Management of Obesity
Obesity has adverse effects on normal bodily function and virtually every organ in the body is affected. People with obesity are at risk of developing a range of medical conditions, which can have serious consequences for health, wellbeing and life expectancy.
However, there are exceptions to every rule. A person with a BMI of over 30 may be fit and healthy.
A few examples of the consequences of obesity are:
- One study has shown that obesity in adulthood is associated with a decrease in life expectancy (for both men and women) of about 7 years, because of an increased risk of dying early of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and kidney failure.
- More than 1/3 of obese people have hypertension.
- An obese teenager is likely to stay obese.
- Obese people are around 3 times more likely to suffer from coronary heart disease and people who are morbidly obese are 6 times more likely to suffer from heart disease (both coronary heart disease and heart failure).
- A person who is obese is 40 times as likely to die suddenly, often because of arrhythmia.
- Overweight people are 10 times more likely to develop Type 2 (Adult Onset) Diabetes with complications such as blindness, kidney failure and amputations.
- Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome occurs in the severely obese, where toxic levels of CO2 build up in the blood.
- Gallbladder disease occurs several times more frequently in obese people.
- Degenerative joint disease leads to the need for joint replacement surgery but the success rate of surgery is less in the obese and many obese people are refused surgery.
- Women who are 20lb heavier than they were at the age of 18 double their risk of dying of cancer and increase by 7 times their risk of having a cardiac arrest.
However, weight loss of 10% of body weight has been proven to reduce much obesity-related co-morbidity and to benefit health as a result.
A calculation is made of what weight the person ought to be for their height and bone structure and how many calories are needed to maintain this weight. A dietary deficit of 600 calories below required should lead to a steady weight loss of between 1lb and 2lb a week.
An intake of 300 to 500 calories less than a person’s requirement per day can result in a steady, gradual weight loss of between 1 to 2lb per week. This does not sound much but adds up to 3 stone over a year.
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Amended April 2008
