causes and effects of obesity short essay

Causes and Effects of Obesity Essay

Introduction, laziness as the main cause of obesity, social effects of obesity, effects of obesity: health complications.

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Maintaining good body weight is highly recommended by medical doctors as a way of promoting a healthy status of the body. This is to say that there is allowed body weight, which a person is supposed to maintain. Extreme deviations from this weight expose a person to several health complications.

While being underweight is not encouraged, cases of people who are overweight and increasing effects of this condition have raised concerns over the need of addressing the issue of obesity in the society today, where statistics are rising day and night. What is obesity? This refers to a medical condition in which a person’s body has high accumulation of body fat to the level of being fatal or a cause of serious health complications. Additionally, obesity is highly associated with one’s body mass index, abbreviated as BMI.

This denotes the value obtained when a person’s weight in kilograms is divided by the square of their height in meters (Burniat 3). According to medical experts, obesity occurs when the BMI exceeds 30kg/m 2 . While this is the case, people who have a BMI of between 25 and 29 and considered to be overweight. Obesity has a wide-range of negative effects, which may be a threat to the life of a person.

The fist effect of obesity is that it encourages laziness in the society. It is doubtless that obese people find it hard and strenuous to move from one point to the other because of accumulated fats. As a result, most of these people lead a sedentary lifestyle, which is usually characterized by minimal or no movement. In such scenarios, victims prefer being helped doing basic activities, including moving from one point to another.

Moreover, laziness makes one to be inactive and unproductive. For example, a student who is obese may find it hard to attend to his or her homework and class assignments, thus affecting performance. With regard to physical exercises, obese people perceive exercises as punishment, which is not meant for them (Korbonits 265). As a result, they do not accept simple activities like jogging because of their inability to move.

In line with this, obese people cannot participate in games like soccer, athletics, and rugby among others. Based on this sedentary lifestyle, obese people spend a lot of their time watching television, movies, and playing video games, which worsen the situation.

The main effect of obesity is health complications. Research indicates that most of the killer diseases like diabetes, heart diseases, and high blood pressure are largely associated with obesity. In the United States, obesity-related complications cost the nation approximately 150 billion USD and result into 0.3 million premature deaths annually.

When there is increase in body fat, it means that the body requires more nutrients and oxygen to support body tissues (Burniat 223). Since these elements can only be transported by the blood to various parts of the body, the workload of the heart is increased.

This increase in the workload of the heart exerts pressure on blood vessels, leading to high blood pressure. An increase in the heart rate may also be dangerous due to the inability of the body to supply required blood to various parts. Moreover, obesity causes diabetes, especially among adults as the body may become resistant to insulin. This resistance may lead to a high level of blood sugar, which is fatal.

Besides health complications, obesity causes an array of psychological effects, including inferiority complex among victims. Obese people suffer from depression, emanating from negative self-esteem and societal rejection. In some cases, people who become obese lose their friends and may get disapproval from teachers and other personalities (Korbonits 265). This is mainly based on the assumption that people become obese due to lack of self-discipline. In extreme cases, obese people may not be considered for promotion at workplaces, because of the negative perception held against them.

Due to inferiority complex, obese people avoid being in public and prefer being alone. This is because they imagine how the world sees them and may also find it hard being involved in public activities because of their sizes.

This further makes them to consider themselves unattractive based on their deviation from what is considered as the normal body size and shape. Regardless of how obese people are treated, they always believe that they are being undermined because of their body size.

In summary, obesity is a major cause of premature deaths in the United States and around the world. This health condition occurs when there is excess accumulation of body fat, caused by unhealthy lifestyles. Obesity is largely associated with several killer diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, and diseases of the heart.

These diseases drain world economies since most of them are fatal and expensive to manage. Additionally, obesity promotes sedentary life where victims minimize movement by adopting an inactive lifestyle. Moreover, obese victims suffer psychologically because of societal rejection. In general, obesity has a wide-range of negative effects, which may be a threat to the life of a person.

Burniat, Walter. Child and Adolescent Obesity: Causes and Consequences, Prevention and Management . United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Print.

Korbonits, Márta. Obesity and Metabolism . Switzerland: Karger Publishers, 2008. Print.

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Essay on Obesity

List of essays on obesity, essay on obesity – short essay (essay 1 – 150 words), essay on obesity (essay 2 – 250 words), essay on obesity – written in english (essay 3 – 300 words), essay on obesity – for school students (class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 standard) (essay 4 – 400 words), essay on obesity – for college students (essay 5 – 500 words), essay on obesity – with causes and treatment (essay 6 – 600 words), essay on obesity – for science students (essay 7 – 750 words), essay on obesity – long essay for medical students (essay 8 – 1000 words).

