| Obesity is one of our nation's most critical health | | | | environmental, behavioural, and social factors. All these |
| problems; each year, hundreds of thousands of people | | | | factors play a role in determining a person's weight. |
| are affected by serious and sometimes life-threatening | | | | Treatment |
| mental and physical complications as a direct | | | | For some children, especially if they are still growing |
| consequence of their obesity. Appropriate treatment | | | | taller, it's more important to stabilize weight and allow |
| not only improves individuals' quality of life, it can save | | | | them to grow into their weight. Overweight children |
| lives. | | | | who are still growing do not necessarily need to lose |
| Symptoms of Obesity | | | | weight but simply maintain so that they can grow into |
| Following are the major obesity symptoms: | | | | their weight. The earlier a child is identified as being |
| Excessive sweating with bad smell | | | | overweight or at risk the easier it is to treat. Because |
| Feeling fatigue without doing any work | | | | it's hard to permanently change dietary and exercise |
| Excessive hunger and thirst | | | | habits, it's essential to do something sooner rather than |
| Joint pain and reduced mobility | | | | later. |
| Osteoarthritis, a disease in which the joints deteriorate | | | | Other treatment typically includes dietary changes to |
| Loss of flexibility and increased incidence of | | | | limit fat and calorie intake, increased exercise, and |
| musculoskeletal injuries | | | | changes in eating habits or patterns. Severe cases |
| Pulmonary (breathing) problems, including sleep apnea | | | | might require surgical options to reduce the size of the |
| Causes of Obesity | | | | stomach or to bypass a portion of the stomach and |
| Genetics (hormones). | | | | intestines. |
| Overeating. | | | | Prescription Medications for the Treatment of |
| High diet of carbohydrates. | | | | Obesity |
| Slow metabolism.socioeconomic factors - There is a | | | | While most side effects of prescription medications for |
| strong relationship between economic status and | | | | obesity are mild, serious complications have been |
| obesity, especially among women. Women who are | | | | reported. Valvular heart disease has recently been |
| poor and of lower social status are six times more | | | | reported to occur in association with the use of certain |
| likely to be obese than women of higher | | | | appetite suppressant medications. As a result of these |
| socioeconomic status. The occurrence of obesity is | | | | reports, the manufacturer has voluntarily withdrawn |
| also highest among minority groups, especially among | | | | two medications, fenfluramine (Pondimin) and |
| women. Eighty-two percent of African-American | | | | dexfenfluramine (Redux) from the market. |
| women 20 years old or older are overweight. | | | | Although surgery (such as gastric bypass) is the last |
| Obesity occurs when your body consumes more | | | | resort for the treatment of obesity, it can be extremely |
| calories than it burns. In the past, many people thought | | | | effective. However, it should be performed at an |
| that obesity was simply caused by over-eating and | | | | experienced surgical center, because such operations |
| under-exercising, resulting from a lack of will power | | | | can carry significant risks, especially in the |
| and self-control. Although these are significant | | | | post-operative period. Consensus recommendations |
| contributing factors, doctors recognize that obesity is a | | | | are to limit surgical therapies to patients with morbid |
| complex medical problem that involves genetic, | | | | obesity (BMI > 40). |