Sep
Morbid obesity is A disorder involving excessive body fat that increases the risk of health problems. As far as the morbid obesity causes are concerned, it is chiefly due to the presence of higher amounts of calories in the body.
Table of Content
- Morbid Obesity – Definition
- The Importance of Calorie Control
- Eating Habits, Anxiety and Lack of Sleep
- Calculation of BMI
- Effects of Morbid Obesity
- The significance of Exercise and Diet
- Weight Loss Drugs and Surgery
- Stress Management
- FAQs
What is Morbid Obesity?
Morbid obesity is an increasingly serious health condition. At the most elementary level, morbid obesity is defined as a condition in which the body mass index is higher than 35.
According to research, the prevalence of morbid obesity has quadrupled in the past 25 years. Also, it is said to account for over 20% of cancer-related deaths. Additionally, morbid obesity increases the risk of diabetes by 400%.
BMI is chiefly used to estimate the amount of body fat and whether or not the body has an optimum weight. Although it is not the best instrument to measure morbid obesity, it gives a sufficient idea of the weight of the body.
Causes and Symptoms of Morbid Obesity
1. Eating Habits, Anxiety and Lack of Sleep Can Lead to Weight Gain
Stress, anxiety and lack of sleep are some of the common factors that lead to morbid obesity. Other behavioural habits may also contribute to weight gain. For instance, as an adult, you may be lazy at work and have less time for physical exercise, sleep or a proper meal.
2. Menopause may prompt the furtherance of obesity
Women may gain weight during menopause and during pregnancy. If you are a smoker, you are at risk of a temporary weight gain after quitting smoking. Although the factors do not necessarily contribute to the development of morbid obesity, they do act as catalysts.
Diagnose Morbid Density by Calculating the BMI
Morbid obesity may be confirmed by calculating the body mass index. BMI is achieved by dividing your body weight in kgs by your height in meter square. The following are the BMI ranges and their corresponding level of obesity:
- Underweight: Under 18.5 per cent
- Normal: Between 18.5 to 24.9 per cent
- Overweight: Between 25.0 to 29.9
- Obese (class I): Between 30.0 to 34.9
- Morbid Obesity (Class II): Between 35.0 to 39.9
BMI is not the absolute estimator
It must be kept in mind that the BMI has certain limitations. Your BMI is an estimate only of your body fat.
Athletes, for example, may have a high body weight due to the presence of high muscle mass but actually, have a small amount of fat. Therefore, do not solely rely on the BMI.
There are other tests for calculating the amount of body fat. For instance, the skinfold test and the bioelectrical impedance test. Additional blood tests may also be used to treat the hormonal percentage in your body.
Morbid Obesity Can Lead to Diabetes, BP, CVDs[2]
As mentioned before, morbid obesity is a serious health concern. Immediate medical intervention should be sought in order to avoid fatal complications. Osteoarthritis, gallstones, reproductive problems, metabolic syndrome are some of the complications that can arise due to untreated obesity.
Apart from that, you may also develop chronic sleep apnea, obesity hypoventilation syndrome, stroke, type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, blood lipid abnormalities etc. due to untreated morbid obesity. Immediate medical intervention should be sought in order to treat the disease. Morbid obesity may lead to certain rare cancers, also.
How can to treat Morbid Obesity?
1. Exercise is the First Thing to do
In order to prevent the onset of morbid obesity, the first thing to develop is the habit of exercise.
There is no reason to shy away from regular exercise coupled with a healthy diet. The following are some of the activities you may take up in order to avoid the onset of obesity:
- Practice running and jogging in the wee hours of dawn.
- Swimming is a good habit.
- Jumping rope also is of great help.
- Brisk walking is another exercise to prevent obesity.
- You can also take up regular cycling.
2. Diet modification is key
Diet should generally consist of green leafy vegetables. The following are some of the adjustments you can do with your meal:[4]
- Add more fruits and vegetables to your diet.
- Practice eating a smaller amount of meals.
- Count your calories.
- Try to eat mindfully.
- Limit the consumption of saturated fats, trans fats, and refined sugars.
3. Focus on stress management exercises
Also, it is important you learn certain basic stress management tools. As mentioned earlier, stress is one of the major factors in inducing obesity.
Therefore, stress management tools can help you prevent snacking or overeating during stressful times.
A collaborative regimen is another helpful exercise. You must work with your doctor or a dietician and set up realistic goals that will help you lose your weight and prevent morbid obesity.
4. Weight Loss Drugs Not the Best Choice
In certain cases, doctors prescribe weight loss drugs. Although they may help in reducing your weight, once the medication is stopped your weight may tend to rise anew.
Also, there are countless herbal and over the counter supplements, their effectiveness has not yet been scientifically validated.
5. Surgical methods may be approached
Surgery is yet another treatment for obesity. However, you must remember that surgery may cause complications. The doctor should be consulted if you really need surgery to treat morbid obesity. It may be useful to know that there are two common types of surgical treatments such as gastric banding surgery and the gastric bypass surgery.
In the gastric banding surgery, the surgeon will place a band around the upper part of your stomach. This limits your intake of food by making you feel full after eating a small meal. It is one of the most common surgical methods to treat morbid obesity.
In the gastric bypass surgery, it is basically applied to change the way your food travels through the digestive tract by bypassing a portion of your stomach and the small intestine. As again, it will make you feel full even when you have eaten less.
6. Diet and exercise towards pink
As mentioned before, diet and exercise are the two central means to prevent morbid obesity. Apart from that, proper awareness is equally important. Keep an eye on your nutritional intake and cut it slack on sugars and fats.
Calorie control is the best step to reduce morbid obesity
As far as the morbid obesity causes are concerned, it is chiefly due to the presence of higher amounts of calories in the body. When you eat, the body needs sufficient amount of calories in order to pump your heart or digest the food.
However, when all the calories are not used, they are stored in the body in the form of fat. As a result, your body will continue to hoard up fat if you absorb more calories than your body can hold.
Too much fat inevitably translate into obesity. Apart from that, certain medications can cause significant weight gain. For instance, antidepressants and medical conditions such as hypothyroidism can lead to weight gain.
FAQs
1.Does surgery guarantee permanent solution?
No. After surgery, the person’s health will depend on his or her dietary regimen, too.
2. What is the success rate of surgery?
Generally speaking, 70-80% of the cases report successful execution.
3. What is the difference between being obese and being overweight?
Being overweight does not necessarily entail the calculation of BMI, unlike in the case of obesity. To put it simply, obesity has more clinical indulgences.
4. How long does an operation normally take?
Generally speaking, it may take anywhere between one to two hours. However, in certain cases, it may take longer.
5. Are any preoperative tests required?
It will depend on the subjective aspects of the patient.
Thanks! Actually getting enough sleep every night is truly important. You get more energy for exercise. People are having success in losing belly fat using this
Hi Rauf! We thank you for sharing your valuable feedback on our article. Proper sleep is enough to have a healthy lifestyle and this article helps you to understand the importance of the sleep. Keep following our blog to know more health information.
Interesting & very informative. It has covered all the aspects of morbid obesity. i myself have been through so can totally relate to it.
Hi Karan! We are glad to receive your feedback on our article. Knowing the causes and symptoms of morbid obesity will help you lead a healthy lifestyle. Keep following our blog to know more health information.
Thanks for posting valuable post. I am looking for new ideas and found this great post on google. Fully describe with clear information. Thanks again
Hi Michael! You are welcome and thank you for sharing your valuable feedback on our article “causes, signs and symptoms of morbid obesity”. Keep following our blog to know more health information.
Hi
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Thanks
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