What is obesity?

Written by Tang Zhuo
Endocrinology
Updated on November 15, 2024
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Obesity is a common group of metabolic syndromes, which occurs when the caloric intake of a human body exceeds its caloric expenditure. The excess calories are then stored in the body in the form of fat. When this amount exceeds normal physiological needs and reaches a certain value, it evolves into obesity. There are many methods for assessing obesity, including anthropometry, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, ultrasound, CT, infrared sensing valves, and others. Obesity without a clear pathological cause is referred to as simple obesity, while obesity with a defined pathological cause is referred to as secondary obesity. The causes of obesity are of two types: one is primarily due to excessive diet and insufficient activity, where caloric intake exceeds caloric expenditure; the other is obesity caused by disorders of fat metabolism.

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Written by Zhang Jun Jun
Endocrinology
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Can people with obesity do yoga?

Overall, individuals with obesity can still practice yoga, as obesity is a condition of nutritional excess and yoga is an aerobic exercise that can increase metabolic rate in the body, achieving a weight loss effect. However, there are many causes of obesity. Primarily, there is simple obesity, for which yoga can be helpful and can reduce body weight. If obesity is secondary, particularly induced by excessive use of steroids and conditions like Cushing's syndrome, yoga can be an appropriate form of exercise, but it is crucial to address the root cause. If the obesity is due to nodules on the adrenal gland, further surgical treatment might be necessary. Therefore, whether individuals with obesity can practice yoga also depends on their physical strength and other personal health conditions, including heart, liver, and kidney functions.

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Written by Tang Zhuo
Endocrinology
1min 29sec home-news-image

Obesity is formed in what way?

Obesity, also known as adiposity, is a chronic metabolic disorder caused by an excessive accumulation of fat in the body or abnormal fat distribution. The exact causes of obesity are not clear, but it is generally believed to be the result of the interaction of multiple factors including environmental and genetic factors. In terms of environmental factors, there is a tendency for obesity to cluster in families; individuals with one or both parents who are obese have a significantly increased likelihood of being obese themselves. The second factor is environmental influences. Consuming more calories than are expended is the primary cause of obesity. Additionally, sedentary lifestyles, lack of physical exercise, and insufficient physical activity all contribute to reduced energy expenditure, leading to obesity. Poor dietary habits, such as eating large portions, a preference for sweets, or oily foods, also increase calorie intake and contribute to the occurrence of obesity. Furthermore, genetic mutations can also lead to obesity. Another viewpoint suggests that childhood obesity can increase the incidence of adult obesity, with people who were obese after the age of six having a more than 50% chance of being obese in adulthood.

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Written by Li Lang Bo
Endocrinology
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Can people with obesity run?

The treatment of obesity mainly involves controlling diet and increasing exercise, which means "watch your mouth and move your legs." Therefore, running is definitely an option. However, for those who are severely obese, with a BMI over 30, excessive running might be too much for the knee joints to handle. For obese patients, brisk walking is primarily recommended. Another good form of exercise is swimming, which can protect the joints under the pressure of water while also burning calories. Therefore, people with obesity can run, but it depends on the situation and should not be rushed. For those who are severely obese, swimming is recommended as a way to help reduce weight.

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Written by Luo Juan
Endocrinology
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Obesity.

Obesity is a metabolic disease that occurs when the caloric intake of the human body exceeds the calories burned. The surplus calories are stored in the body as fat. When the amount of accumulated fat exceeds the normal physiological needs and reaches a certain level, it develops into obesity. Therefore, obesity is the manifestation of excess calories stored as fat in the body. There are many methods to assess obesity, with the Body Mass Index (BMI) being one of the most common. The formula for calculating BMI is weight divided by height squared. In China, a BMI of 28 or greater is generally considered obese.

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Written by Yang Li
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Can obesity get pregnant?

Obesity firstly needs to be differentiated, whether it is a type of physiological obesity or a pathological obesity, such as diseases of the growth gland, Cushing's syndrome, etc., which cause pathological obesity. In this case, some corresponding examinations are required for differentiation. If it is simple obesity, further tests for insulin resistance, blood glucose, blood lipids, and other metabolic indicators are necessary to determine if they are normal, as well as liver and kidney functions. If these conditions are all acceptable, pregnancy is possible. However, it is still important to monitor these indicators during pregnancy. Obesity is not an absolute contraindication for pregnancy, but of course, it is best to control the weight before getting pregnant.