Is obesity a disease?

Obesity has become a top global health problem, so is obesity a disease? Cancer caused by malignant proliferation of cells in the body is a disease, new coronary pneumonia caused by foreign viruses is a disease, and hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia that can be judged by laboratory test indicators are also diseases. So what is obesity?

According to Zhang Na, a nurse in the Nutrition Department of Tangdu Hospital, obesity is a multi-factor chronic metabolic disease caused by the increase in the volume of body fat and/or the number of adipocytes. Use BMI (Body Mass Index) to determine. BMI is calculated as weight/height² (kg/m²). my country defines 18.5≤BMI<24kg/m² as normal weight range, 24≤BMI<28kg/m² as overweight, and BMI≥28kg/m² as obesity. At the same time, waist circumference is also used to judge whether there is central obesity. In my country, the waist circumference of men is ≥90cm, and the waist circumference of women is ≥85cm.

The fundamental cause of obesity is that the body’s energy intake is greater than the body’s energy expenditure, so that excess energy is stored in the form of fat, which eventually leads to obesity. According to some scholars statistics, about 40%-70% of obesity is determined by genetic factors, and environmental factors account for 30%-60%. Especially in patients over 40 years old, 70%-80% have a history of obesity before the disease. In order to prevent the occurrence and development of diabetes, eliminating obesity and controlling weight are the most effective preventive measures.

30%-50% of obese people have high blood pressure. The incidence of hypertension is 2 times that of people with normal weight and 3 times that of thin people. . Among people aged 40-60, obese people are 50% higher than normal people, and twice as much as lean people.

Increased fat synthesis is the material basis for obesity. Plasma triglycerides, cholesterol, very low-density lipoproteins, and free fatty acids in obese subjects increased, while high-density lipoproteins decreased. Obesity can induce coronary heart disease, and the incidence of coronary heart disease in middle-aged male obese is twice that of normal weight.

Cholesterol synthesis and bile secretion in obese people increase, resulting in excessive cholesterol saturation and crystallization. Obesity is often associated with many diseases such as hypertension, hyperuricemia, cancer, osteoarthritis, osteochondrosis, abnormal menstruation, abnormal pregnancy and childbirth, etc. Studies have shown that moderate obesity (BMI ≥ 27) ) had a marked increase in mortality. Extreme obesity can cause abnormal lung function.

How to carry out nutritional prevention and treatment for obese people?

(1) Limit total energy

For adults with mild obesity, it is advisable to lose 0.5-1.0kg per month, that is, reduce 125-250kcal of energy per day. meal standard. Adults with moderate obesity or above should lose 0.5-1.0kg per week, and the energy supply should not be lower than 1000kcal per day (the minimum safe level). Patients with severe obesity and malignant obesity can be given lower energy under the guidance of a nutritionist.

(2) Protein supply

It is necessary to ensure that there is a normal amount of high-quality protein in the diet. For moderately obese people who adopt a low-energy diet, dietary protein accounts for 20% of the total energy. -30% is appropriate, choose high-quality protein foods such as milk, fish, chicken, egg white, lean meat, etc.

(3) Restricting fat

To make the diet lower in energy and more resistant to hunger, the dietary fat supply for obese people should be controlled at 25%-30% of the total energy appropriate.

(4) Appropriate amount of carbohydrates

Provide an appropriate amount of carbohydrates, especially to limit the intake of refined monosaccharides and disaccharides; dietary fiber may not be restricted, and any food with more dietary fiber It can be used appropriately. The daily dietary fiber supply per person is about 30g. Appropriately increasing the intake of dietary fiber can help relieve constipation.

(5) Limit salt and purines

It is advisable to take 3-6g of salt per day, and limit animal internal organs with high purine content such as liver, heart, kidney, etc.

(6) Cooking methods and meal times

It is advisable to use cooking methods such as steaming, boiling, roasting, boiling, roasting, etc., avoid frying with oil, and eat 3-5 meals a day. Second-rate.

(7) Correcting bad eating habits is one of the keys to successful weight loss.

Xian Newspaper All Media Reporter Ma Xiang