INDIA: Lately, obesity has been a major problem in India and across the globe. Obesity is often confused with being overweight and is seen as a lifestyle irregularity caused majorly due to an individual’s eating patterns and lack of physical activity. However, obesity is not just this, it is a chronic disease.
Obesity has a direct and massive impact on the quality of life. With age, it can escalate to serious health issues including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and many other serious comorbidities.
It is a complex condition where excess body fat leads to problems in the way the body stores and utilizes energy. Thus, it is important to focus on understanding the body type and the root causes of weight gain and adopt a long-term holistic approach.
Healthcare practitioners recommend treatment beyond just diet and exercise for obese individuals and it needs extensive attention.
The stereotypes of obesity are associated with assumptions like personal irresponsibility, lack of willpower, or blaming other people for body shaming them. Obesity is not just disorderly body weight but needs lifelong management and care.
Obesity and its treatment
The obesity treatment should be personalized based on the factors such as sex, individual health risks, the degree, psycho-behavioral, metabolic characteristics, and the results of following a particular diet plan. An evaluation of hormonal and genetic factors of body type could also help in a customized therapy for a specific obese patient. A multilevel obesity management network working hand in hand will help achieve better results.
Acceptance of obesity in society is variable, body types and body positivity has been gaining acceptance which is good news. However, one must not ignore signs of obesity ostensibly with body positivity. Large proportions of patients who are obese or overweight are considered as normal body weight, which needs to be changed to avoid further deterioration of the condition.
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The person and their family need to be educated about obesity to understand the need for medical intervention to manage it. Obesity management is a medically intensive treatment strategy developed that caters to the patient’s lifestyle, preference, and condition together.
The treatment covers review and adjustments of medications, increased physical activity, nutrition support, counseling, and bariatric surgery if the patient is the right candidate.
