| |
GASTRIC BYPASS BEFORE AND
AFTER PHOTOS
What is Obesity?
Obesity is a disease that affects nearly one-third
of the adult American population (approximately 60
million). The number of overweight and obese
Americans has continued to increase since 1960, a
trend that is not slowing down. Today, 64.5
percent of adult Americans (about 127 million) are
categorized as being overweight or obese. Each
year, obesity causes at least 300,000 excess
deaths in the U.S., and healthcare costs of
American adults with obesity amount to
approximately $100 billion.
Causes
of obesity
Obesity results from consuming more calories than
the body uses. Genetic and environmental factors
influence body weight, but precisely how they
interact to determine a person's weight is still
unclear. One proposed explanation is that body
weight is regulated around a set point, similar to
a thermostat setting. A higher-than-normal set
point may explain why some people are obese and
why losing weight and maintaining weight loss are
difficult for them.
Genetic Factors
Recent research
suggests that on the average, the genetic
influence contributes to about 33 percent of body
weight, but the contribution may be more or less
in a particular person.
Socioeconomic Factors
Such
factors strongly influence obesity, especially
among women. In the United States, obesity is more
than twice as common among women in lower
socioeconomic groups as among women in higher
ones. Why socioeconomic factors have such a strong
influence on women's weight is not fully
understood, but sanctions against obesity do
increase with increasing social status. Women in
higher socioeconomic groups have more time and
resources for the dieting and exercise that enable
them to conform to these social demands.
Psychological Factors
Emotional
disturbances, once considered an important cause
of obesity, are now considered a reaction to the
strong prejudice and discrimination against obese
people. One type of emotional disturbance, a
negative body image, is a serious problem for many
young obese women. It leads to extreme
self-consciousness and discomfort in social
situations.
Obesity is
the second leading cause of unnecessary deaths.
-
Despite its toll taken in
death and disability, obesity does not receive
the attention it deserves from government, the
health care profession or the insurance
industry.
-
Research is severely
limited by a shortage of funds.
Inadequate insurance
coverage limits access to treatment.
Discrimination and mistreatment of persons with
obesity is widespread and often considered
socially acceptable.
Obesity and Children
Today's youth are considered the most inactive
generation in history caused in part by reductions
in school physical education programs and
unavailable or unsafe community recreational
facilities. In the U.S., only the state of
Illinois requires daily physical education for
students in grades K to 12. Many
adverse health effects associated with overweight
are observed in children and adolescents.
Overweight during childhood and particularly
adolescence is related to increased morbidity and
mortality in later life. Many
parents are rightly concerned about their child's
weight and how it affects them. They look for
specific answers for prevention and treatment
options. Unfortunately, the state of the science
is a lot less precise than we would like. Are kids
too concerned about their weight? What are the
best strategies for prevention? What treatments
work over a long time? Researchers are trying to
answer those and many other questions. In many
cases, common sense works well.
In
situations where there are serious health,
psychological or social problems, parents should
seek out the best possible advice.
Obesity in children and adolescents is a serious
issue with many health and social consequences
that often continue into adulthood. Implementing
prevention programs and getting a better
understanding of treatment for youngsters is
important to controlling the obesity epidemic.
The percentage of children
and adolescents who are overweight and obese is
now higher than ever before. Poor dietary habits
and inactivity are reported to contribute to the
increase of obesity in youth.
Causes
There are many
factors that contribute to causing child and
adolescent obesity - some are modifiable and
others are not.
Modifiable causes include:
Sedentary behavior
Socioeconomic Status - Low family incomes and
non-working parents.
Eating Habits - Over-consumption of high-calorie
foods.
Environment - Some factors are over-exposure to
advertising of foods that promote high-calorie
foods and lack of recreational facilities.
Non-changeable causes include:
Prevention
Teaching
healthy behaviors at a young age is important since change becomes
more difficult with age. Behaviors involving physical activity and
nutrition are the cornerstone of preventing obesity in children and
adolescents. Families and schools are the two most critical links in
providing the foundation for those behaviors.
Create an Active
Environment:
Plan
special active family-outings such as a hiking or ski trip.
Assign active chores to every family member such as vacuuming,
washing the car or mowing the lawn
Enroll your child in a structured activity that he or she enjoys,
such as tennis, gymnastics, martial arts, etc.
Instill an interest in your child to try a new sport by joining a
team at school or in your community.
Limit
the amount of TV watching.
Create a Healthy Eating
Environment:
Plan
times when you prepare foods together
Eat
meals together at the dinner table at regular times
Avoid
rushing to finish meals
Avoid
other activities during mealtimes such as watching TV.
Avoid
foods that are high in calories, fat or sugar.
Have
snack foods available that are low-calorie and nutritious
Avoid
serving portions that are too large.
Avoid
forcing your child to eat if he/she is not hungry
Limit
the frequency of fast-food eating to no more than once per week.
Avoid
using food as a reward or the lack of food as punishment.
Health Risks,
Diagnosis and Treatment
Determining if a child or adolescent has a weight problem can be
challenging. How do you know if the excess weight your child has is
part of the natural growth process, and will your child just "grow out
of?" How do you know if your child's weight may be negatively
affecting his or her health?
Health Risks
Along
with the rise in childhood obesity, there has been an increase in the
incidence and prevalence of medical conditions in children and
adolescents that had been rare in the past. Pediatricians and
childhood obesity researchers are reporting more frequent cases of
obesity-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, asthma and
hypertension that once were considered adult conditions.
Diagnosis
There
are some signs that may help you determine if your child has or is at
risk for childhood obesity, such as:
Family history of obesity-related health risks such as early
cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure
levels, type 2 diabetes.
Family history of cigarette smoking and sedentary behaviors.
Patterns of sedentary behavior (such as too much television viewing)
and low physical activity levels.
Taller height - children with obesity are often above the 50th
percentile in height.
Smoking initiation. Research studies show that youngsters use
smoking as a method of weight control. Parents, pediatricians and
schools should work together to discourage smoking as a weight
control behavior for three main reasons: a) smoking is not likely to
be successful in controlling weight, b) smoking is itself harmful,
and c) smoking is associated with a decrease in sound nutrition and
physical activity patterns.
Home l
Gastric Bypass Surgery
l
Gastric Bypass Overview
l
Benefits of Surgery
Surgery Candidates
l
Gastric Bypass Risks
l
After
Gastric Bypass l
Gastric Bypass Insurance
Before and
After Photos l
Physicians &
Surgeons
l
Understanding
Obesity l
Obesity Statistics
Childhood Obesity
l
Obesity Health Risks
l
Contact Us |
|