Obesity is a chronic health condition in which the body fat reaches abnormal level. Obesity occurs when we consume much more amount of food than our body really needs on a daily basis. In other words, when the intake of calories is greater than the calories we burn out, it gives rise to obesity.

Audience: The below given essays are exclusively written for school students (Class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 Standard), college, science and medical students.

Introduction:

Obesity means being excessively fat. A person would be said to be obese if his or her body mass index is beyond 30. Such a person has a body fat rate that is disproportionate to his body mass.

Obesity and the Body Mass Index:

The body mass index is calculated considering the weight and height of a person. Thus, it is a scientific way of determining the appropriate weight of any person. When the body mass index of a person indicates that he or she is obese, it exposes the person to make health risk.

Stopping Obesity:

There are two major ways to get the body mass index of a person to a moderate rate. The first is to maintain a strict diet. The second is to engage in regular physical exercise. These two approaches are aimed at reducing the amount of fat in the body.

Conclusion:

Obesity can lead to sudden death, heart attack, diabetes and may unwanted illnesses. Stop it by making healthy choices.

Obesity has become a big concern for the youth of today’s generation. Obesity is defined as a medical condition in which an individual gains excessive body fat. When the Body Mass Index (BMI) of a person is over 30, he/ she is termed as obese.

Obesity can be a genetic problem or a disorder that is caused due to unhealthy lifestyle habits of a person. Physical inactivity and the environment in which an individual lives, are also the factors that leads to obesity. It is also seen that when some individuals are in stress or depression, they start cultivating unhealthy eating habits which eventually leads to obesity. Medications like steroids is yet another reason for obesity.

Obesity has several serious health issues associated with it. Some of the impacts of obesity are diabetes, increase of cholesterol level, high blood pressure, etc. Social impacts of obesity includes loss of confidence in an individual, lowering of self-esteem, etc.

The risks of obesity needs to be prevented. This can be done by adopting healthy eating habits, doing some physical exercise regularly, avoiding stress, etc. Individuals should work on weight reduction in order to avoid obesity.

Obesity is indeed a health concern and needs to be prioritized. The management of obesity revolves around healthy eating habits and physical activity. Obesity, if not controlled in its initial stage can cause many severe health issues. So it is wiser to exercise daily and maintain a healthy lifestyle rather than being the victim of obesity.

Obesity can be defined as the clinical condition where accumulation of excessive fat takes place in the adipose tissue leading to worsening of health condition. Usually, the fat is deposited around the trunk and also the waist of the body or even around the periphery.

Obesity is actually a disease that has been spreading far and wide. It is preventable and certain measures are to be taken to curb it to a greater extend. Both in the developing and developed countries, obesity has been growing far and wide affecting the young and the old equally.

The alarming increase in obesity has resulted in stimulated death rate and health issues among the people. There are several methods adopted to lose weight and they include different diet types, physical activity and certain changes in the current lifestyle. Many of the companies are into minting money with the concept of inviting people to fight obesity.

In patients associated with increased risk factor related to obesity, there are certain drug therapies and other procedures adopted to lose weight. There are certain cost effective ways introduced by several companies to enable clinic-based weight loss programs.

Obesity can lead to premature death and even cause Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Cardiovascular diseases have also become the part and parcel of obese people. It includes stroke, hypertension, gall bladder disease, coronary heart disease and even cancers like breast cancer, prostate cancer, endometrial cancer and colon cancer. Other less severe arising due to obesity includes osteoarthritis, gastro-esophageal reflux disease and even infertility.

Hence, serious measures are to be taken to fight against this dreadful phenomenon that is spreading its wings far and wide. Giving proper education on benefits of staying fit and mindful eating is as important as curbing this issue. Utmost importance must be given to healthy eating habits right from the small age so that they follow the same until the end of their life.

Obesity is majorly a lifestyle disease attributed to the extra accumulation of fat in the body leading to negative health effects on a person. Ironically, although prevalent at a large scale in many countries, including India, it is one of the most neglect health problems. It is more often ignored even if told by the doctor that the person is obese. Only when people start acquiring other health issues such as heart disease, blood pressure or diabetes, they start taking the problem of obesity seriously.

Obesity Statistics in India:

As per a report, India happens to figure as the third country in the world with the most obese people. This should be a troubling fact for India. However, we are yet to see concrete measures being adopted by the people to remain fit.

