OBESITY: what it is, causes, types and treatment

Obesity is one of the most important diseases in the 21st century in advanced societies, such as in the US, Latin America, and lately, in countries like Spain. It affects the human body in such a way that, due to excess fat, there is an unhealthy weight gain for the human being, damaging health.

This eating disorder is very common and can be dangerous for people who have it. Therefore, in this Psychology-Online article, we will talk about obesity: what is it, causes, types and treatment of this eating disorder.

Index

1. What is obesity?
2. Types of obesity
3. Causes of obesity
4. Consequences of obesity
5. Treatment of obesity

The definition of obesity refers to a metabolic disease in which they appear triggers What social, physiological, metabolic, molecular and genetic elements. Although for genetic reasons an individual may be more susceptible to gaining weight, an inadequate diet, lack of exercise, sedentary lifestyle and activities with little physical activity are the main triggers of the obesity.

To find out if you have obesity, is measured with the Body Mass Index, which calculates the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters, varying according to sex and age. When a BMI greater than 25 is obtained, it is obesity, however, the risks appear from a BMI of 21: being overweight does not it always triggers obesity, although it is likely that there are equally negative consequences, such as heart disease, kidney disease, asthma, etc

During the last years, the level of obesity has risen in all racial and ethnic groups, since more than 1900 million adults over 18 years of age are overweight according to studies by the World Health Organization, of which 6oo million or more are obese. Some canons of beauty have promoted obesity as a symbol of beauty, since prehistoric societies such as the Venus of Willendorf or Rubens' 3 graces of the Baroque, which, in recent years, many women have ceased to be interested in losing weight due to feeling frustrated or poorly motivated, in addition to the factors above mentioned.

Similarly, many children and adolescents are more obese due to type of diet taken in childhood, eating habits, lack of vegetables and fruits, excessive sedentary activities, etc. as well as the limited education that many people receive, the lack of exercise and / or bad habits in general. In this article, we answer your question about why can't I stop eating.

Obesity can be classified into different types depending on the cause.

• Genetics: it is one of the most common. It is one in which the patient has received a genetic inheritance or predisposition to have obesity.
• Dietetics: It is another of the most common. It is given by leading a sedentary lifestyle coupled with the intake of high-calorie foods.
• Obesity due to mismatch: appears due to a failure (mismatch) in satiety. The person is never satisfied when eating and always feels the need to continue eating more food.
• Thermogenic defect: it is not a common type of obesity. It is caused by the body by not burning calories efficiently.
• Nervous obesity: It is suffered by those people who suffer from other diseases such as hypoactivity or other types of psychological problems. Obesity is produced by the central nervous system when it alters the mechanisms of satiety.
• Diseasesendocrine: it is not very frequent either. It is generated by endocrine diseases such as hypercorticism or hypothyroidism.
• Obesity frommedicines: some medications cause fat accumulation. It occurs with some types of antidepressants or corticosteroids for example.
• Obesitychromosome: it is associated with chromosomal defects such as those with Down syndrome or Turner syndrome.
• Morbid obesity: refers to patients who are 50 to 100% or 45kg above their ideal body weight. It produces numerous disorders in the body, such as diabetes, hypertension, heart diseases, strokes, cancers, depression, osteoarthritis, etc. One of the most common causes is the exaggerated and excessive consumption of calories, in unhealthy foods, fast food, as well as the lack of physical exercise, disorders associated with thyroid, smoking, and alcohol, multiply the factors of risk

Types of obesity saccording to fat distribution

Another of the classifications that exists, in a less detailed and generalized way, are the types of obesity according to the distribution of fat, such as the following:

• Abdominal obesity or android.
• Peripheral or gynoid obesity.
• Homogeneous obesity.

Types of obesity according to physiological aspects

• Hyperplastic: it is characterized by an increase in the number of adipose cells.
• Hypertrophic: increase in the volume of adipocytes.
• Primary: depending on the etiological aspects, primary obesity represents an imbalance between food intake and energy expenditure.
• Secondary: depending on the etiological aspects, secondary obesity is derived as a consequence of certain diseases that cause an increase in body fat.

When evaluating obesity triggers, the most important causes of obesity are as follows:

• Biological and genetic factors: thyroid diseases, cardiovascular diseases, genes with a tendency to obesity, intestinal microbiota, biological clocks, diabetes, some skin problems, consequences of anorexia and bulimia, hypertension, cholesterol, liver disorders, problems in the bones etc
• Bad nutrition: abuse of fats, precooked, little vegetables, few fruits, a lot of sugar, fried foods, abuse of food called “fast food”, excessive calorie intake without compensation, little water intake, excessive intake of alcohol.
• StressY lack of rest: sleeping less than 7 hours a day or more than 9 hours, sleeping poorly, sleep disturbances.
• Sedentary: lack of exercise, movement, and little physical activity.
• Use ofmedicines containing cortisone, steroids, some antidepressants, birth control pills, etc.
• Povertyculturel, economic, lack of studies, discrimination, Social isolation.
• Low self-esteem, decay, discouragement, fatigue, depression, premature maturity, etc.
• Use / abuse ofdrugs: alcohol, tobacco, cannabis and opiates, amphetamines, cocaine, etc.
• Factorsenvironmental and climatic like dirt, the lack of cold in many regions.
• Overfeeding in pregnancy: it is caused by inadequate nutrition during the prenatal period, infancy and early childhood, followed by consumption of high-calorie, high-fat, low-micronutrient foods combined with lack of activity physical.

