Obesity
What is Obesity?
Obesity refers to body weight that is much greater than what is healthy. People who are obese also have a much higher BMI (Body Mass Index) than those at an ideal weight. BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to adult men and women. Adults with a BMI greater than or equal to 30 are considered obese, while those with a BMI between 25-30 are considered overweight.
Obesity is a significant health threat. The extra weight puts added stress on all parts of the body and can contribute to a range of significant medical problems if not treated. These include, but are not limited to:
- Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome
- Heightened inflammatory response
- Certain cancers, including breast and colon cancer
- Depression
- Osteoarthritis
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Degenerative arthritis
- Disability from employment
Obesity also increases the production and release of inflammatory cells in the body which can lead to many of the conditions listed above.
Extreme obesity can also lead to a gradual decrease in the level of oxygen in your blood, a condition called hypoxemia. Decreased blood oxygen levels and sleep apnea may cause a person to feel sleepy during the day. These conditions may also lead to high blood pressure and pulmonary hypertension. In extreme cases, especially when left untreated, this can lead to right-sided heart failure and, ultimately, death.
Who is Affected?
Presently, 34 percent of adults in the United States are considered obese and an equal number is considered overweight.
Taking in more calories than you burn leads to being overweight and, eventually, obese. The body stores unused calories as fat. Obesity can be the result of eating more food than the body can use, drinking too much alcohol and/or not getting enough exercise.
An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), which is characterized by symptoms that include dry skin, dry hair, chronic constipation, fatigue and hair loss, may lead weight gain. Many obese people suffer from an undiagnosed food allergy or sensitivity, or from insulin resistance. Additionally, some antidepressants and antipsychotic medicines may also contribute to weight gain and obesity. Lastly, genetic factors play some part in the development of obesity — children of obese parents are 10 times more likely to be obese than children with parents of normal weight.
Others at risk for obesity include:
- Lower income groups
- Former smokers
- Those with chronic mental illness
- Those with disabilities
- Those with a sedentary lifestyle
What are the Options for Treatment?
At the Magaziner Center for Wellness, we bring a comprehensive understanding of thyroid, hormonal, metabolic and nutritional medicine to our treatment of our patients. Since regular exercise and a healthy diet are crucial when it comes to controlling weight, we speak to each patient about his or her lifestyle habits, as well as his or her biochemistry, in order to create a customized treatment plan.
Rather than just placing an obese patient on a restricted diet, we first analyze his or her blood to look for thyroid or endocrine problems that could have led to weight gain and may be inhibiting a patient from losing weight. We test patients’ reaction to food allergens and if a food allergy or sensitivity is discovered, we will have the patient avoid the food that may be harmful to his or her wellbeing or we work to desensitize the patient to that food. If hypothyroidism is discovered, we will utilize natural thyroid agents to stimulate the production of thyroid hormone as a first step.
For the long run, we help our patients understand food choices and their impact on the body. Our goal is to help our patients maintain their weight loss for a lifetime, by educating them on proper nutrition and changing body chemistry to reduce cravings.