Alternate Names: Fat - obese; Overweight
Considerations: The body cannot store protein or carbohydrates, so the excess is converted to fat and stored. One pound of fat represents about 3,500 excess Calories.
About 25% of the U.S. population is overweight. But being obese is different from being overweight. An individual is considered obese when weight is 20% (25% in women) or more over the maximum desirable for their height. When the excess weight begins to interfere with vital functions such as breathing, it is considered morbid obesity.
About 5 to 10% of children are obese. Between 13 and 23% of all adolescents are obese; 80% of obese teenagers are likely to grow into obese adults.
The basic nutritional needs of most people are approximately 2,000 Calories a day for women, and 2,500 for men. However, a professional athlete or manual laborer may need 4,000 or more.
Obesity will increase the risk of illness and death due to diabetes, stroke, coronary artery disease, and kidney and gallbladder disorders. The more overweight, the higher the risk becomes. Obesity has been implicated in increased incidence of some types of cancer.
It is thought that genetic factors play a part in the development of obesity; children of obese parents are 10 times more likely to be obese than children with parents of normal weight.
Common Causes:
Home Care: See intentional weight loss.
To help prevent an increase in weight: avoid excess alcohol consumption, stress, depression, boredom, frustration, and poor eating habits. Avoid a sedentary lifestyle. Exercise daily, or at least 3 times a week. Increase the current level of activity. Eat less food that is high in fat and sugar.
Avoid drugs that claim to aid in weight loss.
For additional help in losing weight, join a support group (see eating disorders - support group). Many people find it easier to follow a reduction diet and exercise program if they join a group of people with similar problems.
Set realistic goals for weight reduction. A loss of 1 to 2.5 pounds a week may seem slow, but 1 pound of fat lost a week equals 52 pounds in a year.
Call If:
- obesity continues, in spite of self-help measures.
What To Expect: The medical history will be obtained and a physical examination performed.
Medical history questions documenting obesity in detail may include:
- time pattern
- Has there always (or since childhood) been a tendency to be heavy?
- Has the person been slender until recently, and then began to gain weight?
- eating habits
- Has the diet changed?
- Have eating habits changed?
- What percent of the daily calories are from fat?
- How many meals are eaten in a day? What type?
- How many snacks? What type?
- exercise habits
- Has the activity level changed?
- Has there been a decrease in daily activity?
- other factors
- Is there an increase in emotional stress?
- What other symptoms are occurring at the same time?
Diagnostic tests:
Skin fold measurements may be taken to assess body composition. Blood studies to test endocrine function may be performed.
Intervention:
Medications are usually not recommended to aid intentional weight loss. They often cause harmful side effects or adverse reactions. At best, the drugs control appetite only for short time periods and don’t help change eating habits.
Only in very extreme cases should surgery such as liposuction or tummy tuck be considered as options. A high percentage of people who have surgery to lose weight eventually regain the lost weight.
After seeing your health care provider:
If a diagnosis was made by your health care provider related to obesity, you may want to note that diagnosis in your personal medical record.
