Beware of Complications from Obesity

Obesity is not just a matter of being overweight. High levels of fat put excessive strain on bones and organs in the body and risk of causing blockages in blood vessels that can cause disease. In the long run, this condition increases the risk of various chronic complications. Obesity is a condition where there is excess fat tissue in the body, in other words obesity. This is caused by high calorie intake, especially from fatty food sources and high sugar which is not processed into energy through activities such as sports. When high-calorie food intake is excessive, the body will store the excess calories in the form of fat tissue. However, the condition of obesity is complex, meaning that various factors can trigger obesity ranging from heredity, unhealthy eating patterns, psychological stress, consumption of drugs or suffering from certain diseases, and lifestyles that rarely exercise. How to determine it is quite simple, namely by calculating the Body Mass Index (BMI) with the formula body weight in kilograms divided by height in units of meters squared (BB / TB2). For the Indonesian population the normal weight range is 17.0-23.0 for women and 18.0-25.0 for men. Mild obesity if you get a BMI number ranges from 23.0-27.0 for women and 25.0-27.0 for men. Obesity is said if the BMI is greater than 27.0 for women and men. If left unchecked, over time this disease will cause various complications. In the medical world, complications are unexpected conditions that arise after certain situations, such as illness, treatment, or medical procedures. This condition complicates the situation that already exists. So complication is a disease that can arise as a result of certain diseases and aggravate the previous condition.

Various Diseases That Can Arise

In general, obesity and obesity complications affect the overall quality of life of a person, even shortening life expectancy. Not a few people who are obese feel social isolation, depression, shame, guilt, to low work performance. One of the many diseases associated with obesity is type 2 diabetes. The relationship between obesity and diabetes lies in insulin resistance, when the body cannot use insulin effectively. As a result, blood sugar levels increase. In addition, people who are obese are more at risk of experiencing various complications as follows:

• Hypertension.
• Heart disease.
• Stroke.
• Gallbladder disease.
• Osteoarthritis.
• Chronic low back pain.
• Periodontitis or gum disease.
• Skin disorders such as infection or inflammation of the skin folds.
• High triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or good cholesterol levels
• Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: fat accumulation in the liver.
• Metabolic syndrome is a combination of hypertension, high sugar levels, high triglycerides, and low HDL cholesterol.

For women who are obese, it is possible to experience irregular menstruation and infertility. Whereas obese men have a risk of experiencing sexual health disorders and erectile dysfunction. Pregnant women who are obese are also more at risk of developing preeclampsia, urinary tract infections, old pregnancy, postpartum infections, complications of caesarean section, to problems during labor. In addition, the risk of surgery and postoperatively in people with obesity will increase, such as the risk of blood clots, infections in surgical wounds, and pulmonary embolism. These conditions are serious complications which are at high risk of causing death, especially in obese people.

Triggering Respiratory Disorders

Respiratory disorders in obese people, such as sleep apnea. This condition can make breathing stop several times during sleep. This happens because the tissue in the larynx cannot open the airways due to obesity. This condition can trigger several diseases such as hypertension, heart failure, heart disease, arrhythmias, memory or cognitive impairment, depression, anxiety, GERD, and the most fatal complications, namely death. In addition, other respiratory disorders due to obesity include obesity hyperventilation syndrome or Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome (OHS), which is the body's inability to breathe deeply, causing high carbon dioxide and low oxygen levels in the blood. This situation is caused by overweight that squeezes the chest cavity as well as interference with the brain's control of breathing. Symptoms can be poor sleep quality, often sleepy during the day, depression, headaches, and fatigue.

Closely Associated with Cancer

Obesity is associated with various cancers such as endometrial cancer, colon and anal cancer, breast cancer, kidney cancer, pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer, gallbladder cancer, and thyroid cancer. This condition is thought to be motivated by various possibilities below:

• People with obesity generally have high insulin levels which can trigger several types of cancer.
• Fat cells produce high levels of estrogen which results in certain types of cancer. These cells also affect tumor growth and the production of the hormone adipokin which stimulates cell growth.
• The risk of cancer can increase because people with obesity experience mild inflammation that is chronic.

If it has caused complications, the condition needs to be treated immediately with obesity. Reducing weight slowly but stably is the recommended method. You can do this by changing your diet by increasing your intake of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, fish, and lean meats. Limit consumption of fats, especially saturated fats and alcohol. Regular exercise with moderate intensity such as swimming, walking leisurely, or cycling for 20-30 minutes per day and do it regularly. After exercising, the body will feel hungry, when hungry choose foods with balanced nutrition that is low in fat. And eat in moderation. The combination of a healthy diet and regular exercise is the main choice for weight loss. The use of drugs to reduce weight is another step if the previous method of ideal body weight is difficult to achieve, or if people with obesity are also found conditions such as diabetes, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, or stroke. The use of drugs to reduce weight in aesthetic purpose is not recommended. The list of complications from obesity above proves that this condition should not be left alone. Obesity and diseases that arise as complications of this condition need to be treated, for example maintaining blood pressure or blood sugar levels so as not to be too high with a healthy diet, regular exercise, and medication if needed. Consult your condition to your doctor to get a weight loss treatment with good diet and exercise counseling, weight-loss medication if needed, to surgery if indicated. One indication of surgery is extreme BMI (> 40.0) or if other methods have been tried but cannot lose weight. The usual surgical technique for treating obesity is bariatric surgery, with the aim of surgery being to reduce the size of the stomach and slow down the digestive process. However, this surgery can cause various complications such as thrombosis, anemia, and impaired nutrient absorption. No less important is changing your lifestyle to be healthier by renewing a healthy diet, resting, and exercising regularly.