degree of processing. Heavily processed foods and finished products usually provide a lot of calories and only fill you up for a short time. It is therefore advisable to buy and cook fresh food as often as possible. The feeling of satiety is 80 percent influenced by the volume of food consumed. Many dishes can be increased in volume and provide fewer calories. Instead of potatoes, for example, a potato soup can be eaten. It is also important to take your time and focus on eating. To counteract food cravings, it is advisable to eat regularly and to treat yourself to something.
In order to increase the calorie requirement, to keep the body fit and to maintain the weight, exercise should be integrated into everyday life. Small changes, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or cycling to work, make an important contribution.
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