World Obesity Day 2022: Influences and Solutions

March 4^th is World Obesity Day. Our country is undergoing a rapid socio demographic, nutritional and environmental changes. These changes along with a genetic predisposition is fuelling the epidemic of obesity related disorders such as Type 2 Diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and five cancers.

Obesity is a ‘disease’ characterized by an excess of body fat and it is more than a cosmetic issue.

Common determinants of Obesity :

1. Genetics: If one or both parents are obese, a child is more prone to developing obesity. Hormones involved in fat management are also affected by genetics.
2. Stress: Stress can adversely affect weight in both direct and indirect ways. Stress affects a variety of behaviours, including sensitivity to food cues and desires, which contribute to overeating or the consumption of high-calorie foods.
3. Eating behaviours: People's food choices play a significant impact in influencing what foods they buy and consume.
4. Emotional eating: Emotions and food are intertwined. People eat to cope with both positive and negative emotions, whether it's to celebrate a good day or a particular occasion, or to feel better after a bad day. Eating in response to emotions might become troublesome if it occurs frequently and on a regular basis.
5. Physical Inactivity: When people consume more calories, they acquire weight. 

The 4 Ms of obesity outcomes

Specialists at Medanta use the 4Ms framework to comprehensively assess the associations and outcomes of obesity. These 4Ms are:

 1. Metabolic

Type 2 Diabetes

Hypertension

PCOS, etc.

 2. Mechanical

Sleep Apnea

Acidity

Arthritis, etc.

 3. Mental

Depression

Stress

Eating Disorder, etc.

 4. Monetary

Education

Employment

Benefits, etc.

Weight Management for Health Clinic

The journey of weight management is a life-long journey. The five vital pillars of weight management are: 

1. Nutrition
2. Physical activity
3. Intensive behaviour therapy including stress management
4. Drug therapy
5. Surgical and non-surgical interventions

At Medanta, we provide comfortable, convenient yet comprehensive and personalized weight management involving state of the art novel interventions.