Obesity in women

Obesity means excess fat in the body. It is believed that in adult women aged 35 years and older with a BMI of more than 30, it is no longer overweight, but obesity as a pathology. But excess weight is not the norm, it is important to start fighting it before fat deposits disrupt metabolic processes.

Obesity is not only a cosmetic aspect. It is a chronic disease that can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity-related cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease, gallstones, and other chronic digestive, liver, and kidney diseases. Obesity is a risk factor for the development of several types of cancer.

Unfortunately, obesity is difficult to treat and has a high rate of relapse (weight gain). Most women who lose weight gain the extra pounds back within 5 years. While medications and diets can help, treating obesity cannot be a short-term “solution” but should be a lifelong commitment to proper nutrition, increased physical activity, and regular exercise. The goal of treatment should be to achieve and maintain a “healthier weight” and not necessarily ideal (even losing 5-10 kg is already a significant relief for the body). Long-term maintenance of this weight loss can bring significant health benefits by lowering blood pressure, risk of diabetes, and heart disease.

What is obesity?

Every third woman under 45 and every second older than this age in the Russian Federation are overweight or obese. But how does a woman know if she is overweight or obese? You can use your body mass index (BMI) to see if your weight is in a healthy or unhealthy range. BMI is a tool for assessing the amount of fat in the body. You can determine it in online calculators:

• women with a BMI between 25 and 29,9 are considered obese;
• women with a BMI of 30 or more are obese.

BMI gives an idea of ​​how normal a woman’s weight is. But that’s not all. Some women’s BMI is less accurate than others. For example, if a lady is very muscular, well-trained, she may be healthy and not overweight, even if her BMI is above 25. This is because muscle weighs more than fat.

Another way to find out if a woman is at a healthy weight is to measure her waist circumference. Researchers and doctors agree that women with a waist circumference of more than 88 – 90 cm are at higher risk for many health problems caused by being overweight or obese.

Causes of obesity in women

A woman develops obesity when her body stores more calories than it uses during the day and night. The human body needs calories (and essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients) to function properly and be active every day. But if a woman’s body accumulates more calories than it uses, then the lady gains weight.

The researchers noticed that a woman’s environment throughout her life can influence the occurrence of obesity. While it is true that the food a woman eats is an important part of gaining or losing weight, other parts of her life that she has no control over can increase her chances of becoming obese.

Overweight and obesity affect women of all ages, races and nationalities. But overweight and obesity are more common among certain groups:

• women from large metropolitan areas;
• housewives;
• oriental women.

Many factors play a role in overweight and obesity, including marital status, past events, and where the woman lives.

There are some risk factors for overweight and obesity that a woman cannot control herself. But a healthcare provider or dietitian may recommend changes in eating habits and physical activity to help the patient achieve a healthier weight. Some medicines can cause weight gain or make it harder to lose weight after treatment. If you suspect that the medicine is affecting your body weight, you should talk to your doctor. You may need to try another medicine.

Factors affecting weight gain

Obesity is a complex disease that is the result of a combination of many different aspects of a person’s life that occur over a long period of time. Women’s weight can be affected by:

Genes and family lineage. Obesity is usually inherited. But there is no one specific “fat” gene. There are many genes that can work together to make you more likely to gain weight. The situation in which a woman lives also affects her genes. When it is a small child, parents control nutrition and physical activity. This family background can affect adult weight.

Metabolism. Metabolic rate (the rate at which calories are burned in the body) can vary for many reasons, and this can affect weight gain and loss. For example, men tend to have more muscle and less fat than women, so men’s bodies can burn more calories and do it much faster. A woman’s metabolism can change throughout her life, for example, due to hormonal changes that occur during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause.

Age. With age, metabolism can slow down. In addition, as women age, they lose muscle. With fewer muscles to burn calories, the body needs fewer calories.

Mental trauma. Women who experience a traumatic event at any time, are under stress, or have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may be more likely to gain weight quickly after a traumatic event and develop obesity.

Medicines. Many medications that women take every day, including medications for mental disorders, sleep disorders, and high blood pressure, can cause weight gain or make it harder to lose weight.

Sleep disturbances. Lack of quality sleep can lead to weight gain. Researchers believe this may be due to poor quality sleep, which can affect hormone levels that regulate appetite and food choices. Lack of sleep that does not give you adequate rest can also affect your physical activity or exercise during the day.

Degrees of obesity in women

The severity of obesity in women is determined by BMI. Body mass index is currently the preferred measure for many physicians and researchers studying obesity. BMI uses a mathematical formula that takes into account a person’s weight and height.

However, measuring BMI poses some of the same problems as weight-for-height tables. Not everyone agrees on the cut-off points for “healthy” and “unhealthy” BMI ranges. It also does not provide information on the percentage of fat in the human body. However, like the weight-for-height chart, BMI is a useful general guideline and a good estimate of body fat for most adults aged 19 to 70. However, it may not be an accurate measurement of body fat for professional athletes and pregnant women.

