Obesity

Obesity is recognized by the World Health Organization as one of the most significant health problems of our time. It is also classified as a chronic disease. Changing eating habits and adopting a sedentary lifestyle are the most significant factors contributing to its development. Obesity , which can be measured by calculating body mass index, varies depending on individual characteristics. It causes many acute and chronic diseases, as well as psychological problems.

What is Obesity ?

Obesity is generally defined as the accumulation of fat in the body that impairs health and the imbalance between height and weight. It is a common health problem worldwide, including in our country. If left untreated, it can lead to many acute and chronic illnesses, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, infertility, psychological illnesses, and cancer.

Obesity Symptoms

Symptoms of obesity disease are as follows;

Sleep disorders
Excessive sweating
Trouble breathing
Increased desire to eat
Snore
Don't get tired easily
Waking up with a headache in the morning
Swelling in the feet and ankles
Back pain
Body mass index results approaching 30%
Increased fat in the abdominal and waist area

Behaviors and Causes of Obesity

There are some habits that we don't even realize in our daily lives that contribute to obesity . These habits and genetic causes are as follows:

Adopting a sedentary lifestyle due to the challenges of business life
Wrong eating habits
Genetic factors
Binge eating habits
Carbohydrate-heavy diet
Psychological problems
Some diseases such as insulin resistance, polycystic ovary, thyroid gland diseases, genetic obesity syndromes, pancreatic diseases, sleep apnea, disorders, pituitary gland diseases and adrenal gland diseases

Diseases That May Occur Due to Obesity

Comorbidities that may be caused by obesity:

Type 2 diabetes
Hypertension
Coronary artery disease
Heart diseases
Respiratory disorders
Metabolic syndrome
Menstrual irregularities
Birth difficulties
Excessive hair growth
Sleep disorders
Gastroesophageal reflux
Depression
Osteoarthritis
Arrival
Brain Hemorrhage and Stroke
Gallbladder stones
Some cancers such as breast, colon and prostate cancer
Urinary incontinence

How is Obesity Diagnosed?

To diagnose obesity, a physical examination is first performed. The patient's health problems and complaints are also reviewed. Following the examination, blood and urine tests are performed to investigate any underlying health issues. A CT scan is also requested if necessary. A Body Mass Index (BMI) measurement is essential.

Obesity ranges according to body mass index calculations;

• Body mass index between 20-25 is considered normal weight class
• Body mass index between 25-30 is considered
obese class • Body mass index between 30-35
is considered morbidly obese class if the body mass index is 35 and above

What are the Types of Obesity?

There are certain types of obesity. These types are:

Type 1 Obesity
Type 2 Obesity (Stress Obesity)
Type 3 Obesity (Gluten Obesity)
Type 4 Obesity (Atherogenic Metabolic Obesity)
Type 5 Obesity (Venous Circulatory Disorder Obesity)
Type 6 Obesity (Inactivity Obesity)

Obesity Treatment Methods

Diet Therapy

Dietary therapy by a registered dietitian is an important method for treating obesity. With the support of diet therapy in obesity, you can:

The goal is to reduce body mass index to a normal weight. It's important to remember that diet treatment is based on a person's metabolic structure and obesity type. Therefore, it's important to seek professional help.

The diet prescribed by the specialist should adhere to the principles of adequate and balanced nutrition. The goal here is to help the individual develop and maintain healthy eating habits and lose weight in a healthy way.
Once the body mass index reaches a normal level, weight gain should be prevented and the current weight should be maintained.

Exercise Therapy

The goal of exercise therapy is to play a supportive role in dietary therapy and prevent muscle loss that may occur due to dieting. Physical activity is recognized to reduce fat tissue and prevent diet-related muscle mass loss.

The application methods of exercise therapy are as follows:

Type: Walking and Resistance Exercises
Frequency: At least 5 days a week
Duration: Start with 30 minutes and increase by 5 minutes each day.
Exercise therapy should be performed with caution and should be recommended by a specialist. Injuries can occur depending on the intensity and type of exercise therapy. To prevent this, it is important to be vigilant and under the supervision of a specialist.

Behavior modification therapy

Another method used in obesity treatment is behavioral modification (psychology). As is well known, another factor that triggers obesity is psychological changes. Therefore, consulting with a psychologist or other specialist will benefit from behavioral modification treatment. The steps in behavioral modification treatment are as follows:
1. Observation
2. Stimulus control
3. Developing alternative behaviors
4. Reinforcing behavior with rewards
5. Cognitive restructuring
6. Social support

Pharmacological treatment

Pharmacological treatments are also used in obesity treatment, but these medications are not suitable for mild or moderate obesity, nor for obesity resulting from other serious illnesses. However, it is important that the medications used are safe, have no side effects, and are not addictive. Another important point is that these medications should be prescribed by specialists and monitored by their dosage.

It's important to remember that pharmacological treatment alone is ineffective. This treatment must be implemented in conjunction with diet and exercise.

Surgical treatment

Surgery is the most commonly used method for obesity treatment. However, surgery is not suitable for every patient with obesity. For surgical treatment, a person's body mass index must be 40% or higher. However, surgery alone is not sufficient, and diet and exercise therapy must be implemented postoperatively. There are many different bariatric surgery methods.

Gastric Band Surgery

Gastric banding is also known as gastric banding. In this procedure, a band is placed at the entrance to the patient's stomach. When the patient eats, food reaches the band first and then the stomach. This way, the person feels full sooner. With this method, patients can lose approximately 65-70% of their weight. A body mass index (BMI) of 40% or higher is required for this surgery.

Gastric Sleeve Surgery

In this procedure, 70% of the patient's stomach is removed. This allows the patient to eat less and lose weight. After the surgery, the patient should follow a diet and muscle-strengthening exercises recommended by a specialist.

Gastric Twist Surgery

Using this procedure, a portion of the patient's stomach is cut and folded inward. This increases the speed of food passage through the stomach. To undergo this surgery, the patient's body mass index (BMI) must be between 30-35%.

Obesity in Children

In today's world, parents' shift towards processed foods high in fat and sugar is causing children to develop similar eating habits. This type of diet deprives children of vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients.

In addition to eating habits, children getting used to a sedentary lifestyle by sitting in front of their phones, tablets and computers paves the way for obesity.

What Kind of Problems Does Obesity Cause in Children?

Obesity is effective in the development of some physical and mental diseases in children.

Type 2 diabetes,
Metabolic syndrome
High blood fats
Asthma
Sleep disorders
Fatty liver
Bone fractures
Lack of self-confidence and psychological problems
Behavior and learning problems
Depression