Doctors and scientists all agree that the obesity epidemic is the most significant health challenge we face today. The solution, of course, is to make healthy choices and live a more active lifestyle, but like most things in our lives, this starts with knowledge. A staggering 68% of people classified as overweight are classified as “clinically obese” because of their body mass index (BMI). The obesity epidemic is something that affects almost everybody. To understand what is the treatment of obesity, read on.
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Common Symptoms
Despite years of warnings about the risks of obesity, many people still don’t understand the signs and symptoms associated with this condition. That leads to delay in seeking treatment and finding what is the treatment of obesity. But there are many tell-tale signs that someone is putting on weight. Here are ten of the critical signs of obesity, plus what you can do to help your loved one prevent the condition.
1. “Excessive” Fat
If you have an obese loved one, chances are they’re carrying at least a little bit more weight than is considered healthy.
2. Loss of Appetite
If you’re noticing that your loved one’s appetite is less than average, chances are they are putting on weight.
3. An Emaciated Frame
A healthy weight range for men is between 19 and 25 BMI. For women, the healthy weight range is between 17 and 22 BMI. When someone is overweight, it’s common for them to develop an unhealthy physique.
4. Frequent Visits to the Bathroom
The most apparent sign of excessive weight gain is a sudden change in bathroom habits. As obesity progresses and the person is getting more fat, the digestion also changes, resulting in stomach aches and other digestive problems. For men, this can result in constipation, while for women, it can cause diarrhea.
5. General Fatigue
As the person’s body begins to store fat, all of its systems slow down and become less efficient, resulting in fatigue and tiredness. Fat tissue leads to a sluggish metabolism that causes the body to absorb nutrients and burn fat very poorly.
6. Unable to Lose weight at a Certain Speed
When trying to lose weight, some people struggle to achieve a satisfactory rate of loss. That happens because the body has developed a resistance to dieting, which is common in obese people. When the body gets used to eating less food, it tries to conserve energy. Therefore, it slows down metabolism, which is the rate at which calories are burning. It then gains back the weight that has been lost.
7. Food Addiction
Just like with other forms of addiction, food addiction can be both psychological and physical. The body must get “high” from food. The body craves and desires certain foods to feel good, and when it feels good, it retains weight. To the addicts, food is the only substance that gives them pleasure.
To give up this comfort would be unbearable. If they feel bad, they consume something else to feel better, and the vicious cycle continues.
8. Difficulty in Sleeping
Obesity goes hand in hand with sleep apnea, which causes daytime tiredness and sleepiness. People who are obese are 10 times more likely to have sleep apnea than people of average weight. The extra fat may make it harder for the lungs to expand, which can cause breathing difficulties during sleep.
9. Heart Problems
Besides the general risks of obesity, certain types of weight gain put individuals at risk for heart disease. People who are obese are 50 percent more likely to die from heart disease than people who are at a healthy weight.
10. Stroke
Obesity can increase the chances of stroke. The artery walls are thinner, which makes the arteries more prone to rupture. The result is a stroke.
Are you getting a sense what is the treatment of obesity?
Causes of Obesity
Unhealthy food, also known as fast food, is how most people are eating these days. It’s very easy to eat that way, but it does come with consequences. If you are eating fast food regularly, there is a possibility of you gaining weight faster than your body can burn it off. Fast food also contains large amounts of saturated fat, linked to an increased risk of heart disease.
If you are overweight, the extra weight may result from too much salt, not enough exercise, or both.
The Mayo Clinic recommendation is that adults should consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day. But if you are older than 50 and you’re trying to lose weight, the limit is even lower: 1,500 milligrams per day.
A sedentary lifestyle is a big problem when it comes to causes of obesity. People lead sedentary lives where they sit at desks all day long. That makes it very difficult to burn off the excess calories that are consumed.
Alcohol is one of the factors causing excessive weight gain too. Excessive alcohol consumption can increase appetite and increased food intake, which is terrible for weight loss. Excessive alcohol consumption can also lead to dizziness, vertigo, problems with balance and sleep, and depression.
A low-fat diet is crucial for weight loss, but cutting down on the fat in your diet is not enough. Research has shown that eating no more than 25 grams of the wrong types of fat a day can lead to a slower metabolism and lower your ability to burn calories.
Age is also directly correlated with possible obesity since as we grow older, it can lead to our metabolism slowing down and the reduction of muscle mass as we age. As such, an older person is prone to more health complications.
Genetic factors also influence obesity, with studies showing that obesity tends to run in families. One study found that obesity is more common in adults who had obese mothers, whether or not the mother herself was fat. It is not clear why this is the case. Some researchers think it might be due to epigenetics, which involves heritable changes in gene function that do not affect DNA sequences.
Certain medications induce fat gaining without the person even knowing it. A few examples of this are metformin, insulin, leptin, thiazolidinediones, SSRI antidepressants, amphetamines, or melatonin. These medications can lead to weight gain without the person being aware.
Other factors are some specific factors that cause obesity, but these factors are pretty rare.
They are:
Porphyria (a genetic disorder that affects the metabolism of hemoglobin), Cushing’s syndrome (when the body produces too much cortisol hormone, which increases the blood sugar level), Hyperthyroidism (when the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone), Dehydration (it affects the insulin levels, as well as the blood sugar levels) Neuropathy (a degenerative disease that damages the nerves and may affect the brain and digestion) Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels) Parkinson’s disease (a degenerative disorder of the nervous system that affects movement and balance), etc.
