Obesity Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Understanding
Obesity is the excessive accumulation of fat that makes the body weight above normal.
Assessment of ideal body weight is generally done by calculating a person’s Body Mass Index (BMI). The way to calculate it is with the formula: Weight (kg) Height x Height (m2)
The international classification of BMI by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the Asia-Pacific population is as follows:
- BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 = underweight
- BMI 18.5 – 22.9 kg/m2 = normal body weight
- BMI 23.0 – 24.9 kg/m2 = overweight
- BMI 25.0 – 29.9 kg/m2 = grade I obesity
- BMI 30.0 kg/m2 = grade II obesity
However, determining whether someone is obese or not can be done specifically, namely by calculating the percentage of body fat. This can improve the accuracy of determining obesity. Because if you only use BMI, someone with high muscle mass can also be categorized as obese, and this is certainly not appropriate.
If you are obese, make lifestyle changes as soon as possible. Obesity can cause various types of complications, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancer.
Symptom
Obesity can be quite obvious from a physical perspective. Most of the patients come with problems related to excessive weight gain and disproportionate body shape.
There are also some obese patients who have food intake disorders, such as overeating, not feeling full, eating before bed, and so on.
However, sometimes the symptoms that arise can be caused by complications from obesity itself, such as:
- In complications of a heart attack: chest pain, chest feels heavy, and so on.
- Diabetes complications: frequent hunger, frequent thirst, frequent urination, and unexplained excessive weight gain or loss.
- In complications of lung disease: shortness of breath.
Reason
In general, the main cause of obesity is an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure which is measured using units of calories (Cal) and kilocalories (kCal).
On the one hand, some people have an easier tendency to gain weight. On the other hand, some people find it easier to lose weight without any effort.
This is because there are certain factors, which can increase the tendency of obesity. These factors are:
- metabolic factors
- genetic factor
- Physical activity level
- Hormonal factors
- Age, gender, and race factors
- Dietary habit
- Smoke
- Pregnancy and menopause
Diagnosis
In general, doctors will conduct medical interviews that lead to a diagnosis of obesity. For example: diet, history of previous eating disorders, and so on.
A physical examination can also be done from body shape and evaluation of the proportion of fat in the body. This check can be done manually or electronically.
To diagnose obesity, doctors also use the BMI assessment as previously listed. However, it should be emphasized that BMI alone is not complete for diagnosing obesity.
In addition, because obesity is associated with various complications, several investigations are also recommended. Such as lipid profiles, liver function tests, thyroid gland function tests, fasting blood sugar and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c).
Treatment
The best treatment option for obesity is to make lifestyle changes, such as:
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Diet changes
This includes implementing conventional diets such as low-fat diets, low-carbohydrate diets, mid-level diets, or special diets for people with certain diseases (diabetes or heart disease). Generally, determining the appropriate diet can be done after the patient consults with a clinical nutrition specialist.
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physical activity
For obese patients, the most suitable physical activity is aerobic physical activity. Do it 5-7 times per week, with a duration of 30-60 minutes each day. Aerobic physical activity can be in the form of brisk walking, running, cycling, and competitive sports (football, basketball, tennis, badminton, and so on).
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Changes in behavior
Behavior change is an important thing to implement. This includes not only setting meal schedules, but also preventing bad habits related to eating such as snacking, eating before going to bed, and so on.
The use of certain drugs to treat obesity can be done but must be according to a doctor’s prescription.
If lifestyle changes have been made and don’t work, it is advisable to visit a doctor. Doctors can give one of two categories of these drugs:
- The sibutramine group, which suppresses hunger in the brain.
- Orlistat group, which inhibits the absorption of fat from the intestine.
If the weight is still not reduced with lifestyle changes and taking medication, bariatric surgery may be an option. However, the patient must have a BMI above 40 kg/m2 and at least one of the complications to be able to undergo bariatric surgery.
Not only that, in order to achieve ideal body weight, you need to know how many calories are needed per day.