Weight Loss

Among the 21st century’s prevailing diseases, obesity takes a prominent place.

It is a disease characterised by unrestrained weight gain and excess fat in the body, often due to poor a diet. Some people are obese for a hereditary reason, but for some, it is the consequence of carelessness with food.

Today, our physical appearance has a significant place in our society. Few people claim to be satisfied with their appearance. Weight loss is one the top priorities for Europeans and French people.

According to numerous studies, the number of people said to be in a state of obesity, i.e. who are significantly overweight, is increasing every year.

Besides the fact that physical appearance can sometimes be interpreted as superficial, obesity is a major problem in our society today. An overweight person has a much larger risk of experiencing health problems.

Among the most common health problems related to obesity are certain cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes or back problems.

Losing weight is, therefore, an obsession for many French. There are many solutions to lose weight, but the most effective and most secure treatment against obesity is Xenical.

How is obesity defined?

WHO, aka the World Health Organisation, considers obesity to be an “abnormal or excessive body fat accumulation that can harm the health of the obese individual.” There is a scale based on a pers BMI, or Body Mass Index, to classify the different types of obesity, ranging from simply being overweight to morbid obesity, which can be fatal to whoever has reached this stage.

In the UK, 18.3% of people are obese, with more obese women than men. More generally, people in the UK who are overweight make up 45.6% of the population, who are hence identified as “overweight” (according to the Lancet study).

We must differentiate being overweight and being obese. Being overweight is the last stage before obesity. It is less serious than the latter because it is always possible to return to an ideal and balanced weight, and involves a smaller effort to achieve results.

Being overweight can be transient and temporary, as the human body prefers to store than to destock in order to survive. So taken early enough, the problem can be solved much more quickly.

However, obesity makes it more difficult to return to a normal weight, because at this stage, the metabolism has changed fundamentally. Indeed, adipose tissue is central to the metabolic balance, which it helps by absorbing fat through its fat cells and sending signals it to the brain and other organs on energy reserves, forming a well-connected system.

Obesity is, therefore, a mass of fat composed of cells, which increase in size as they are fed lipids. However, in a context of energy imbalance, that is to say, an abundant intake of fats and sugars disturbs the fat tissue and the cells’ volume reaches a critical and maximum size. Thus, to continue to absorb ingested lipids, they will try to take over other cells to load with fat.

This cell reaction shows the aggression caused by food. The cellular response to this aggression is to grow in volume in order to reach a critical scale at which they cannot breathe: this is called inflammation. At this stage, the metabolism has changed, and the cells send the brain and organs distress signals in the form of inflammatory molecules such TNF.

These pro-inflammatory, toxic and harmful factors that originate from the adipose tissue can, therefore, be found in the bloodstream of obese people (whilst they would not be found in a person of normal weight) and in the other organs: it is this whole network that is affected and inflamed. There is, therefore, a clear relationship between the adipose tissue cells and the complications they cause on other organs: hypertension, cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, atherosclerosis…

Thus we speak of obesity as a systemic inflammatory disease (low level because the inflammation is low) due to the abnormal accumulation of molecules associated with systemic insulin resistance, characteristic of obesity. In doing so and in the long term, this disturbance becomes chronic, and obesity settles permanently. It becomes more difficult for people with obesity to regain a normal weight because their metabolism has changed.

We must remind you that one of the best ways to fight against weight gain, and especially against obesity, is to lead a healthy life by eating a balanced diet and practising regular physical activity each week.

A person who does not practice any physical activity and who eats “too much” will store calories that cannot be eliminated. These will turn into fat and will increase the weight of the person.

It was not until 1997 that the World Health Organization (WHO) recognised and classified obesity as a disease. According to the latter, we expect that there are more than 3 million deaths worldwide due to obesity each year. Remember also that nearly 14.5% of adults are now qualified as overweight.

What causes obesity?

As we have previously stated, becoming obese is a fairly long process. The main cause of obesity is the intake of too many calories via rich, fatty foods, but also the lack of regular physical exercise.

Stress and insomnia may also be triggers of weight gain. As we age, our muscles gradually lose their tone. Finally, taking antidepressants and hormone-related problems such as hypothyroidism or polycystic ovary syndrome are also causes of becoming overweight.

Weight gain and obesity may generally have hereditary factors. In fact, eating habits and interest in sport are factors that can be transferred from parents to their children.

In order to prevent yourself from becoming overweight, there are certain measures to take, such as controlling your BMI.

What is my BMI and how do I calculate it?

BMI (Body Mass Index) is an index that can check a person’s weight in relation to his/her height. It is an index approved by the World Health Organization, who consider it to be the most reliable way to confirm whether or not a person is overweight. Because a person who weighs 100kg at a height of 1.55m is not in the same situation as a person who has the same weight at a height of 1.80m, it is important that everyone checks his BMI to see if he has a normal weight, is slightly overweight, or is obese.

