Obesity

Obesity is in our age the most important health problem as in developed and developing countries. Generally the obesity is described as scaling up the desired level of body weight according to the length stature as a result of increasing extremely the rate of the fat mass of the body to lean mass.

What causes obesity ?

Although the exact cause is unknown, the most important causes are lack of physical activity, over nutrition and miseat. Besides, many conditions like environmental, genetic, physiological, biochemical, neurological, socio-cultural and psychological also affect obesity and the possibility to have obesity. Especially when we consider the increase in childhood obesity, we can see that the environmental factors are as effective as the change in genetic structures.

Other important risk factors are listed below

  • Revenue status
  • hormonal and metabolic factors
  • genetic factors
  • psychological problems
  • excessive and malnutrition habits
  • Frequent intermittent diet
  • insufficient physical activity
  • Age
  • Sex
  • Education level
  • socio-cultural factors
  • smoking-alcohol status
  • some medications used (antiquities, etc.)
  • Number of births and interbirth interval

What are the Obesity Treatments?

Medica Nutrition (Diet) Treatment: It is the most common treatment method to treat obesity. It is applied as below ;

  • The target is to reduce the body weight to the level that should be according to the height (BMI= 18.5 – 24.9 kg/m2). Medical nutrition (diet) is a personal treatment.

  • It is important that this diet, which will be applied for slimming, should be compatible with the principles of adequate and balanced nutrition. The main goal is to get a person to adopt the right nutrition habit and it should be ensured that this habit is maintained.

  • When the bodyweight reaches the required height level (BMI= 18.5 – 24.9 kg/m2), the person should be prevented to regain weight. After losing weight, a weight stabilization/maintenance program should be applied.

Exercise Treatment : Although it is still a matter of debate whether exercise therapy causes weight loss or not, it is definitely accepted that it prevents the loss of muscle mass during the diet and that physical activity reduces fat tissue and abdominal fat.

The basic rules to be followed during exercise therapy are as follows:

  • Exercise Type: Increase in daily life activities, walking, resistance exercises

  • Frequency of exercise: Every day or at least 5 days/week

  • time of exercise: 1 time per day, 40-60 20-30 min/2 times per day

  • Strength of Exercise: 50 to 70% of Maksimal oxygen consumption

Behavior modification treatment: In this treatment, it is intended to change the behaviors in general life while controlling body weight. It aims to change or reduce negative behaviors such as overeating and physical activity and to reinforce positive behaviors and make them a lifestyle. The steps of behavior change treatment are as follows:

  • Self-monitoring

  • Stimulus control

  • Alternate behavior development

  • Reinforcement, self-rewarding

  • Cognitive reconstruction

  • Social support

Pharmacological treatment: The medications in this treatment method are not suitable for people who are overweight. When using these medications , the most important points to be taken care of are that the medications are health-appropriate, non-addictive, have no side effects and must be used under the doctor’s control. To achieve a successful result, the patient must have .

Surgical treatment: Surgical treatment is divided into two main areas such as bariatric surgery and reconstructive surgery. Bariatric surgery is performed to reduce the energy which is taken with the foods and the main aim of this surgery is to reduce the absorption of nutrients in the gastrointestinal system. Some methods such as gastroplasty, gastric banding, bypass, gastric balloon etc. are used in this surgery. In reconstructive surgery, the aim is to remove existing fat tissues localized in various parts of the body. This area is more aesthetically oriented. If the patient does not follow the requirements of this post-reconstructive surgery, fat accumulation occurs again.

As Fortuna Health, we are at your service with our experienced Obesity team and the doctors we work with. We carry out the diagnosis and treatment process to be applied to our patients together with our specialist doctors and surgeons.