Obesity & its impact on your health; Obesity diets

What is obesity ?

  Obesity or excessive body mass and weight is a preventable health crisis, which is a major cause of many morbidities or  illnesses affecting the population like diabetes ,cardiovascular diseases, cancers ,hormonal diseases and metabolic syndrome. Obesity is a major health problem affecting both children and adults alike in developed, developing and low income countries of the world.

  In the previous decades malnutrition meant chiefly undernutrition and under weight with ill health resulting from lowered immunity. But today more people are obese than underweight all over the world except in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Although multiple factors contribute to obesity, nutrition and diet has a great role in managing obesity and maintaining healthy weight.

  A body mass index (BMI) over 25 is considered overweight, and over 30 is obese. According to world health organization [data of 2022] more than 1 billion people worldwide are obese – 650 million adults, 340 million adolescents and 39 million children. This number is still increasing in a rapid pace everywhere on the globe.

      Obesity  adversely affects the vital organs like heart, liver, kidneys, joints, and reproductive system. It may lead to a range of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke, various types of cancers, and  mental health issues.

What are the causes of obesity?

 Obesity is linked to heredity in some people. Certain rare genetic disorders may cause intractable obesity like Padre Willi syndrome. Genes have definite role in obesity and weight gain.

Physical inactivity & sedentary lifestyle may contribute to obesity.

Certain medical conditions or diseases are closely linked with obesity such as underactive thyroid [hypothyroid state], Cushing's syndrome, polycystic ovarian syndrome ,metabolic syndrome  etc.

Certain medicines, including some corticosteroids, medications for epilepsy and diabetes, and some medications used to treat mental illness – including antidepressants and medicines for schizophrenia – can contribute to weight gain.

Eating large quantities of carbohydrates and high glycemic index [ high blood sugar spike causing ] foods increase the risk of weight gain. The amount of calories people eat and drink has a direct impact on their weight.

 Foods and eating patterns may help to keep calories in check. Milled, refined grains and the foods made with them-white rice, white bread, white pasta, processed breakfast cereals etc. and potatoes sugary drinks are rich in easily digested carbohydrates. i.e. Foods having high glycemic index and glycemic load. Such foods cause rapid elevation in blood sugar and insulin levels that it can cause hunger to spike soon and may lead to overeating.

Increased consumption of unhealthy fats- especially trans- fat and saturated fats are linked to weight gain, but increased consumption of healthy fats-monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat-in moderate amount do not cause weight gain.

Grades of obesity

Health science classifies obesity into class types based on body mass index [BMI] and its intensity.

If your BMI is between 25.0 and 29.9 kg/m², you are in the overweight category.  But here are three general classes of obesity that healthcare providers use to evaluate the grade of obesity to decide obesity management protocols and it is strictly individualized. They include:

Class I obesity: BMI 30 to <35 kg/m².

Class II obesity: BMI 35 to <40 kg/m².

Class III obesity: BMI 40+ kg/m².

   Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to adult men and women. Body Mass Index (BMI) is a person’s weight in kilograms (or pounds) divided by the square of height in meters (or feet). A high BMI can indicate high body fatness. BMI screens for weight categories that may lead to health problems, but it does not diagnose the body fatness or health of an individual.

Impacts of obesity on health

   Obesity has tremendous but progressive effect on cardiovascular, reproductive and general health in adults as well as children and lead to a range of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke, various forms of cancer, as well as mental health issues.

General tips to manage obesity and its impact on health 

Reduce carbohydrate to moderate amount as the quantity as well as quality of food you take is important. Whole grains-The weight control evidence is stronger for whole grains than it is for fruits and vegetables.

Nuts are rich in protein and fiber, both of which may help people feel fuller and less hungry. People who regularly eat nuts are less likely to have heart attacks or die from heart disease than those who rarely eat them, which is another reason to include nuts in a healthy diet. Include moderate amount of healthy mono and polyunsaturated fat into your diet in the form of nuts, seeds etc. 

Avoid sugary sweetened beverages.

Reduce alcohol intake.

The scientific data available till date do not strictly restrict alcohol intake considering it as a major cause of obesity. Even though most alcoholic beverages have more calories per ounce than sugar-sweetened beverages, there’s no clear-cut evidence that moderate drinking contributes to weight gain. While the recent diet and lifestyle change study found that people who increased their alcohol intake gained more weight over time, the findings varied by type of alcohol.

Yogurt - A study from the Harvard School of Public Health, found that people who increased their yogurt intake gained less weight. Increases in milk and cheese intake, however, did not appear to promote weight loss or gain. More research is needed in this area.

 Proteins- some proteins are good for weight loss. Replacing red and processed meat with nuts, beans, fish, or poultry seems to lower obesity and the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Fibers- since fibers slow down digestion, they help to curb hunger. Many fruits and vegetables are rich in fibers.

Lower carbohydrate, higher protein diets may have some weight loss advantages in the short term.

Reduce stress and stress related hormonal imbalances which may lead to obesity can be controlled.

Treat medical conditions like hypothyroidism and Cushing’s syndrome which are diseases contributing to obesity.

Promote physical activity through exercise programs and games.

Do special diets help in weight loss?

A few of the popular obesity diets are the following. They are included and practiced  by many people across the globe, in their diet and lifestyles.

·     Mediterranean diet 

·     Flexitarian diet

·     Jenny Craig diet

·       Volumetric diet

All these diets have their own role in weight loss. Diets are prescribed in a customized way considering individual particulars and choices. 

REFERENCES

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-causes/diet-and-weight/  
https://www.who.int/health-topics/obesity#tab=tab_1 
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/obesity/causes/#:~:text=Obesity%20is%20generally%20caused%20by,by%20the%20body%20as%20fat.
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/childrens_bmi/about_childrens_bmi.html