Diet, Obesity and Weight Management Information

     Part 1 of 9 - What is Obesity?

How you define obesity depends pretty much on what you read, but in general, it is a chronic condition defined by an excess amount body fat. In order to function properly your body requires a certain amoun of fat in the body for storing energy, heat insulation, shock absorption, and other functions. The normal amount of body fat (expressed as percentage of body fat) is between 25-30% in women and 18-23% in men. Women with over 30% body fat and men with over 25% body fat are considered obese.

Just how much of a problem is obesity?

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. Nearly a third of all Americans are considered 'obese'. Obesity is also increasing rapidly throughout the world, and the incidence of obesity has nearly doubled form 1991 to 1998.

What are some of the dangers of being obese?

harmful to one's health. In the United States, More than 300,000 patient deaths are directly related to obesity, 80% of these deaths are in patients with a BMI (body mass index over 30). For most obese people, they are putting themselves at risk for suffering MAJOR chronic disease, such as:

- Pre-Diabetes - Insulin Resistance. Insulin is the enzyme that helps your body properly use the sugar you body consumes, (which is then used for energy). By sending glucose into cells, insulin keeps the blood glucose levels in the normal range. Insulin resistance (IR) is the condition of the effectiveness ofsending of insulin in directing glucose (sugar) into cells is diminished. Fat cells are more insulin resistant than muscle cells; Obesity is known to be the major cause of IR. The pancreas first tries to IR by producing more insulin. As long as the pancreas can produce enough insulin to overcome this resistance, blood glucose levels remain normal. Insulin resistance can last for years - many time without the sufferer evening knowing that they have the condition. Once the pancreas 'burns out' and can't keep up with producing higher levels of insulin, blood glucose levels begin to rise, resulting in type 2 diabetes, thus IR is a pre-diabetes condition. In fact scientists now believe that the atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) associated with diabetes likely develops during this IR period.

- Type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes. Type 2 diabetes becomes more likely the higher the degree and the longer one is obese. Type 2 diabetes is associated with central obesity; a person with central obesity has excess fat around his/her waist, so that the body is shaped like an apple.

- High blood pressure (hypertension). High blood pressure is the most common condition found among the obese. A recent study found that women who gained weight tended to develop hypertension more significanlty than men. The risk of developing high blood pressure is also higher in obese people who are 'apple' shaped - gut fat - rather than those who are 'pear' shaped - hips and leg fat.

- High cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia)

- Stroke (cerebrovascular accident or CVA)

- Heart attack. according to most recent studiesfound that the risk of developing coronary artery disease increased in women with a BMI of 29 or higher by almost 400%. A Finnish study showed that for every one kilogram (2.2 pounds) increase in body weight, the risk of death from coronary artery disease increased by one percent. You should know that if you are obese and have already had one heart attack, obesity is associated with an increased likelihood of a second heart attack.

- Congestive heart failure

- Cancer. The jury is still out on this one, but, some observational studies have linked obesity to cancer of the colon in men and women, cancer of the rectum and prostate in men, and cancer of the gallbladder and uterus in women. Another type of cancer associated with obesity is breast cancer, particularly in postmenopausal women. Fat tissue is important in the production of estrogen, and prolonged exposure to high levels of estrogen increases the risk of breast cancer.

- Gallstones

- Gout and gouty arthritis

- Degenerative Arthihritis of the knees, hips, and the lower back

- Sleep apnea

- Chronic Pain and other Inflammatory Diseases and Conditions

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