The BMI calculation is very simple to perform. Simply divide your weight by the square of your height (in metres). Depending on the result, you can say that your body is underweight, normal or obese. According to WHO guidelines:

• You are malnourished when your BMI is below 16.5. Your situation is alarming and you must urgently strengthen your body’s nutritional values. In short, this is a state of disease that requires you to seek the help of a doctor or a nutrition expert to improve your health
• You are underweight when your BMI ranges from 16.5 to 18.5. In this case, you are also urged to start to boost your body’s nutritional values
• Your body size is normal when your BMI is between 18.5 and 25. You should continue to eat a balanced and healthy diet.
• You are overweight if your BMI is between 25 and 30. You can always return to a normal weight by doing physical exercise, controlling your diet and avoiding fats
• You suffer from moderate obesity when your BMI is between 30 and 35.
• You suffer from severe obesity when your BMI is between 35 and 40.
• You suffer from morbid obesity when your BMI is above 40. This is the worst situation of all.

The limitations of this index relate in particular to pregnant women, nursing mothers, the elderly or people who are particularly muscular. Several methods are available to fight weight gain, some more dangerous than others. Among these, we mainly focus on those that “promote” a rapid weight loss.

What are the consequences of obesity?

A person in a state of obesity who is not following any treatment, diet, or carrying out any physical activity will be more likely to develop health problems. The most common problems can be divided into two groups, physical disorders and psychological disorders:

Physical consequences of Obesity

Diabetes: Being overweight increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In this case, the pancreas is no longer able to produce enough insulin for your body, and glucose levels in the blood become abnormal. Finally, fat surrounding the abdomen is particularly dangerous.

Cardiovascular diseases: High blood pressure and diabetes are two types of disease that can cause problems in your heart and arteries. These diseases can potentially come from obesity.

Erectile Dysfunction: An increase in cholesterol level can have the effect of narrowing the blood vessels supplying the penis, leading to male impotence.

Joint pain: Being overweight can cause increased pressure on your joints, knees and back. Weight loss can thus help limit the consequences, in particular, osteoarthritis and other musculoskeletal disorders, while also helping to maintain and develop a better ability to move.

Psychological consequences

Improved self-esteem: developing a healthy physical allows you to feel a sense of control over your life. Weight loss can help you feel better, grow your self-esteem, and to appreciate your own appearance more. Confidence, when not over-exaggerated, also helps to improve the quality of your personal and professional relationships.

Improved sex life: according to clinical studies, it has been shown that the risk of developing sexual problems (such as a loss of libido or lack of desire) is 25 times higher for obese people. Feeling attractive to your partner can also help develop your own performance.

Sense of accomplishment: The support of your family, sharing your problems, personal relationships and other communities can help you feel better.

Sense of balance: The stability and feeling of progress caused by weight loss will limit any consequences of depressive feelings.

As you may have noticed it is not recommended to stay overweight, your quality of life and health are at stake, as well as your psychological well-being.

To determine if you are overweight, you need to calculate your body mass index (BMI). This index is calculated by dividing your weight by your height squared. For example, if you weigh 70 kg and you have a height of 1.75m, your BMI will be 22.9.

BMI is a reliable value; weight alone is not sufficient to determine if you are overweight or not. A man weighing 70 kg and 1.60m tall is not in the same situation as a man who is the same weight but is 1.80m tall.

How to prevent weight gain?

To avoid gaining weight, or at least to avoid gaining enough weight to become overweight and avoid any health problems, the first rule is to lead a healthy life.

By eating a balanced diet every day and practising regular physical activity, you will avoid weight gain as naturally as possible.

Physical effects of weight loss in men

If you eat too much, reduce your portions, if you eat too much fat, eat a more balanced diet.

If despite your efforts, you still have trouble losing weight, you can opt for medical treatment (following the advice of your doctor, and, if your health permits). Some treatments on the market, such as fat burners, are potentially hazardous to your health and cause many negative side effects. One of the most effective and safest treatments is Xenical Orlistat. This aims to help people suffering from obesity to lose weight quickly.

The dangers of rapid weight loss

Several rapid weight loss methods are circulating on the net. Among the dangers that you might face when taking these methods include:

• Oxidative stress, which is characterised by a severe lack of nutritional value in the body. It leads to self-poisoning whose consequences can be even worse.
• A decrease in body muscles: a lack of nutritional value forces the body to dip into its reserves. However, when this happens, the muscles are the first to suffer before the fat is even used. So you risk becoming frail and sickly.

Furthermore, by opting for quick weight loss methods, you may grow even fatter than you were before once you stop taking the pills. Among beverages promoting rapid weight gain are fizzy drinks, especially adored by children and adolescents.

The impact of fizzy drinks on obesity and health

Sugary sodas have a high-calorie content. Accordingly, their use leads to uncontrolled weight gain, sometimes also called obesity. Victims are mostly teenagers who practically abuse these drinks.

A person consuming sugary soda without regular physical activity, or who don’t opt for a balanced diet, will not only increase in weight but will also subject his body to nutrient deficiencies. It is possible to feel extreme fatigue, pain, weight gain, and other discomforts.

However, sugar-free fizzy drinks have virtually no negative impact on your health. They can even help to stabilise your weight and BMI, due to the lack of calories.

Sources

• Definition of Weight loss: Medicinenet
• Unintentional weight loss: NHS
• How To Lose Weight Fast: HealthStatus
• Preventing Weight Gain: CDC.gov

Other information

Medical review on January 7, 2021 by Dr. Davis Taylor