Causes of Obesity:

Sedentary lifestyle, alcohol, junk food, medications and some diseases such as hypothyroidism are considered as the factors which lead to obesity. Even children seem to be glued to televisions, laptops and video games which have taken away the urge for physical activities from them. Adding to this, the consumption of junk food has further aggravated the growing problem of obesity in children.

In the case of adults, most of the professions of today make use of computers which again makes people sit for long hours in one place. Also, the hectic lifestyle of today makes it difficult for people to spare time for physical activities and people usually remain stressed most of the times. All this has contributed significantly to the rise of obesity in India.

Obesity and BMI:

Body Mass Index (BMI) is the measure which allows a person to calculate how to fit he or she is. In other words, the BMI tells you if you are obese or not. BMI is calculated by dividing the weight of a person in kg with the square of his / her height in metres. The number thus obtained is called the BMI. A BMI of less than 25 is considered optimal. However, if a person has a BMI over 30 he/she is termed as obese.

What is a matter of concern is that with growing urbanisation there has been a rapid increase of obese people in India? It is of utmost importance to consider this health issue a serious threat to the future of our country as a healthy body is important for a healthy soul. We should all be mindful of what we eat and what effect it has on our body. It is our utmost duty to educate not just ourselves but others as well about this serious health hazard.

Obesity can be defined as a condition (medical) that is the accumulation of body fat to an extent that the excess fat begins to have a lot of negative effects on the health of the individual. Obesity is determined by examining the body mass index (BMI) of the person. The BMI is gotten by dividing the weight of the person in kilogram by the height of the person squared.

When the BMI of a person is more than 30, the person is classified as being obese, when the BMI falls between 25 and 30, the person is said to be overweight. In a few countries in East Asia, lower values for the BMI are used. Obesity has been proven to influence the likelihood and risk of many conditions and disease, most especially diabetes of type 2, cardiovascular diseases, sleeplessness that is obstructive, depression, osteoarthritis and some cancer types.

In most cases, obesity is caused through a combination of genetic susceptibility, a lack of or inadequate physical activity, excessive intake of food. Some cases of obesity are primarily caused by mental disorder, medications, endocrine disorders or genes. There is no medical data to support the fact that people suffering from obesity eat very little but gain a lot of weight because of slower metabolism. It has been discovered that an obese person usually expends much more energy than other people as a result of the required energy that is needed to maintain a body mass that is increased.

It is very possible to prevent obesity with a combination of personal choices and social changes. The major treatments are exercising and a change in diet. We can improve the quality of our diet by reducing our consumption of foods that are energy-dense like those that are high in sugars or fat and by trying to increase our dietary fibre intake.

We can also accompany the appropriate diet with the use of medications to help in reducing appetite and decreasing the absorption of fat. If medication, exercise and diet are not yielding any positive results, surgery or gastric balloon can also be carried out to decrease the volume of the stomach and also reduce the intestines’ length which leads to the feel of the person get full early or a reduction in the ability to get and absorb different nutrients from a food.

Obesity is the leading cause of ill-health and death all over the world that is preventable. The rate of obesity in children and adults has drastically increased. In 2015, a whopping 12 percent of adults which is about 600 million and about 100 million children all around the world were found to be obese.

It has also been discovered that women are more obese than men. A lot of government and private institutions and bodies have stated that obesity is top of the list of the most difficult and serious problems of public health that we have in the world today. In the world we live today, there is a lot of stigmatisation of obese people.

We all know how troubling the problem of obesity truly is. It is mainly a form of a medical condition wherein the body tends to accumulate excessive fat which in turn has negative repercussions on the health of an individual.

Given the current lifestyle and dietary style, it has become more common than ever. More and more people are being diagnosed with obesity. Such is its prevalence that it has been termed as an epidemic in the USA. Those who suffer from obesity are at a much higher risk of diabetes, heart diseases and even cancer.

In order to gain a deeper understanding of obesity, it is important to learn what the key causes of obesity are. In a layman term, if your calorie consumption exceeds what you burn because of daily activities and exercises, it is likely to lead to obesity. It is caused over a prolonged period of time when your calorie intake keeps exceeding the calories burned.

Here are some of the key causes which are known to be the driving factors for obesity.

If your diet tends to be rich in fat and contains massive calorie intake, you are all set to suffer from obesity.

Sedentary Lifestyle:

With most people sticking to their desk jobs and living a sedentary lifestyle, the body tends to get obese easily.

Of course, the genetic framework has a lot to do with obesity. If your parents are obese, the chance of you being obese is quite high.

The weight which women gain during their pregnancy can be very hard to shed and this is often one of the top causes of obesity.

