Brief overview
- Prognosis: Prognosis is often unfavorable without therapy and due to existing secondary diseases, life expectancy decreases.
- Treatment: Conservative multimodal therapy, surgical interventions (bariatric surgery such as gastric reduction), obesity cure.
- Causes: Unhealthy diet, lack of exercise
- Prevention: Early nutritional and behavioral therapy and weight loss for existing overweight and obesity up to grade 2.
What is meant by obesity permagna?
Obesity is medically divided into different degrees of severity. The classification is based on the so-called body mass index (BMI). This unit of measurement can be used to roughly classify a person’s weight. To calculate the BMI, divide the body weight in kilograms by the squared height in meters: BMI = weight [kg]/(height [m])²
Some people already suffer from severe limitations and secondary diseases from a BMI of over 30 kg/m². Moreover, it is not only the extent of the overweight that plays a role, but also how long the overweight has existed overall. The longer a person is overweight, the more severe are usually the physical and psychological consequences.
The number of severely overweight people is increasing
The World Health Organization (WHO) has been observing for years that the number of people with obesity is increasing sharply in Germany and worldwide. In particular, the number of people who are very overweight (obesity permagna) is rising. Experts estimate that about two million people in Germany already suffer from obesity permagna. It is particularly worrying that more and more children and young people are already affected by health-threatening obesity.
Once behaviors such as an unhealthy diet have manifested themselves, they are difficult to break. Without intensive and individually targeted therapies, a cure is almost impossible and the prognosis unfavorable. Lifelong follow-up care (weight management) is often necessary to effectively lose weight and maintain it through comprehensive lifestyle changes. However, the earlier the therapy, the greater the chances of regaining a normal weight.
What is the life expectancy in obesity permagna?
Obesity permagna is also known as morbid obesity (Latin morbidus “sick”), because this form of overweight usually leads to a variety of diseases and thus significantly reduces life expectancy in many cases. Common secondary diseases of obesity permagna are diabetes mellitus type 2, high blood pressure, joint wear and cancer.
People with obesity permagna also often experience disdain from their environment. Many therefore hardly dare to leave the house, where they are exposed to the judgmental looks of other people. This social isolation often drastically exacerbates the physical and psychological problems, which in turn leads to sufferers falling into so-called “frustrated eating”. A vicious circle develops. All these factors make therapy more difficult.
Treatment of obesity permagna
Diets often achieve only short-term success with obesity grade 3. Many sufferers regain the weight relatively quickly after the diet.
The causes of obesity grade 3
As with the other forms of obesity, there are a number of different causes of morbid obesity. However, obesity grade 3 is mainly caused by a diet too rich in fat in combination with too little exercise. However, this does not automatically mean that obese people always cause their disease themselves.
Experts have identified a number of genes that lead to excessive appetite. The genes also seem to have a whole range of other effects. Among other things, they influence energy metabolism. For example, slimmer people have a comparatively higher basal metabolic rate. This means that they burn more calories even at rest and are thus better protected against obesity.
An important factor for the development of obesity permagna seems to be the age at which a child or adolescent is already overweight. The younger and the more pronounced the overweight, the greater the probability that a BMI of more than 40 kg/m² will be reached at some point. Many people with obesity permagna have a real “obesity career” behind them. Over time, they continue to gain weight. Difficulties in the course of life (bereavements, failures, etc.) are often decisive interruptions that lead to further and further weight gain.
How to prevent obesity permagna?
If you are overweight, talk to your primary care physician for advice.
