By: Cathy Dedie Lisa Korb and Clarivyl Pena

INTRODUCTION: Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may lead to reduced life expectancy and increased health problems. Obesity is the culprit in many cases of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. These particular disorders cause nearly 300,00 deaths in the U.S. each year. It is due to statistics such as these, that we decided to explore further the epidemic that is OBESITY!

There are many factors which are related to obesity. We will be discussing three of these factors…….

Heredity Poor eating habits Diabetes Obesity : Related Factors

Heredity

Modern medical science has gone a long way toward explaining the causes of obesity, and the bottom line is clear: Obesity is not a personal choice. The obese are primarily as a result of their genes. Genetic studies have shown that the particular set of weight-regulating genes that a person has is by far most important factor in determining how much that person will weigh. The heritability of obesity--- a measure of how much obesity is due to genes versus other factors---is about the same as the heritability of height. Americans has gotten much taller on average, but it is still the genes that determine who is tall or short today. The same is true for weight. That’s because they have inherited genes that increase their predisposition for accumulating body fat. The genes that control food intake and metabolism act to keep weight in a stable range by creating a biological force that resist weight change in either direction. When weight is gained, hunger is reduced. When weight is lost, the unconscious drive to eat is stimulated and acts to return weight to the starting point. Moreover, the greater the amount of weight by conscious effort, their bodies fight back even more strongly by increasing hunger and reducing energy expenditure. Anyone who doubts the power of this biologic system should study the case of a young boy in England a few years back!

 He had a mutation in a critical gene  The one that produces the hormone leptin  Leptin is made by fat tissue and sends a signal informing the brain that there are adequate stores of energy.  When leptin drops appetite increases.

Because of the Genetic error  This boy could not make this hormone. Which left him ravenously hungry all the time.  At age 4 he ate 1,125 calories at a single meal--- about half of what a normal adult eats in an entire day.  As a result he already weighed 90 pounds and as well on his way to developing diabetes.  His similarly affected cousin was 8 and weighed 200 pounds After a few leptin injections, the boy’s calorie intake dropped 180 calories per meal, and by the time he was 6 his weight had dropped into normal range. Nothing has changed except his hormone levels.

Poor Eating Habits

The obesity epidemic in America is caused by overeating. We would have to eat 500 fewer calories each day, or get an extra 110 minutes of daily exercise.  Fried foods may taste good, but they also promote obesity. The problem comes with the fat added by frying oil. Excessive fats in foods is the easiest nutrient to be stored as fat by your body. Not only do fried foods add calories, but they add artery-clogging saturated fat and cholesterol, which can increase the risk of heart disease.  Alcohol and excess body fat make a bad combination. Virtually all forms of alcohol can contribute to fatness, with the exception of wine. Alcohol can also perk up your appetite, and cause you to overeat. Overtime, alcohol and obesity together can promote liver disease.  When processed foods come to mind, many people might think they’re safe because of the fact they don’t consume take outs or eat at restaurants. Foods that have been canned, frozen, boxed, or bagged is classified as processed food. Ingredients found in these foods are colorants, emulsifiers, preservatives, artificial sweeteners, stabilizers and texturizers. These should be avoided!  Body mass index (BMI) determines the body fat of a person. BMI=lb x 703/inches squared. BMI over 40 is severe, over 49.9 is morbid, and over 50 is super. The widespread availability of nutritional guidelines has done little to address the problem of overeating and poor dietary choices.  Diet and physical exercise are the main treatments for obesity. Diet quality can be improved by reducing the consumption of foods high in fat and sugars, and by increasing the intake of fiber.

Diabetes

These days, just about everyone knows someone with diabetes. What used to be something we occasionally saw in our Grandparents, has become a world-wide epidemic. An overwhelming portion of the responsibility for this lies on obesity. Recent studies have proven that there is in fact a link between obesity and type 2 diabetes. Many people at risk don’t even know it. A woman who is 5 ‘ 5” tall and weigh 180lbs is considered to be obese, and is at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 Diabetes  Usually starts with cells that are unable to take insulin during the process of moving glucose from blood to the cells, also known as insulin resistance-glucose is unable to enter the cells and builds up in the blood.  Much of the glucose passes out of the body through urine which takes a lot of water with it, and can lead to dehydration.  If dehydration becomes too severe it can lead to a diabetic coma and possibly death.

While there is no doubt that the obesity- diabetes connection is still a very serious problem, all hope is not lost. With a proper diet and regular exercise, hearing a pre-diabetes diagnosis can be utilized as a wake-up call. Losing even small amounts of weight can make a difference. With a decrease of 3%-7% of body weight, the average person could decrease their risk of developing obesity induced type 2 diabetes by up to 58%. That doesn’t sound so bad, now does it?

While obesity is still a big concern in society, the world’s obesity rate does appear to be slowing. People are opening their eyes to the reality that staying healthy is their own responsibility. The Rate of increase in obesity prevalence seen in the 1980s and 1990s did not continue in the last decade. If this trend continues, perhaps the obesity epidemic can become a valuable lesson learned.

References inherited.htm inherited.htm real-cause-of-obesity real-cause-of-obesity 3fatchicks.com/the-correlation-between-diabetes-and- obesity Ezinearticles.com/?expertJimmy_Jamm:searchobesity& diabetes Diabetes.webmd.com/features/prediabetes_diagnosis- what-to-do Diabetes.webmd.com/news/ /diabetes-up- obesity-to-blame diabetes.webmd.com/guide/type-2-diabetes