Obesity becoming New Normal: Reason and Solution

Definition: “Obesity is a complex disease involving an excessive amount of body fat.

Facts: (As per WHO)

·       Worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975.

·     In 2016, more than 1.9 billion adults, 18 years and older, were overweight. Of these over 650 million were obese.

·       39% of adults aged 18 years and over were overweight in 2016, and 13% were obese.

·    Most of the world's population lives in countries where overweight and obese kill more people than underweight.

·       39 million children under the age of 5 were overweight or obese in 2020.

·       Over 340 million children and adolescents aged 5-19 were overweight or obese in 2016.

·       Obesity is preventable. (1)

 How to assess Obesity?

·       Body mass index (BMI) is often used to diagnose obesity.

·       BMI= body weight (kg)/[height (m)] ²

·       BMI should be considered normal within 18.5-24.9.

·       Below this is underweight, and above it is overweight (25-29.9), and beyond it Obesity (1,2)

As per WHO, causes obesity and overweight?

The fundamental cause of obesity and overweight is an energy imbalance between calories consumed and calories expended, [known to every sensible person].

Globally, there has been: [in short- demand vs supply gap]

·       an increased intake of energy-dense foods that are high in fat and sugars; and

·       an increase in physical inactivity due to the increasingly sedentary nature of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation, and increasing urbanization. (1) 

 What WHO won't tell you about simple physiology?

1.      One of the functions of the liver is to modulate the incoming digested nutrients as per body requirements and assure proper storage of surplus biomolecules. (3)

2.     The liver converts the nutrients in our diets into substances that the body can use, stores these substances, and supplies cells with them when needed. (4)

3.   Glycogenesis is the formation of glycogen, stored in the liver and muscle cells of animals, from glucose. (5)

4.     Glycogenesis takes place when blood glucose levels are sufficiently high to allow excess glucose to be stored in liver and muscle cells.

5.     Glycogenolysis is the biochemical pathway in which glycogen breaks down into glucose-1-phosphate and glucose.

6.     During the fasting state, to maintain normal blood glucose levels, the liver plays a central role in producing glucose via glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis.[6]

7.     In humans, Glycogen is the principal storage form of glucose. During times of need, the body breaks down glycogen to produce glucose.[7]

8.   High glycogen levels enhance glycogen breakdown in isolated contracting skeletal muscle (8)

9.     Muscle glycogen serves mainly as a source of metabolic fuel for your muscles.

10. The body stores 3/4 of your total glycogen in all skeletal muscles so they have a consistent supply of energy, especially during exercise, without dramatically affecting the levels of your blood glucose.

11.   Muscles restore with glycogen when you consume enough carbohydrates. (9)

So, what if the body has sarcopenia and is saturated with glycogen?

The surplus food shall be stored in form of fat in adipose tissues, which is beyond a limit called obesity. Stemina= Glycogen reserve in your body.

To Sum up

·       Lack of optimum muscle mass, which can accommodate surplus digested materials.

·     Increased Gut fermentation by frequent eating habits, besides other reasons, causes the formation of SCFA (Short Chain Fatty Acids), which also develop an alternate route for energy supply.

·       Lack of Physical work in early childhood, especially before attainment of adulthood.

·       Earlier commencement of Puberty is becoming a new trend. [The mean age of puberty in girls in Western populations has been falling for the last 150 years. (10)]

·      High glycogen levels enhance glycogen breakdown in isolated contracting skeletal muscle (11)

·  Gym +Dieting+Treatment: It will only burn the surplus fat that too at a very huge cost to the body. 

The damaging side effects of the thinness pursuit

·       Weight loss programs do not have long-term positive outcomes.

·      This may cause problems, as weight fluctuation is associated with increased mortality and cardiovascular disease.

·       Additionally, chronic restrictive dieting is a significant risk factor for the development of binge behavior and eating disorders.

·       Direct adverse effects of weight loss programs and dangerous weight loss strategies such as laxative use, smoking cigarettes, and very low-calorie diets, pose serious health risks. (12)

Also, your stamina shall be affected.

Muscle mass decreases approximately 3–8% per decade after the age of 30 and this rate of decline is even higher after the age of 60 [12,13]. 

 

Solution:

·       The best option has already gone from your hand and that was to do huge physical work before Puberty.

·       However, maintain the supply chain ratio consistently.

·      Eat what is provided by the nature, and only 2 to 3 times and take a proportionate diet, which will reduce gut fermentation.

·       Apply fasting system shall be helpful.