Obesity • Causes, Risk Factors & Treatment

More than half of Germans are overweight. The plus on the scales can have health consequences. Because being overweight is often one of the causes of many complaints and can promote chronic diseases. What is considered overweight and when is it treated?

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What is obesity?

Overweight is a high body weight that exceeds normal levels due to the increase in body fat. If the fat percentage is above average, one speaks of obesity, also known as obesity.

A decision is made between primary and secondary obesity. Primary obesity arises from increased energy intake and low energy consumption. Secondary obesity can result from a congenital or acquired hormone disorder. However, this form of obesity occurs very rarely.

When do you become overweight?

Overweight can be determined by various measurement methods. The most common method is to determine the body mass index (BMI), which is used to estimate a person’s body fat percentage. The BMI is calculated from the height and weight. A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight. Values ​​above are considered obese.

BMI table: classification of the body mass index

BMI
Underweightbelow 18.5
Normal weight18.5 to 24.9
Obesity25 to 29.9
Grade 1 obesity30 to 34.9
Grade 2 obesity35 to 39.9
Grade 3 obesityover 40

However, the BMI is only of limited informative value because the fat percentage cannot be measured directly with it. For example, people with a large muscle mass can be incorrectly classified as overweight based on their body weight. Further measurement methods are therefore useful. The determination of the waist circumference is easy to use. This is measured just above the navel and should not be more than 102 centimeters for men and 88 centimeters for women. Values ​​above that are considered to be hazardous to health.

Frequency: obesity in adults and children

Overweight and obesity are widespread in Germany. According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), more than half of the population is at least overweight. Men in particular weigh too much. Around 44 percent of men in this country are considered overweight. For women it is 29 percent. Average weight increases with age. While around 34 percent of men between the ages of 20 and 29 are overweight, it is every second man between the ages of 60 and 69. Only in old age does the weight decrease slightly again.

But obesity is also common at a young age. Around 15 percent of children and adolescents in this country suffer from too many pounds. More than a third of them are so severe that they are obese. Obesity in children is particularly problematic because it is assumed that obesity created in childhood also leads to weight problems in adulthood.

Causes and risk factors: This favors obesity

Obesity usually occurs gradually. The main cause is usually that more energy or calories are consumed than consumed over a longer period of time. The excess is stored in the body in the form of fat. The body gets energy from food. How much energy the body needs depends on various factors:

  • Metabolism: About 70 percent of the energy consumed is required for the metabolism, for example to supply the muscles or to regulate body temperature. This consumption is called the basal metabolic rate or resting metabolic rate. How high it is is individually different for each person and depends on the muscle percentage, gender, body size and age.

  • Physical activity: Activity and movement consume energy. The energy consumed in this process is also called performance expenditure and accounts for an average of around 20 percent of the daily calorie requirement. The more active and sporty the day-to-day life, the higher the energy consumption.

  • Thermogenesis: This means the energy that the body uses to digest and metabolize food. That makes up about ten percent of the daily calorie consumption.

If the body absorbs more energy than it needs, an unhealthy diet and a lack of exercise are often the cause, such as:

  • Too much, too greasy and too sweet food

  • Frequent consumption of finished products, sweet lemonades, fast food

  • Frequent snacking and snacking

  • Mostly sedentary work

  • Sitting in your free time, for example in the car, in front of the television and computer

  • No regular exercise

But other factors can also promote the development of obesity. The most relevant risk factors for obesity include:

  • Hormonal disorders: Some hormonal disorders can cause obesity. For example, hypothyroidism slows down your metabolism, which can lead to weight gain. Men who are testosterone deficient can also gain weight.

  • Family disposition: Obesity is hereditary. Several genes are known today that affect weight. There are both genes that cause obesity and genes that favor a slim figure. Gene mutations can also occur, which cause the weight to increase dramatically.

  • Medication: Certain medications can cause weight gain as a side effect. These include above all drugs for the treatment of mental illnesses and hormone preparations.

  • Mental or physical illness: Diseases that limit mobility, such as osteoarthritis, can lead to weight gain. Obesity can also be related to mental illnesses such as anxiety or depression.

Consequences of being overweight

In the medical sense, being overweight is not considered to be pathological. Nevertheless, it can have an impact on the quality of life of those affected. For example, physical activity is perceived as more strenuous with overweight than with normal weight. Overweight people are also exhausted faster and sweat more. In addition to the perceptible exertion, it also puts a strain on the body: bones and joints are more stressed and can therefore wear out more quickly. Back or knee pain can be the result. The risk of certain diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure or coronary heart disease also increases. Last but not least, being overweight can develop into obesity and promote further secondary diseases.

Corona: Being overweight increases the risk of a severe course

Severe overweight to obesity is a risk factor for a severe course of a corona infection. In addition to the additional risk of secondary diseases such as diabetes mellitus or high blood pressure, overweight people are primarily at risk due to chronic inflammatory reactions and impaired lung function caused by fatty tissue. If you are overweight or obese, protective measures such as keeping your distance and wearing a mask are particularly relevant during the corona pandemic.

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Treatment: what helps if you are overweight?

If there are no comorbidities, obesity with a BMI of up to 30 does not have to be treated. Weight loss is also not considered to be absolutely necessary. However, those affected should be careful not to put on any further weight. However, treatment is recommended for:

  • Physical or mental illness related to obesity

  • Conditions made worse by being overweight

  • Predominantly fat deposits in the abdominal area, so-called abdominal or visceral fat

  • Strong psychosocial distress

Overweight is treated with a reduction in calorie intake and a simultaneous increase in energy consumption. A long-term change in diet and exercise behavior towards a healthy lifestyle is recommended:

  • Nutrition: An energy-reduced and balanced diet is ideal. Above all, this includes plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. Dairy products should also be on the menu every day. Water and unsweetened teas are recommended drinks. They contain no sugar and are therefore completely energy-free. On the other hand, high-fat and animal products should be consumed in moderation, fish and meat once or twice a week. Be careful with alcohol, sweets and fatty snacks. They are associated with high calorie intake. Anyone who is unsure how many calories are consumed daily can keep a food diary as a check.

  • Move: In addition to changing your diet, it is recommended to integrate more exercise into everyday life, for example walking short distances instead of driving or using the stairs instead of the elevator. Exercise also increases energy consumption. Since being overweight affects the joints, it is better to choose sports that put less stress on them, such as swimming, cycling or walking. Endurance sports also reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. In principle, however, sport does not necessarily lead to a great loss of weight, because fat mass is reduced but muscle mass is gained. However, exercise and sport are essential for permanent weight loss. Because with an increase in muscle mass, the basal metabolic rate also increases. This in turn helps to burn excess calories more easily.

Not recommended: lightning diets

However, diets that reduce a lot of weight in a short period of time are not recommended. These diets are often associated with an unbalanced diet or a severe reduction in calories. This can lead to malnutrition, exhaustion, drop in blood pressure, dizziness or hair loss. Even for slimming tips like apple cider vinegar, there is no scientific evidence that they actually support weight loss.

Preventing obesity

The development of body weight is largely dependent on how many calories are ingested through food and how much exercise is carried out. A lack of exercise, a sedentary lifestyle and an unhealthy diet play a major role in increasing weight. In order to prevent obesity in the long term, it is therefore important to eat a balanced diet according to your own needs and to integrate as much exercise as possible into everyday life and leisure time.

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