Everything we need to know about obesity and its treatment
How real a problem is obesity and overweight today?
Over the last thirty years, the prevalence of obesity has increased dramatically to the point of constituting a modern pandemic. We know that in Europe, for example, 59% of the population lives with obesity or is overweight. In Greece, we also have increased rates, with 32.1% of adults suffering from obesity and 37.6% living with overweight. In other words, a total of 7 out of 10 Greeks live with a weight above normal.
Why is obesity considered a disease?
More and more evidence is coming to support that obesity is a disease that can bring many serious health risks. Obesity is not only accompanied by an increased risk of developing well-known metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular diseases. People with obesity have an increased risk of developing sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, spondylosis, etc. which significantly burdens their quality of life, while we should not forget that the disease is also associated with 13 different types of malignancy.
How representative is the body mass index of a person’s condition?
The body mass index, which can be easily calculated from relevant applications that are freely available on the internet, diagnoses the disease of obesity. However, the quantification of adipose and muscle tissue is not accurate. Thus, we can have two people with the same body mass index, and one is an athlete, in which case muscle tissue prevails, and the other is not, in which case fat prevails. So when we want to do proper clinical management of obesity, it is preferable to have special scales and lipometers, which show us the precise quantification of body tissues.
What are the most effective ways to manage obesity?
The clinical management of obesity has specific steps and is a team effort. The first step is diet and exercise with the essential contribution of nutritionists and fitness experts. There is no successful management that does not include these two cornerstones. If it is not possible to achieve the goals in terms of weight loss, then the next step is the appropriate medication, always with the recommendation of the doctor, which assists in diet and exercise. Finally, we should not forget metabolic surgery, with which effective and possibly more permanent weight loss can be achieved, in individuals who meet the specific indications and have an acceptable surgical risk and of course in the right centers. The Athens Medical Center is an international center of excellence for the management of morbid obesity, (https://www.iatriko.gr/el/disease/pahysarkia-0?cl=609).
When is medication indicated?
Medication is recommended for individuals who have made multiple attempts to lose weight without achieving the desired goal, have a body mass index and/or morbidities that place them at increased risk. In this case, medication is beneficial and can, after a doctor’s recommendation and in conjunction with diet and exercise, help achieve the desired goal.
Why is treating obesity a team effort?
Treating obesity requires long-term planning. In order for a patient to achieve his goal, the active participation of himself and many others is required. Allies in his effort must be the attending physician, the nutritionist and the trainer, while ideally the person’s family environment could also participate in the whole process. At this point, we should point out that the Obesity Clinic at the Athens Medical Center has received European Certification from EASO (European Association for the Study of Obesity) as a Collaborating Centre for Obesity Management (COMs).
How important is genetic predisposition to obesity and overweight?
It is important to understand that many times people with obesity have a genetic predisposition and thus fight throughout their lives against something that has been predetermined for them. Thus, obesity as a disease is not a matter of choice or lack of discipline. On the contrary, and in simple words, one could say that multiple studies have shown that these people have a different sense of hunger and satiety. This is exactly where medication should be recommended to people who have an indication. In order to help, through its beneficial action on the previous parameters, assisting in diet and exercise, which as mentioned above are the cornerstones in the fight against obesity.
