Over half of the Moldovans weigh too much and 24% of these are obese, while 30% are overweight. The problem is serious, say endocrinologists, while the treatment becomes difficult as most of them have harmful habits related to eating and movement. World Obesity Day is marked on March 4.
Doctor of Medical Sciences, university lecturer Gheorghe Caradja, endocrinologist of the National Clinical Hospital, has been treating overweight persons during over 30 years. According to him, in Europe about 50% of the people are overheavy, approximately 25% of whom are overweight, while 25% are obese. In Moldova, the latest statistics that are several years old show that about 54% of the population weigh too much: 24% are obese, while 30% are overweight, which is they are slightly heavy. In the U.S., the latest statistics show 68% of the people are overweight, both men and women. Women gain weight primarily after giving birth, while men due to education and other factors. Some 5-10% of children suffer from obesity.
Unhealthy eating – first factor that leads to obesity
Among the main factors that lead to obesity are unhealthy eating, overeating and sedentariness. The people don’t move enough and don’t practice sports. Some abuse alcohol and eat after each drunken glass. The lower is the average intellect of the population, the greater is obesity. There are also genetic, hereditary factors, but they are not key.
Obesity can lead to complications
The persons who are obese have the diaphragm high and the lungs are compressed. They inhale half of the necessary oxygen and the quality of blood is lower. During many years, the blood fuels all the organs, including the brain, with oxygen insufficiently. Those who are obese often suffer from pneumonia, bronchitis, respiratory diseases. They sleep badly and have dyspnea and apnea. The persons suffer from memory loss and have dizziness. The heart also suffers. Blood pressure rises. The legs and liver swell. Appear digestive system disorders. These persons face the risk of developing complications due to arterial hypertension, such as myocardial infarction and stroke. The obese people live by 10-20 years shorter and the quality of their life is worse.
When a person is obese
The ideal body weight is determined based on the Body Mass Index. The formula is BMI = kg/m2 where kg is a person’s weight in kilograms and m2 is their height in meters squared. A BMI of 25.0 or more is overweight, while the healthy range is 18.5 to 24.9.
Obesity is treated by endocrinologists
An obese persons must see an endocrinologist who will calculate all the indexes and will determine where there is too much fat. The patients with mild forms of obesity see a nutritionist who recommends healthy diets and exercises.
Gheorghe Caradja said he is against surgery in obesity, primarily because the operations lead to complications. “When medical treatment is administered, most of the medicines help the persons to lose 4-8 kg a year when using very expensive medicines and suffering serious complications. I, with diets and a healthier lifestyle and other recommendations, can help a patient lose 100 kg a year without affecting health and spending a lot of money,” stated the endocrinologist.
According to him, obesity is not a somatic disease. It is a psycho-somatic disease that affects the whole body. If the people had the ideal weight, there would be fewer sick persons on earth. Programs to prevent obesity among the population are needed, but not much is done in this regard.
