Obesity Awareness Day – Tackling an Issue That Could Become the World's Biggest Problem

Obesity Awareness Day is an important event that highlights obesity worldwide and aims to raise awareness. Millions of people today struggle with this condition, which prevents them from living a healthy life.

Obesity Awareness Day has not been recognized as an official day worldwide. However, World Obesity Day was launched by the World Obesity Federation in 2015 and is observed each year on March 4.

What Is Obesity?

Obesity is an abnormal or excessive accumulation of body fat.

Body mass index (BMI) is a measurement calculated using a person's weight (kg) and height (m), generally used to assess weight. The formula is: BMI = weight (kg) / height (m)².

BMI categories are:

• Below 18.5: Underweight
• 18.5 – 24.9: Normal weight
• 25 – 29.9: Overweight
• 30 and above: Obese

Obesity occurs in individuals with a BMI of 30 or above.

According to World Health Organization data, approximately 1.9 billion adults worldwide were estimated to be overweight in 2016, including more than 650 million with obesity. These data apply to adults aged 18 and older. The number of overweight and obese adults is rising rapidly worldwide, so these figures may be even higher today.

For children and young people, 2019 data indicate that approximately 38 million children under 5 worldwide are overweight or obese. Approximately 340 million young people aged 6-19 are also classified as overweight or obese.

Obesity is a growing, pressing problem affecting every aspect of life and health. Below are the physical, psychological, and social effects of obesity :

Which Disease Risks Does It Increase, and by How Much?

Each disease has a different relationship with obesity, and the increase in risk can vary. Below are examples of how much obesity increases the risk of certain diseases. Importantly, although these figures represent general trends, individual circumstances may differ.

1. Type 2 diabetes: In individuals with obesity, the risk of type 2 diabetes is approximately 2 to 4 times that in people of normal weight.
2. Heart disease: Obesity can increase heart disease risk by 20% to 85% . The increase varies with the degree of obesity and other risk factors.
3. High blood pressure (hypertension): Compared with people of normal weight, individuals with obesity have approximately 2 to 2.5 times the risk of hypertension.
4. Stroke: Obesity can increase stroke risk by 22% to 64% . The risk depends on the degree of obesity and other risk factors.
5. Cancer: Obesity is thought to increase the risk of at least 13 cancer types. For example, compared with women of normal weight, women with obesity have approximately 2 to 4 times the risk of uterine cancer. For breast cancer, postmenopausal women with obesity have a risk that is 20% to 40% higher than that of women of normal weight.
6. Gallbladder disease: Compared with people of normal weight, individuals with obesity have approximately 2 to 3 times the risk of gallbladder disease.

While these figures illustrate obesity's adverse effects on health, individual factors and genetic predispositions should also be considered.

Treating Obesity

Obesity management generally involves options such as lifestyle changes, medication, and surgery. A combination of these approaches is commonly used to achieve success. The main options are:

Lifestyle changes

1. Nutrition: A balanced, low-calorie diet supports weight loss. Dietitians and nutrition specialists can develop a suitable eating plan based on individual needs.
2. Exercise: Regular physical activity plays an important role in weight loss. At least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise per week is generally recommended.
3. Behavioral changes: Therapy and self-care techniques can be used for stress management, sleep routines, and coping with emotional eating.

Medications

FDA-approved weight-loss medications can help manage obesity when combined with diet and exercise. They work by reducing appetite and/or decreasing fat absorption.

Surgery

Obesity surgery, or bariatric surgery, is used in severe obesity and recommended for patients who have not achieved successful weight loss with other methods. Procedures include gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, and adjustable gastric banding. They produce weight loss by reducing stomach volume and/or changing digestion.

Weight-Loss Injections – Now the Most Discussed Topic in Obesity

Weight-loss injections involve using certain drugs primarily used to treat type 2 diabetes for obesity as well, because of their weight-loss properties. These injections generally belong to a class called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists. In addition to lowering blood sugar, GLP-1 agonists reduce appetite and contribute to weight loss by increasing fullness and slowing stomach emptying.

People with obesity and a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above, or those with a BMI of 27 or above and weight-related health problems, are generally suitable candidates for these drugs. However, because every individual's situation differs, a doctor's advice and guidance are essential before starting such treatment.

Weight-loss injections are generally used for type 2 diabetes but are sometimes prescribed for obesity because they also effectively promote weight loss.

The following table lists FDA (US Food and Drug Administration)-approved drugs used as injections for weight loss:

Weight-loss injections and other weight-loss medications may not suit everyone and have side effects. It is therefore important to talk with your doctor before starting any treatment.

The most common side effects of weight-loss injections (GLP-1 receptor agonists) are:

1. Nausea: This is the most common side effect. It can occur when starting treatment and diminish over time.
2. Vomiting: Some users may vomit as a result of nausea.
3. Diarrhea: Diarrhea is common during use of these medications.
4. Constipation: The drugs can affect bowel movements and cause constipation in some users.
5. Headache: Headache is a known side effect of GLP-1 receptor agonists.
6. Fatigue: Some users may experience tiredness or weakness while taking these drugs.
7. Loss of appetite: Because the drugs work by suppressing appetite, users may have less desire to eat.
8. Abdominal pain: Some users may experience abdominal pain associated with the medications.

There have been concerns about the risk of pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) with weight-loss injections. However, current scientific data do not provide definitive evidence that these drugs significantly increase pancreatitis risk.

A few studies and clinical trials have reported pancreatitis in patients using GLP-1 receptor agonists, but case numbers were low and could not be directly linked to overall pancreatitis risk. Many other studies have shown no increase in pancreatitis risk with these drugs.

Pancreatitis risk may already be increased by conditions such as obesity and type 2 diabetes, so patients taking GLP-1 receptor agonists are likely to have an already elevated risk.

In conclusion, side effects vary from person to person and may not be the same for everyone. Talk to your doctor if side effects become severe or persistent. Your doctor may help manage them by adjusting the dose or offering another treatment option.