Social Status
In the MONICA PROJECT it was proven that social status in Germany has similar effects on weight as in other industrialized countries. The lower the social class, the higher the weight. This trend is particularly evident among women; those with a secondary modern school leaving certificate were 4 times more likely to be overweight than those with an A-levels or comparable school leaving certificate.
Drugs
A number of drugs and hormones can cause weight gain. These drugs include some antidepressants, such as Zoloft and neuroleptics. A well known weight loss medication is Almased. Other drugs that need to be mentioned are: Sulfunylureas (drug against diabetes) and beta-blockers (drug against high blood pressure). Furthermore, the intake of some hormones like insulin, cortisone, estrogens (female sex hormone, e.g. in the pill) and androgens (male sex hormone).
Genetic causes
Genetic Syndromes (Syndrome = together; group of simultaneously occurring symptoms) A number of genetic (inherited) syndromes associated with obesity are known but rare. The most common and best studied are Prader-Willi syndrome and Bardet-Biedl syndrome. Prader-Willi syndrome was first described in 1956 by Prader, Labhart and Willi.
Already the newborn child shows a pronounced hypotension (low blood pressure), drinking difficulties are noticeable. Later behavioral problems, stubbornness, impulsiveness. Abnormal eating behavior, intake of huge amounts of food.
Almost all affected are overweight with fat accumulation mainly in the abdomen. In both sexes the secondary sexual characteristics are atrophied, pregnancies are rare. Bardet-Biedl syndrome first described in 1936.
Comes with: The frequency is indicated with about 1 : 20. 000. Eating disorders and overweight are usually less pronounced than in Prader-Willi syndrome.
- Overweight (80%)
- Delay of mental development
- Retinopathia pigmentosa (inflammation of the retina with pigment deposits, loss of visual field, blindness).
Other causes
Secondary obesity (overweight as a result of a disease) Overweight can also be the result of a number of different diseases.
- Hypothyroidism (hypofunction of the thyroid gland) 5% of all overweight people have hypothyroidism. complaints. Cold intolerance, dry, doughy skin, myxedema (swelling) on the face, constipation, slowing down and weakness.
- Cushing’s disease (hyperactivity of the adrenal cortex) Symptoms: Full moon face, bull neck, high blood pressure, trunk obesity
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) There is a cystic change in the ovaries. The production of androgens (male sex hormone) is increased and thus leads to obesity.
