Definition and consequences of obesity

The definition of obesity

If the fat amount deposited in the adipose tissues or in fat cells in other places in the body of a human or an anmal is so large that it is causes health problems or increases the risk of health problems, it is called obesity.

Over-weight that is just unconfortable or unestetic is not usually called by this term. There is however a gliding scale between simple over-weight and obesity.

The average weight and body fat percentage of the western populations have gradually increased the last 40 years. This has the consequence that the average western citicen frankly speaking is over-weight or even obese to some degree, according to the above specific definition. Also health personals as doctors and nurses tend to be over-weight as the rest of the population. This situation misleads the both average persons and health personal from recognizing obesity. It also leads to a practical wrong definition of obesity, namly a person having significantly higher weight and fat percentage as the average one. As the weight and fat percentage steadily increases in the population, staedily more people get dangerously obese without the condition being taken seriously.

The steadily increasing avarage weight gain also lead people and health personal to thinking that really healthy-weighted people ar under-weighted or even anorectic, and healthy-weighted people feel a constanc press from the society to gain weight.

Types of obesity

There are two main types of obesity. In central obesity, the main bulk of excessive fat is deposited around the waist and on the mid stomach, making the mid to the area of the body with the greatest circumference. 

People having this type of obesity also would tend to have a problematic fat distribution if they are not obese, that is They are nearly fat.less on most parts of their body, but still has a great lump of fat in and on their belly region.

The male hormones seem to play a roule in distributing the excessive fat in this way and this kind of obesity is most frquent among males, but also females are found with this type of obesity. This type of obesity is the most dangerous one, and it is dangerous both in males and females.

In peripheral obesity, the excessive fat is mostly found around the hips,  the thighs and at the top of the body. The female hormones seem to direct the excessive fat to be stored in this way, and this kind of obesity is mostly found by females. This kind of obesityis is less dangerous, but still not innocent.

Consequences of obesity

The health problems caused by obesity are of two kinds. The first kind are problems that directly are caused by the greater mass of fat in the body or by a lifestyle that causes such waight gain, and allways will occur in an obese person. The congregation of these problems is called metabolic syndrome.

The others are diseases of which obesity itself or the metabolic syndrome cause a greater risk. These problems are however so many, and the risk so great that most obese persons will encounter one of ore of these problems. Obesity carry a significantly higher risk for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus type 2, sleep apnea, and osteoarthritis, and the risk of invalidity or death from these diseases.

Metabolic syndrome as a direct consequence of obesity and obesity-promoting lifestyle

Obesity is nearly allways associated with a condition called metabolic syndrome. And this syndrome is again the cause of the higher risk of other diseases.

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of various chemical and physiological  changes in the body:

- An increased content of blood glucose (hyperglycemia)

- An elevated blood pressure

- Elevated levels of trigycerides, that is the common fat type, in the blood

- Elevated cholesterole level

- The triglycerides and cholesterole are mostly carried in the blood by the low density lipoprotein (LDL) and the concentration of  this fat-protein-complex  is elevated. A high concenttration of LDL significantly increases the risk of heart disease, because LDL tend to empty its lipid content in the vessel walls.

- The good fat-protein comples high density lipoprotein (HDL) is found in reduced amounts.

- The obseity tend to be of the central type

- Elevate uric acid levels

It is dfficult to know exactly how much this syndrome is caused by over-weight by itself, is caused by a diet and a lifestyle that causes and maintains over-weight or is caused by a bad mixture of fat types and other nutrients in the diet. It seems that all these three mechanisms contribute.

Probably the cause of metabolic syndrome is a combination of these factors: Too much fat and sugar in the diet. A high percentage of sugar and other carbohydrates that are swiftly absorbed from the digestive organs into the blood stream. Too much saturated fat and unsaturaqted fat of the omega-6-type. Too little unsaturated fat of the omega-3-type.

To get rid of metabolic syndrome and lower the risk of various diseases, it is in either case necessary to have a lifsetyle that takes the obesity away, and cater for a right combination of fat types and other nutrients in the diet.

To find specific diet and lifestyle advices to fight obesity and metabolic syndrome - please click here

The working principles of the best weight reduction products

Drugs for over-weight or obesity based on herbs and other ingredients from the nature, combine several effects and several working mechanisms for each effect to render the final result. Here is a survey of the effects that are combined in the best natural weight loss medicines you can buy on the market today.

The types of effects you can get from fat loss supplements are: Increased fat burner activity, elevated sugar burner activitiy, appetite decreasing, fat uptake limitation, sugar uptake blocking and muscle growth stimulation. Not all suplements have all these effects. People that want to get rid of obesity, or just eliminate some unwanted pounds can choose products with exactly those effects they want.

Elevation of the fat and carbohydrate burning process

One of these effects is an increase in the basal burning of stored fat and sugar. This effect is achieved through two stages: First the stored fat and sugar is broken down and transformed to smaller constituents that can be burned in the cells of the body.  Then these constituents are actually bured. The hormone thyroxine from the thyroid gland stimulates these processes. And by supplying thyroid stimulating ingredients, the thyroid gland produces thyroxine more effectively to better stimulate these processes. There are also components that directly stimulate burning of fat an sugar in the cells.

Stimulation of physical activity

A second effect is a boost of the physical activity level by increasing the well-being and the drive to be active.  The higher activity level will then render a higher burning of fat and sugar.

Effective ingredients used to increase fat burning and the activity level are vitamine B6, yerba mate, guarana, green tea extract, citrus aurentium and grape seed extract

Reduction of abnormal appetite

A third effect is appetite reduction, and especially the reduction of the craving for fat and sugar. The ingredients pinnothin from the Korean Pine Nut tree Pinus koraenensis is an effective substance having this effect by producing a higher secretion of the appetite controlling hormone cholecystokinin. Actually, the effective component in pinnothin is pinoleic acid that mimic the effect upon glucose on the brain.

Limitation of sugar and fat uptake from the digestive system

A forth effect of some drugs is reducing of uptake of fat and sugar from the intestines. This may be one by ingredients that bind to the sugar- and fat molecules to form larger complexes that are not absorbed, but instead are transported out by the stool. It may also be effected by ingredients that delay stomach emptying into the intestines. Gauarana extract also have this effect. Pinotin also has this effect.

Stimulation of muscle growth and improvement of fat-muscle ratio

Some ingredients used have a more complicated effect to stimulate muscle growth at the same time as the fat amount in the body is reduced. This effect do not reduce weight at once, since the muscle tissue grows, but the greater amount of muscle tissue will in the next turn burn more fat. Conjugated linoleic acid ( CLA ) is often used to give this effect.

The ingredients that stimulate physical activity will indirectly also stimulate muscle growth, since physical activity makes greater muscles.

To read more about health risks form obesity, please scroll down

Sites with more information about over-weight, obesity and diet programs

Comprehensive infromation about over-weight and weight loss How to get slim - some simple slimming instructions

Principles of natural weight loss products

Health risks form obesity and metabolic syndrome

About herbs that can help reduce excessive appetite

A survay of weight loss methods

Diet programs and obesity cures on the market - a survey

About physical and social causes of over-weight

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