Besides physical illnesses, researchers have found a connection between obesity and poor mental health. According to the American Psychiatric Association, children and teen-agers who are obese are at increased risk for emotional problems well into adulthood. In some cases, such problems may lead to abnormal eating patterns. In others, obesity may lead to increased stress.
Finally, some researchers have proposed that obesity may be a self-propelling disease. In other words, the more food a person eats the more fat that person’s body accumulates. The longer the fat is there, the more the body accepts that level of fat as “normal” and the harder it defends against attempts to lose it. In addition, the more weight an individual gains, the more difficult it becomes to adopt an active lifestyle that would naturally help combat continued weight gain. Such people may well benefit the most from new drugs that may be developed to break this vicious cycle.
A Dangerous Combination
Obesity, particularly abdominal fat, is one health risk in a cluster of risks known as metabolic syndrome. People with this syndrome have a higher-than-normal risk of developing heart disease, coronary artery disease, and Type 2 diabetes. A person with three or more of the following risk factors is considered to have metabolic syndrome.
- Abdominal obesity: waist circumference greater than 102 centimeters (40 inches) in men and greater than 88 centimeters (35 inches) in women;
- Fasting blood triglycerides (fatty substances in the blood): equal to or greater than 150 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL);
- Low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL, the “good” cholesterol): less than 40 mg/dL in men and less than 50 mg/dL in women;
- High blood pressure: equal to or greater than 130/85;
- High fasting glucose: equal to or greater than 110 mg/dL.
Source: The Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults, 2002.
For more on this subject Refer to:
(2009). 2005: Why Are We Getting Fatter? the Puzzle of Obesity. 2005: Why Are We Getting Fatter? the Puzzle of Obesity. World Book Publishing. Retrieved from http://elibrary.bigchalk.com