A number of Consequences of obesity in people, such as:

• Diseases such as childhood epilepsy, severe liver diseases, liver cancer, diabetes, hypertension, cardiorespiratory failure, migraines, heart attacks, digestive problems, urinary, musculoskeletal, bone disorders, orthopedic, respiratory problems, heart failure, cerebrovascular and thromboembolic disease, disease renal.
• Colon cancer risk and rectal, endometrial cancer, gallbladder, stomach, ovaries.
• Greater number of allergies.
• Complications in pregnancy, increased chance of babies with cerebral palsy.
• Greater changes in semen, lower fertility, polycystic ovary, psychological disorders, etc.
• Intellectual disability, seizures, vision problems, hearing, speech, spinal changes, joint problems.
• Menopause, early andropause.
• Increased risk of mortality.
• Psychosocial disturbances: discrimination, mood, social disturbances, discrimination, etc.
• There are 11 types of cancer in which it gets worse when obese: chest, ovary, kidney, pancreas, colon, rectum, medulla, biliary, endometrium, myeloma, multiple and gastric.

Even so, it should be noted that sometimes the causes and consequences are simultaneous, that is, not always due to having Obesity is the trigger for some consequence, but the consequence may be a causative factor of the obesity.

When evaluating a person with obesity, factors are taken into account such as age of onset, duration and progression of obesity, previous treatments, feeding schedules, social pressure, relationship of emotional state, motivation to perform a obesity treatment, current and previous physical activity, personal morbid history, habits, use of drugs, family group, family history, physical examination, examinations of laboratory.

There is no single treatment for obesity, although the goal is to improve the health of the patient reducing risks and correcting metabolic patterns and alterations. Although not all people are equally motivated or have a hard time exercising, it is possible to change these habits. Correcting the emotional bond with some foods, being aware of when you overeat, or eliminating eating habits when you are depressed or sad, it is possible.

Have an active lifestyle, a better relationship with parents, higher academic performance, lower levels of anxiety and depression, and healthier behaviors is possible, as well as eliminating tobacco and alcohol consumption and improving balance mental.

Dietary treatment for obesity

The objectives of the dietary treatment in obesity they are not only losing weight, but maintaining that weight loss, reducing unnecessary body fat, preventing future weight gain, providing knowledge to prevent future weight gains, educate on eating habits, as well as reduce the risk of obesity-related diseases, improve self-esteem and quality of lifetime.

WHO has established a classification of strategies for prevention, weight maintenance, management of comorbidities and weight loss, which includes universal prevention, weight reduction, behavior modification and modification of cognitions and feelings through:

• Self-reinforcement.
• Healthy diet.
• Control of consequences.
• Physical activity
• Promotion of Breastfeeding.
• Dietary rules: do not eat with television, increase the intake of fruits and vegetables, legumes and / or grains whole grains, limit sugars, sweets, sweets, do not skip breakfast, reduce sugar intake, etc.
• Behavioral therapy with obese children.
• Diet treatment.
• Promotion of good habits: sleeping more, less sedentary activity, walking, doing housework, leisure active, participate in school, perform at least 30 minutes of physical activity, either walking or doing other exercise, etc

Guidelines to prevent obesity

Some guidelines to prevent childhood obesity are:

• Breastfeed babies according to demand.
• Do not breastfeed the first time when the baby cries.
• Visit the pediatrician, follow the diets that he imposes on us every month.
• Prepare meals with fresh and natural ingredients, with the table of weights and measures.
• Offer a varied diet of meats, flours, vegetables, fruits, etc.
• Offer children plenty of fluids, especially in hot seasons and exercise.
• Reduce the use of your own car, go to work walking, cycling, using public transport, etc.
• Avoid the use of elevators.
• Avoid using food as a reward or punishment.
• Schedule active leisure with family or friends, such as dancing, cycling, etc.
• Schedule a sport at least once a week, since according to the Spanish Society of General and Family Physicians (SEMG), exercise helps to lose weight, to fight against excess weight, and has a favorable influence against diseases such as anxiety, insomnia and disorders emotional
• Having pets leads to better health and less chance of obesity.
• Studies consider that the combination of physical exercise and caloric restriction is more effective
• The acquisition of healthy patterns and habits in pregnant women through doctors, nurses and specialists.
• Reduce or eliminate if possible the consumption of tobacco and alcoholic beverages.
• De-stress, stay calm, good habits, get enough sleep, relax, practice activities such as yoga, Pilates, stretching, tai chi, body balance, etc.
• Avoiding weight gain as old age approaches and, at best, losing weight, can be a strategy to reduce your chances of pain and cancer.

Surgeries for obesity

There are also a series of surgeries that help counteract obesity. The most important and recommended are:

• Adjustable ring: It consists of putting an adjustable ring on the stomach to avoid massive food intake. It can be done openly, but its appeal is that it is done without opening the abdomen. It does not alter the stomach, it can be regulated, secondary interventions can be done easily, although it is not good for patients with a sweet tooth, the super-obese, and they tend to gain weight again, in addition to giving poor quality of lifetime.
• Gastric bypass: Since 1966, this intervention has been carried out in which an important malabsorption component is added to achieve greater weight losses. It is good for the sweet tooth, super obese, difficult to sabotage, accept quality of life, and is the most common operation in the USA.
• Laparoscopy: the stomach does not open, it produces less pain, fewer thromboembolic complications, fewer pulmonary complications, fewer infections of wound, fewer scars, better aesthetic result, although it produces higher cost in instruments and a difficult learning curve for patients. surgeons.

Other types of surgery include vertical ring gastroplasty, ring gastric bypass, duodenal switch, and laparoscopic tubular gastrectomy (GTL).

This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

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