Brief overview
- Symptoms: Fatigue, reduced ability to work under pressure, frequent fatigue, profuse sweating, back and joint pain (for example, in the knee), sleep disturbances, snoring, shortness of breath (from high stress to shortness of breath).
- Diagnosis: Determination of BMI value, physical examinations including determination of waist-to-hip ratio, blood pressure measurement, electrocardiogram (ECG), blood tests as well as ultrasound examination.
- Causes and risk factors: Genetic factors, excessive and high-calorie diet, lack of exercise, mental illness, diseases of the thyroid and adrenal glands, medications such as cortisone or the pill, social factors.
- Treatment: treatment is usually not necessary for mild obesity. For more severe overweight to obesity, nutritional counseling, behavioral therapy and, in some cases, surgery (for example, stomach reduction) can help.
What is overweight?
The term “overweight” refers to an increase in body weight due to an increase in body fat above normal levels. In cases of severe overweight, physicians speak of obesity (adiposity).
Where are the fat deposits located?
In the case of overweight, doctors distinguish between two types of fat distribution – depending on where on the body the excess fatty tissue accumulates preferentially:
- Gynoid type (“pear type”): Excess fat is increasingly deposited on the buttocks and thighs. This type is found especially in women.
The android type is associated with a higher risk of secondary diseases (such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases) than the gynoid type.
How common is obesity?
Obesity
Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of severe obesity in the article Obesity.
Overweight in children
The development of overweight in children and adolescents is proving to be problematic worldwide. The number of overweight children has increased in recent years.
You can read more about this topic in the article Overweight in children.
What are typical symptoms?
Thus, the high body weight weighs heavily on the joints, especially on those in the lower spine and on the hip, knee and ankle joints. The joints wear out faster and hurt (knee pain, back pain et cetera).
At what point is a person considered overweight?
To clarify overweight in more detail, the doctor first talks to the patient in detail. Among other things, he inquires about the patient’s diet, physical activity, possible complaints and underlying diseases as well as psychological stress.
The BMI as a guide value
To determine whether a person is overweight and, if so, to what extent, the doctor usually first calculates the BMI value. He divides the body weight (in kilograms) by the square of the body height (in square meters).
The problem is that the physique and muscle mass are included in the weight and influence the BMI value. However, they are not taken into account in the calculation, nor are age and gender. In some cases, this results in very muscular people being incorrectly considered overweight according to BMI. This means that the BMI value is only suitable to a limited extent as the sole criterion for overweight.
Click here for the BMI calculator for adults.
Further examinations
Obesity and its consequences
In addition, severe obesity increases the risk of cancer: In women, for example, the risk of cervical, ovarian and post-menopausal breast cancer increases. In men who are overweight, the risk of prostate and colon cancer increases.
Depression and social withdrawal are also more common in overweight individuals.
What are the causes and risk factors?
Genetic predisposition
In contrast, people with a low basal metabolic rate consume fewer calories at rest, so they gain weight quickly if they eat a little more than they need. These people therefore have a higher risk of becoming overweight.
An important hormone is leptin, which is produced in fatty tissue and released into the blood. With food, the level of leptin in the blood normally increases and it conveys the feeling of satiety to the brain. In overweight people, where the level of fat in the blood is constantly elevated, the brain no longer responds properly to leptin and the feeling of satiety is absent.
Eating behavior and nutrition
In some people, the transmission of information via the nerves, the hormone supply or the signaling pathways of the hormones are disturbed, so that the feeling of satiety occurs late: Those affected therefore eat more than they need, which increases the risk of obesity.
Lack of movement
Many working people have a (predominantly) sedentary job. Many people drive to work, to the supermarket or to the cinema. Likewise, they often spend their free time at home in front of the TV or computer. For many people, the modern lifestyle is associated with a lack of exercise, which not only promotes the development of obesity. It also promotes other health problems such as cardiovascular disease.
Educational rules and norms also have a significant influence on the development of obesity, such as always eating your plate – even if you may already be full. Just as important is apparently the behavior of parents, who serve as role models. If they do not eat consciously or show little interest in exercise, children usually adopt these behaviors.
Social factors
In addition, people from lower social classes are less likely to engage in sports activities, for example in clubs. As some studies have shown, this is partly due to financial reasons. Accordingly, people with lower incomes only take advantage of sports activities if they are free or cheaper.
Other underlying diseases
Medication
Some medications increase the appetite, so that those affected eat more than normal. This sometimes promotes the development of obesity. Examples of such medications include hormone preparations such as the Pill, allergy medications, some psychotropic drugs and cortisone preparations.
Treatment of obesity
Obesity at a BMI between 25 and 30 should be treated if:
- diseases exist that are caused by the overweight, and/or
- diseases exist that are aggravated by the overweight, and/or
- an android fat distribution type exists, or
- there is significant psychosocial distress.
For severe overweight (obesity) with a BMI over 30, medical professionals generally recommend therapy.
Possible treatments for obesity
To avoid excessive weight fluctuations when losing weight, it is advisable to lose weight slowly.This requires a coordinated therapy concept, which usually involves a comprehensive change in lifestyle. Since the therapy is individually oriented, it is carried out in consultation with the doctor and/or a nutritionist.
Change of diet
Patients learn a healthy diet as part of their therapy. Whether overweight or normal weight – experts recommend a balanced, varied diet. Cereal products and potatoes (good satiety!), vegetables and fruit, milk and dairy products should be on the menu every day.
It is also important to drink enough fluids, for example in the form of tap or mineral water or unsweetened tea. Lemonades and similar drinks are less favorable: they usually contain a lot of sugar and too few minerals. Caution is also advised with alcohol, partly because it provides quite a few calories.
A healthy diet also includes preparing food in a tasty and gentle way and eating it in peace.
Physical activity and exercise
In addition to dietary changes, an exercise program is part of a therapy to lose weight in a healthy way and subsequently maintain the weight. Endurance sports such as walking, jogging, cycling and swimming are particularly suitable for people who are overweight. Any form of physical activity in everyday life, such as climbing stairs and brisk walking, is also helpful.
Behavioral therapy
Particularly in cases of severe overweight (obesity), those affected often suffer from psychological disorders or are psychologically burdened by stigmatization. In these cases, it is advisable to carry out the diet and exercise program as part of behavioral therapy. It additionally supports those affected in the treatment of the psychological disorders that trigger or intensify the obesity.
Medication and surgery
How to prevent obesity?
In most cases, overweight can be prevented by regular exercise in everyday life, as well as through sport and with the help of a healthy and balanced diet. If, for example, stress has a negative effect on weight, it is advisable to reduce it. Sometimes relaxation exercises help to reduce stress. Hobbies also provide positive stimuli.
