By Yervand Kondrahjian | Staff Writer
Obesity is seldom taken as a medical issue that has dire consequences on individuals. In fact, according to the global burden of illness, the issue has reached epidemic proportions, with over 4 million people dying each year as a result of being overweight or obese in 2017. Except for Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, every area now has more overweight individuals than underweight ones. Formerly believed to be a problem only in high-income countries, overweight and obesity are now significantly on the rise even in low- and middle-income countries, especially in urban areas. Children who are overweight or obese make up a large portion of the population in developing countries. But why is obesity such a critical case in the health of the individual?
When discussing obesity, it is vital to mention that, regional distribution of body fat, which cannot be identified solely by “body-mass index” (BMI), is more clinically relevant than total body fat. Fat centralization, particularly intra-abdominal or visceral depots, is linked to various metabolic problems and illnesses. Several studies in adults have found a higher positive relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and abdominal adiposity (measured by waist circumference or waist-to-hip ratio) than with total adiposity (as measured by BMI). This shows how centralization and distribution of fat in the body account for a more significant role in the health of an individual than total body fat.
According to some studies, having a lot of visceral fat may be a risk factor for heart disease even if you have a normal BMI. This is important because many of us think that we are safe and healthy as our BMI indicates ideal values. This shows that when measuring an individual’s nutritional health, it is critical to include both BMI and waist circumference (or waist-to-hip ratio). In addition, obesity relates to various cardiometabolic disorders, including atherogenic dyslipidemia, high “triglycerides” and low “high-density lipids”, hyperglycemia, and raised blood pressure.
Several investigations have shown that adipocytes from the visceral abdominal area are more responsive to lipolytic stimuli and more resistant to insulin-induced lipolysis suppression than adipocytes from the gluteo-femoral subcutaneous regions. Excess “free fatty acids” from the visceral fat go straight to the liver through the portal vein. This means that an increased amount of these acids will not just flow to the liver, but also to the pancreas, skeletal muscle, liver, and adipose tissue, which will disrupt the glucose-fatty acid cycle, block glucose metabolism, and ultimately lead to insulin resistance. Excessive fatty acid release from visceral adipose tissue into the portal circulation may also potentially impair insulin production from pancreatic cells via lipotoxicity. This could have dire effects on the individual’s body and health.
However, all this is treatable and preventable. Of course, preventing such consequences in the first place is the right path to follow, since treating it does have its health and financial drawbacks. Obesity prevention programs with many components integrate educational, environmental, and behavioral activities and often address both physical activity and diet. Such interventions, which are frequently guided by experienced experts, entail in-person sessions, and provide opportunities for counseling, coaching, and support. So, simply following a healthy and balanced diet, coupled with a daily dose of exercise, can rid you of many obesity-related complications in the future.