Sleep Cycle:

If you are not getting an adequate amount of sleep, it can have an impact on the hormones which might trigger hunger signals. Overall, these linked events tend to make you obese.

Hormonal Disorder:

There are several hormonal changes which are known to be direct causes of obesity. The imbalance of the thyroid stimulating hormone, for instance, is one of the key factors when it comes to obesity.

Now that we know the key causes, let us look at the possible ways by which you can handle it.

Treatment for Obesity:

As strange as it may sound, the treatment for obesity is really simple. All you need to do is follow the right diet and back it with an adequate amount of exercise. If you can succeed in doing so, it will give you the perfect head-start into your journey of getting in shape and bidding goodbye to obesity.

There are a lot of different kinds and styles of diet plans for obesity which are available. You can choose the one which you deem fit. We recommend not opting for crash dieting as it is known to have several repercussions and can make your body terribly weak.

The key here is to stick to a balanced diet which can help you retain the essential nutrients, minerals, and, vitamins and shed the unwanted fat and carbs.

Just like the diet, there are several workout plans for obesity which are available. It is upon you to find out which of the workout plan seems to be apt for you. Choose cardio exercises and dance routines like Zumba to shed the unwanted body weight. Yoga is yet another method to get rid of obesity.

So, follow a blend of these and you will be able to deal with the trouble of obesity in no time. We believe that following these tips will help you get rid of obesity and stay in shape.

Obesity and overweight is a top health concern in the world due to the impact it has on the lives of individuals. Obesity is defined as a condition in which an individual has excessive body fat and is measured using the body mass index (BMI) such that, when an individual’s BMI is above 30, he or she is termed obese. The BMI is calculated using body weight and height and it is different for all individuals.

Obesity has been determined as a risk factor for many diseases. It results from dietary habits, genetics, and lifestyle habits including physical inactivity. Obesity can be prevented so that individuals do not end up having serious complications and health problems. Chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart diseases and relate to obesity in terms of causes and complications.

Factors Influencing Obesity:

Obesity is not only as a result of lifestyle habits as most people put it. There are other important factors that influence obesity. Genetics is one of those factors. A person could be born with genes that predispose them to obesity and they will also have difficulty in losing weight because it is an inborn factor.

The environment also influences obesity because the diet is similar in certain environs. In certain environments, like school, the food available is fast foods and the chances of getting healthy foods is very low, leading to obesity. Also, physical inactivity is an environmental factor for obesity because some places have no fields or tracks where people can jog or maybe the place is very unsafe and people rarely go out to exercise.

Mental health affects the eating habits of individuals. There is a habit of stress eating when a person is depressed and it could result in overweight or obesity if the person remains unhealthy for long period of time.

The overall health of individuals also matter. If a person is unwell and is prescribed with steroids, they may end up being obese. Steroidal medications enable weight gain as a side effect.

Complications of Obesity:

Obesity is a health concern because its complications are severe. Significant social and health problems are experienced by obese people. Socially, they will be bullied and their self-esteem will be low as they will perceive themselves as unworthy.

Chronic illnesses like diabetes results from obesity. Diabetes type 2 has been directly linked to obesity. This condition involves the increased blood sugars in the body and body cells are not responding to insulin as they should. The insulin in the body could also be inadequate due to decreased production. High blood sugar concentrations result in symptoms like frequent hunger, thirst and urination. The symptoms of complicated stages of diabetes type 2 include loss of vision, renal failure and heart failure and eventually death. The importance of having a normal BMI is the ability of the body to control blood sugars.

Another complication is the heightened blood pressures. Obesity has been defined as excessive body fat. The body fat accumulates in blood vessels making them narrow. Narrow blood vessels cause the blood pressures to rise. Increased blood pressure causes the heart to start failing in its physiological functions. Heart failure is the end result in this condition of increased blood pressures.

There is a significant increase in cholesterol in blood of people who are obese. High blood cholesterol levels causes the deposition of fats in various parts of the body and organs. Deposition of fats in the heart and blood vessels result in heart diseases. There are other conditions that result from hypercholesterolemia.

Other chronic illnesses like cancer can also arise from obesity because inflammation of body cells and tissues occurs in order to store fats in obese people. This could result in abnormal growths and alteration of cell morphology. The abnormal growths could be cancerous.

Management of Obesity:

For the people at risk of developing obesity, prevention methods can be implemented. Prevention included a healthy diet and physical activity. The diet and physical activity patterns should be regular and realizable to avoid strains that could result in complications.

Some risk factors for obesity are non-modifiable for example genetics. When a person in genetically predisposed, the lifestyle modifications may be have help.

