What is Obesity?

Obesity; It is expressed as the state of being overweight due to the fact that the individual accumulates more fat than it should be.

What are the causes of obesity?

Obesity, which is an increasing health problem of our age; affects many people. Nutritional habits on the basis of genetic predisposition and attractive tastes in foodstuffs make obesity an unavoidable problem. Obesity is not just an image problem, it is a major health problem. About 30 different diseases are closely related to obesity.

Who is at risk of obesity?

In order to prevent obesity, it is necessary to stay away from a sedentary life. According to accepted views, 150 minutes of fitness-style sports a week or taking 10,000 steps a day can be a measure against obesity. When it comes to nutrition, I recommend to stay away from fast food-style foods, foods containing intense corn syrup, refined oils as much as possible or to consume in a limited amount. Especially in the adult life period, which we can accept as the period after school age, 2 meals a day are sufficient. We did not try to take at least half of the calories that we will take in these meals in the morning. It is suitable for a healthy diet to take the second meal at noon or in the evening between 16:00 and 17:00. Eating something, especially at night, almost invites obesity.

What kind of health problems does obesity cause?

Obesity; It causes 32 different diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases. For this reason, it is necessary to consider obesity as a whole of diseases, and all of these diseases are called metabolic syndrome. In metabolic syndrome, obesity, hypertension, diabetes and high blood lipids are most common, but additional health problems also occur. The main ones are polycystic ovary, joint disorders, disc herniation (lumbar hernia), colon and breast cancer, depression and many other diseases. All these health problems are becoming a bigger problem with weight gain. Obesity and accompanying health problems shorten the average life by 15 years.

When should I see a doctor?

People who have more than the ideal weight should first consult a doctor to determine whether the cause of their excess weight is due to nutrition or a hormonal disorder. Today, almost all obesity is dependent on nutrition, with exceptions. The degree of excess weight due to nutrition should be determined by a dietitian or physician. As the amount of excess weight increases, the treatment approach may change accordingly.

How is the diagnosis of obesity made and what criteria are evaluated by looking at it?

Obesity; defined in different terms. Some of these are the body mass index, which is obtained by dividing the body weight by the square of the height in meters. If this index is over 30, it is considered as obesity. If the index is more than 40, the term morbid obesity is used. The risk of sudden heart attacks in morbidly obese people is much higher than in normal weight people. For example: The body mass index of a person who is 170 cm tall and weighs 120 kg is expressed as 41.5 kg\m2. We can also express obesity with waist hip ratio. A ratio of waist circumference to hip circumference of more than 1 in men and more than 0.8 in women is considered as an indicator of overweight or obesity. In women, fat gains weight in the thighs, hips and shoulders, while men generally have more fat in the abdomen. For this reason, male type obesity is called android type obesity and obesity in women is called gynecoid type obesity.

What are the treatment options for getting rid of obesity and excess weight?

Obesity should be tried to be controlled primarily with conservative methods such as diet, sports, acupuncture and treatment methods using some drugs. However, these methods usually do not work in people with a body mass index of more than 40, which we call morbid obesity. Surgical methods are suitable and effective methods for people who have applied conservative methods for at least 6 months before reaching this stage or who have become morbidly obese.

When should surgical methods be preferred to get rid of excess weight?

There are some criteria determined by the World Bariatric Surgery Association in order to apply for surgical treatment methods due to obesity. These are as follows.

• Body mass index above at least 35 Kg/m2 and having at least one co-morbid disease
• – If the body mass index is over 40 Kg/m2, bariatric surgery can be applied.

There is a prerequisite here. This is: have done a non-surgical practice (such as diet and sports) to lose weight for at least 6 months, or