WHAT IS OBESITY?

Obesity Medicine Association definition:

“Obesity is defined as a chronic, progressive, relapsing, multi-factorial, neurobehavioral disease, wherein an increase in body fat promotes adipose tissue dysfunction and abnormal fat mass physical forces, resulting in adverse metabolic, biomechanical, and psychosocial health consequences.”

That is a mouthful, but it conveys the fact that obesity is a complex disease with many contributing factors including:

• Genetics

• Mother's gestational health and nutrition status

• Father's nutritional status

• Family culture

• Socioeconomic status

• Environmental factors such as toxins

• Food industries and cultural influence

• Hormones

• Metabolic issues

• Derailed eating patterns

What obesity is not?

• Lack of willpower

• Your fault

Why do I care?

While many people in a bigger body size are healthy, research shows that overweight and obesity increases long term risk factors for cardiovascular events, some cancers, liver disease, diabetes, and not being able to become pregnant.

Does dieting help?

Reducing adipose (fat) tissues does help, but fast and quick tricks to lose weight cannot sustain the weight loss. Studies show that most people, who use fad diets, gain the weight right back within a year and some more. During fad diets, muscle mass is lost and is not gained back if one regains the weight. This changes the body composition in such a way that a person ends up with even more dispose tissues than before their diet.

Does exercise help?

Exercise has many health benefits, especially if you can find a way to enjoy it. Studies show that people who integrate movement into their life style, can maintain their weight loss easier.

What is the best way to treat obesity?

A sustained weight loss can be achieved in many treatment modalities that include healthy nutrition, addressing root causes of dysfunctional eating patterns, addressing emotions/mood, reducing environmental influence, medication and surgery. Obesity can be successfully treated by multidisciplinary approach that includes a physician, dietitian, therapist as well as others for support and coaching.

Where can I get more information?

Obesity Action Coalition: https://www.obesityaction.org

Obesity Medicine Association: https://www.obesityaction.org