Obesity is
the state of having too much body fat, generally determined by
calculating body mass index (BMI), a measure of weight versus
height. Obesity is considered a long-term disease, and obese
patients are at higher risk for developing many other health
problems.
An
estimated 30 percent of the adults in the U.S. are considered
obese (BMI of 30+), and an estimated
15% of children and adolescents in the U.S. are considered
overweight (BMI of 25-30) or obese. Not everyone with a BMI over
30 is considered obese (athletes who have excess muscle weight
that puts their BMI over 30, for example), but obesity has been
rising at an epidemic rate for 20 years,
Common
Causes:
Obesity occurs when patients consistently consume more calories than their
bodies use over a long period of time. But there are other factors that also
have a role in weight gain and obesity:
- Genetics
(metabolism rates and tendencies).
- Eating
behavior (high-fat diets, inconsistent diet schedule, skipping
meals, eating rapidly).
- Activity
level (sedentary).
- Environmental
influences (culture, availability and behavior).
Common
Symptoms:
Obese patients are easily defined as those with BMIs over 30 that comes from
having too much body fat. But there are other symptoms often displayed by
obese patients that are actually associated conditions of the disease:
- Snoring
(sleep apnea).
- Heartburn
(acid reflux disease).
- Painful
joins (arthritis).
- Depression.
Common
Treatments:
Obesity requires long-term management, with the goal of reducing weight to
improve or eliminate related health problems (or the risks for developeing
them). Common treatments include:
- Modified
eating behavior (calorie restriction).
- Physical
activity.
- Medications
(in serious cases).
- Surgery
(in serious cases).
- Careful
monitoring, such as through the MedStar (for long-term
control).
Obesity
increases the chances of developing many health conditions (including
severe conditions like heart disease, cancer and stroke),
and as such needs to be carefully managed. As such, the focus
of treatment is to implement lifestyle changes, and carefully
track them to verify their effectiveness.
The
MedStar can monitor weight levels, and
provide BMI reports on a daily basis. It is an ideal low-cost
tool to monitor and help control obesity.