BMI is equal to a person’s weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (BMI = kg/m2). It is important to understand what “healthy weight” means. Healthy weight is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of more than 19 and less than 25 for all people aged 20 and over. Obesity is usually defined as a body mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 30, which is approximately 13 to 15 kg overweight.

The World Health Organization (WHO) uses a classification system using BMI to define overweight and obesity:

• A BMI of 25 to 29,9 is defined as “predisposing to obesity”;
• BMI from 30 to 34,99 is defined as “I degree of obesity”;
• A BMI of 35 to 39,99 is defined as “grade II obesity”;
• A BMI of 40,00 or higher is defined as “grade III obesity”.

The higher the degree, the worse the prognosis for obesity in a woman, and the longer it takes to fight extra pounds.

Types of obesity in women

Does it matter where a woman’s body fat is located? Yes. Where excess weight is deposited to a greater extent matters for women’s health. Belly fat is more dangerous to health than fat located anywhere else. In women, there are several body types depending on the distribution of excess fat – apple and pear-shaped body types.

Features of body types

Some women tend to accumulate fat in the abdomen (apple-shaped). Other women usually have fat in the thighs and buttocks (pear-shaped figure). Being overweight is never healthy, but an apple-shaped body increases the risk of certain health problems, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and colorectal cancer, to a greater extent than a pear-shaped body.

This is because the type of fat that the female body stores in the abdomen, around the waist, is different from the type of fat stored in the back, thighs, and buttocks.

BMI shows how much body fat a woman has, but it does not show where this excess weight is located. To measure your waist, you need to stand up straight and draw a measuring tape around your waist, just above your hips. You need to measure your waist immediately after exhaling.

Most women should aim for a waist circumference of less than 88 cm. Of course, this does not mean that if a woman’s weight is concentrated mainly on her hips, she has nothing to worry about. For all women, no matter where they store their weight, it is important to be physically active and eat right to reduce the risk of health problems.

Treatment of obesity in women

To diagnose obesity, a doctor will usually do a physical exam and recommend some tests.

Diagnostics

These checkups and tests usually include:

The study of the state of health. The doctor may evaluate weight gain history, weight loss efforts, physical activity and exercise habits, diet and appetite control, other conditions, medications, stress levels, and other health problems. The doctor may also look at the health history of the entire family to see if the woman has a predisposition to certain diseases.

General medical examination. This includes measuring height, checking vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure and temperature, listening to the heart and lungs; examine the abdomen.

Calculation of BMI. Your doctor will check your body mass index (BMI). It should be checked at least once a year because it can help determine overall health risks and which treatments may be most appropriate.

Waist measurement. Fat around the waist, sometimes called visceral or abdominal fat, can further increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Women with waists larger than 89 cm may have more health risks than those with smaller waists. As with measuring BMI, waist circumference should be checked at least once a year.

Checking for other health problems. If there are health problems, the doctor will evaluate them. He will also check for other possible health problems, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. He may also recommend certain heart tests such as an electrocardiogram, ultrasound, Holter.

Blood tests. Which tests are needed depends on the woman’s health, risk factors, and any current symptoms that may be present. Blood tests may include a cholesterol test, liver function tests, fasting glucose, thyroid test, and others.

Gathering all of this information will help the woman and her doctor determine how much weight to lose and what health conditions or risks already exist. This will help you make a decision about treatment.

Modern treatments

Every woman is different, but recent research shows that women may lose weight differently than men. Most women need to eat and drink fewer calories and get the right amount of healthy food to lose weight. Increasing the amount of exercise or physical activity can help with weight loss, but healthy food choices (lean protein, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits) are what work best for many people to achieve a healthy weight. It is best to combine a healthy diet with increased physical activity. Before starting any weight loss program, you should consult with your doctor.

Family environment and other aspects of life can make weight loss difficult. There are other steps you can take, such as talking to your doctor about any medications you are taking that may lead to weight gain, more sleep, or stress management. It can also help you lose weight.

Sometimes a doctor may prescribe drugs for weight loss strictly under his control.

Specialists may recommend weight loss medications if:

• a woman has severe obesity (BMI of 40 or more);
• overweight (BMI 27 or more), and have health problems associated with being overweight, such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes;
• a woman counts calories and exercises a lot for at least 6 months, but on average loses less than 500 g per week.

Today, only a few drugs are approved for weight loss in the treatment of obesity. Most are not recommended for women who may become pregnant because the drugs can cause serious birth defects in the baby.

Weight loss surgery, also called bariatric surgery, can help treat obesity.

A doctor may suggest surgical treatment for weight loss if:

• a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher;
• a BMI of 35 or higher and have weight-related health problems, such as heart disease or diabetes.

Bariatric surgery is not a “quick fix”. This is a major operation that requires a long recovery.

Prevention of obesity in women at home

Women generally require fewer calories than men, especially as they age. This is because women naturally have less muscle, more fat, and are usually smaller than men.

On average, adult women need between 1600 and 2400 calories per day. As a woman ages, she needs to consume fewer calories to maintain the same weight. She can also keep her weight healthy by increasing physical activity.

Popular questions and answers

We talked about the problem of losing weight with obesity with general practitioner, endocrinologist, cardiologist Alexei Zhito.