What is the Treatment of Obesity?
The best way to lose fat is by exercising. Exercising regularly burns calories and increases metabolism, which in turn helps you to lose weight.
I like to suggest different exercises, depending on the person’s goals. If you wish to lose weight fast, start with 1-2 hours of intense exercise every day. You can also do 1-2 hours of strength training every day.
Now, if you want to lose weight but you’re too busy for the above, then focus on 5-10 minutes worth of exercise every day. For example, get up 30 minutes earlier in the morning to walk or run. Start doing it every day, and eventually, you’ll build a habit of doing it regularly.
Diet is a must; by eating healthier and being mindful about your calorie intake, you’ll lose weight. If you are looking to lose at least a pound a week, I suggest some foods below as a starting point:
1. Apples
2. Green Tea
3. Oatmeal
4. Salmon
5. Tuna
6. Turkey
7. Blueberries
8. Grapefruit
9. Chicken Breast
10. Green Peas
11. Broccoli
Other than those foods, focus on foods high in protein and low-carb.
There is also the possibility of pharmacological treatment to help with weight loss. If you are looking for fast results, you can take some medications to help you lose weight.
The best known is Orlistat, an effective medication used to control body weight. What it does is inhibiting the enzyme responsible for breaking down fat in the gastrointestinal tract. An estimated one million people use this medication each year.
Ongoing research has identified several promising approaches to drugs that can help control food intake. One example is Valbenazine, a drug that inhibits specific serotonin receptors involved in feeding behavior.
Scientists have been studying how obesity can be controlled and treated, and they have come up with a few methods. One way is to change the amount of food eaten to eat less.
There are different forms of exercising that can help, such as going for a walk or jogging. Another option is to take over-the-counter drugs that cause weight loss. It may be helpful to go to a doctor for advice on what works best with any of these treatments.
The Prevention of Obesity
The prevention of obesity goes hand in hand with the question, What is the Treatment of Obesity? It is very similar, but prevention is critical because many diseases are related to obesity. In the developed part of the world, it is estimated that about 40% of women and 30% of men are obese. Obesity increases the risk of many diseases.
Obesity can cause hypertension (high blood pressure), dyslipidemia (abnormal levels of lipids in the blood), and diabetes mellitus. Some people are overweight because they have an unhealthy lifestyle, an unhealthy diet, or cannot control their appetite. If that is the case, consider the option of weight loss surgery.
If you cannot lose weight, even after dieting and exercising, you should see a doctor.
They will tell you if you need weight loss surgery. Weight loss surgery is a great way to lose weight. If you go forward with the surgery, there are risks, but they can be reduced or eliminated through proper training and monitoring.
Eating Healthy to Prevent Obesity
The best way to prevent obesity is to eat healthier. The American Heart Association recommends that everybody eats at least five servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
Although fresh produce is the healthiest choice, frozen fruits and vegetables are good alternatives. Some nutrients, such as vitamin C, can be lost during freezing and storage, but most nutrients remain in the food. Plus, frozen fruit and veggies are convenient to use at a moment’s notice.
The next step in prevention is to stop eating fast food. Fast food is full of sodium, fat, and calories that will lead to obesity. Kids who eat meals like this very often are at risk of diabetes and other health problems. Fried chicken is high in calories. McDonald’s French fries are fried on canola oil that can contain trans fats, which increase harmful cholesterol levels.
If children consume these foods frequently, they will tend to eat them at every meal.
A quality way to prevent fat gaining and obesity is to maintain a healthy diet with plenty of exercise. Change your lifestyle, and you don’t have to worry at all.
Physical Activity
The best exercise to combat obesity, the worst epidemic of the modern age, is cycling. The former Green politician Klaus Töpfer, who is now the deputy chairman of the automobile club ADAC, said: “The bicycle’s unbeatable as an everyday means of transport for many reasons. It doesn’t cost a thing, and it’s good for you.”
As for children, it is essential to be active, and if you want to prevent obesity, you can go to parks, swimming pools, football fields, and many other places.
Exercise doesn’t have to be the same every day. Experts say that your body responds differently to exercise depending on your personality, hobbies, and personality in general.
Conclusion
World Health Organization says that 15 percent of the global population is obese. That means that 1 billion people have a BMI that exceeds the healthy range of 18.5 to 25. In the United States, 30 percent of people have a BMI exceeding the healthy range, and it’s about 75 million Americans.
Given the number of overweight and obese people in our population, it would be easy to assume that America’s weight problem is a relatively recent phenomenon. However, the first reports of Americans becoming overweight date back to the turn of the 20th century.
Even in the 1960s, there were questions about the health risks associated with being overweight. According to Joseph Collins, “the good news is that although the prevalence of obesity has overgrown in the last twenty years, this growth has not been matched by increases in obesity-related disease.” As you can see, many people in the 1960s believed that it was acceptable to be fat and unhealthy.
An article from 1967 suggests that doctors did not view obesity as a major health problem. Nowadays, we know that obesity is a huge problem. Luckily we also know how to avoid it and treat it. From the information you got here, you are on the right track to stay healthy and fit, plus you don’t have to wonder anymore what is the treatment of obesity? Feel free to comment below.