[Kok! Health] 'Health Warning' Obesity Must Be Treated

Obesity refers to a condition where an excessive amount of body fat accumulates in the body. Obesity is divided into primary obesity and secondary obesity. Primary obesity occurs when energy consumption is less than the nutrients intake, causing excess energy to be stored in the form of body fat. The occurrence of primary obesity is difficult to explain by a single cause and involves a combination of various factors such as dietary habits, lifestyle, and age. Secondary obesity is caused by genetic factors, medication use, neurological and endocrine disorders, psychiatric disorders, and others.

Obesity is accurately assessed by measuring the amount of body fat, but since it is difficult to measure the exact fat amount, other methods are used. Among them, the most commonly used method is the Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is calculated by dividing weight by the square of height (weight ÷ height²). According to the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity, a BMI of 25 kg/m2 or higher is classified as stage 1 obesity, 30 kg/m2 or higher as stage 2 obesity, and 35 kg/m2 or higher as severe obesity. Other methods for diagnosing obesity include waist circumference measurement, bioelectrical impedance analysis, and abdominal CT scans.

Professor Lee Jeong-ah of Seoul Asan Medical Center explained, "Obesity not only significantly reduces quality of life but can also be the cause of various diseases," adding, "Representative comorbidities related to obesity include type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, fatty liver, coronary artery disease, stroke, sleep apnea, and cancer." It is known that the risk of myocardial infarction is four times higher, the risk of type 2 diabetes is six times higher, the risk of stroke is six times higher, and the risk of hypertension is twelve times higher in obese individuals compared to those with normal weight.

The foundation of obesity treatment is lifestyle modification. Even when pharmacological or surgical treatments are applied, dietary control and appropriate physical activity are essential. In daily life, it is important to reduce energy intake through a healthy diet and increase physical activity through regular exercise to control weight. However, if weight control is difficult with lifestyle changes alone, pharmacological treatment can be used as an adjunct.

Professor Lee introduced, "Obesity treatments with proven weight loss effects include appetite suppressants, fat absorption inhibitors, and recently highlighted GLP-1 receptor agonists." Appetite suppressants are drugs that act on the central nervous system to regulate appetite, while fat absorption inhibitors inhibit enzymes that break down fats in food, reducing triglyceride absorption by about 30%. GLP-1 receptor agonists were developed as diabetes treatments but have been found to reduce appetite and increase satiety, leading to weight loss, and are used as obesity treatments. Although many obesity drugs have been actively introduced recently, if weight loss is achieved by medication alone without lifestyle changes, weight may increase again after discontinuing the medication.

Surgical treatment can be considered for patients with a BMI of 35 kg/m2 or higher, or those with a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or higher who have comorbidities and have failed to lose weight through non-surgical treatments. Bariatric surgery may also be considered for patients with a BMI of 27.5 kg/m2 or higher who have type 2 diabetes that is not controlled by non-surgical treatments. Continuous lifestyle improvement after surgery enhances weight loss effects and prevents weight regain, so lifestyle management is essential.

Obesity is a disease that requires consistent management, so it is advisable to seek help from experts, just like the treatment of other diseases.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.