Obesity and overweight-related diseases

Obesity: what is it?

Obesity has been a trending topic for the past few years. By definition, obesity is an important accumulation of body fat, which can result in diseases caused by overweight.
According to the world health organization (who), by defining obesity, it also considers the latter as damaging to one’s health.
In order to qualify whether a person suffers from obesity, we calculate their bmi (body mass index).
Body mass index is a simple calculation using a person's height and weight. The formula is bmi = kg/m2 where kg is a person's weight in kilograms and m2 is their height in meters squared.
- A person is qualified as overweight if their bmi falls between 25 and 29,9.
- A person is qualified as obese if their bmi falls between 30 and 39,9.
- A person is qualified as morbidly obese if their bmi exceeds 40.
As far as children are considered, this method of calculation is not used. In this case, using the ponderal index (also known as corpulence index) would help assess the ratio of height to weight.

Obesity: what are the risks?

Obesity can cause several diseases:

Obesity and cardiovascular diseases

The impact of overweight on blood pressure and cholesterol levels becomes higher; therefore augmenting risks of strokes.

Obesity and type 2 diabetes

A lot of studies have shown that obesity presents a type 2 diabetes in most cases.

Obesity and cancer

Many types of cancer were precisely associated with obesity and overweight such as colon cancer, breast cancer and ovarian cancer.

Obesity and arthrosis

Weight plays an important role in articulations. When the weight is important, articulations of the knees as well as the lower back become more difficult.

Obesity and gout

As far as gout is concerned, numerous studies have shown that this disease is more frequent for people suffering from overweight problems. Gout is a common form of arthritis that is characterized by sudden, severe attacks of pain, swelling, redness and tenderness in the joints. This disease can even cause an incapacity for moving.

Obesity and breathing difficulties

Sleep apnoea and asthma are among the health problems that overweight people encounter. Others diseases that also affect obese people are osteoarthritis and impairment of the gallbladder.

Obesity: which solutions to consider?

First, it is important to check that obesity is not necessarily caused by a sedentary lifestyle or malnutrition; as healthy eating and exercising help reduce any obesity-related risks. It is recommended by all doctors to regularly consume 5 fruits and vegetables per day.
It is also recommended not to consume junk food or industrial foodstuffs filled with colouring and chemical inputs.
Food that is highly rich in sugar should be also avoided; as it systematically leads to weight gain. Sugar-rich food that must be avoided is: sodas, energetic drinks, juices that contain added sugar, etc.
It is also recommended to drinks a lot of water; as it is the sole drink that does not contain any calories or sugar and is good for the health.
It is advised to consume low-fat drinks like milk and other beverages that do not contain sugar like coffee or tea.
If you have tried maintaining a healthy lifestyle through moderate or strict dieting and exercising, and still suffer from obesity or overweight, then your morphology is somewhat hereditary.
In this case, it is recommended to treat your obesity, especially if it is the cause of several serious and chronic diseases that you have (as in the case of type 2 diabetes). One way to treat obesity or overweight in the latter case is through bariatric surgery.

Bariatric surgery is considered as an efficient and permanent treatment for weight loss. Among the techniques adopted in bariatric surgery, we can cite:
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- Gastric band
- Gastric balloon
- Gastric bypass