For the individuals who are already obese, they can work on weight reduction through healthy diets and physical exercises.

In conclusion, obesity is indeed a major health concern because the health complications are very serious. Factors influencing obesity are both modifiable and non-modifiable. The management of obesity revolves around diet and physical activity and so it is important to remain fit.

In olden days, obesity used to affect only adults. However, in the present time, obesity has become a worldwide problem that hits the kids as well. Let’s find out the most prevalent causes of obesity.

Factors Causing Obesity:

Obesity can be due to genetic factors. If a person’s family has a history of obesity, chances are high that he/ she would also be affected by obesity, sooner or later in life.

The second reason is having a poor lifestyle. Now, there are a variety of factors that fall under the category of poor lifestyle. An excessive diet, i.e., eating more than you need is a definite way to attain the stage of obesity. Needless to say, the extra calories are changed into fat and cause obesity.

Junk foods, fried foods, refined foods with high fats and sugar are also responsible for causing obesity in both adults and kids. Lack of physical activity prevents the burning of extra calories, again, leading us all to the path of obesity.

But sometimes, there may also be some indirect causes of obesity. The secondary reasons could be related to our mental and psychological health. Depression, anxiety, stress, and emotional troubles are well-known factors of obesity.

Physical ailments such as hypothyroidism, ovarian cysts, and diabetes often complicate the physical condition and play a massive role in abnormal weight gain.

Moreover, certain medications, such as steroids, antidepressants, and contraceptive pills, have been seen interfering with the metabolic activities of the body. As a result, the long-term use of such drugs can cause obesity. Adding to that, regular consumption of alcohol and smoking are also connected to the condition of obesity.

Harmful Effects of Obesity:

On the surface, obesity may look like a single problem. But, in reality, it is the mother of several major health issues. Obesity simply means excessive fat depositing into our body including the arteries. The drastic consequence of such high cholesterol levels shows up in the form of heart attacks and other life-threatening cardiac troubles.

The fat deposition also hampers the elasticity of the arteries. That means obesity can cause havoc in our body by altering the blood pressure to an abnormal range. And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Obesity is known to create an endless list of problems.

In extreme cases, this disorder gives birth to acute diseases like diabetes and cancer. The weight gain due to obesity puts a lot of pressure on the bones of the body, especially of the legs. This, in turn, makes our bones weak and disturbs their smooth movement. A person suffering from obesity also has higher chances of developing infertility issues and sleep troubles.

Many obese people are seen to be struggling with breathing problems too. In the chronic form, the condition can grow into asthma. The psychological effects of obesity are another serious topic. You can say that obesity and depression form a loop. The more a person is obese, the worse is his/ her depression stage.

How to Control and Treat Obesity:

The simplest and most effective way, to begin with, is changing our diet. There are two factors to consider in the diet plan. First is what and what not to eat. Second is how much to eat.

If you really want to get rid of obesity, include more and more green vegetables in your diet. Spinach, beans, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, etc., have enough vitamins and minerals and quite low calories. Other healthier options are mushrooms, pumpkin, beetroots, and sweet potatoes, etc.

Opt for fresh fruits, especially citrus fruits, and berries. Oranges, grapes, pomegranate, pineapple, cherries, strawberries, lime, and cranberries are good for the body. They have low sugar content and are also helpful in strengthening our immune system. Eating the whole fruits is a more preferable way in comparison to gulping the fruit juices. Fruits, when eaten whole, have more fibers and less sugar.

Consuming a big bowl of salad is also great for dealing with the obesity problem. A salad that includes fibrous foods such as carrots, radish, lettuce, tomatoes, works better at satiating the hunger pangs without the risk of weight gain.

A high protein diet of eggs, fish, lean meats, etc., is an excellent choice to get rid of obesity. Take enough of omega fatty acids. Remember to drink plenty of water. Keeping yourself hydrated is a smart way to avoid overeating. Water also helps in removing the toxins and excess fat from the body.

As much as possible, avoid fats, sugars, refined flours, and oily foods to keep the weight in control. Control your portion size. Replace the three heavy meals with small and frequent meals during the day. Snacking on sugarless smoothies, dry fruits, etc., is much recommended.

Regular exercise plays an indispensable role in tackling the obesity problem. Whenever possible, walk to the market, take stairs instead of a lift. Physical activity can be in any other form. It could be a favorite hobby like swimming, cycling, lawn tennis, or light jogging.

Meditation and yoga are quite powerful practices to drive away the stress, depression and thus, obesity. But in more serious cases, meeting a physician is the most appropriate strategy. Sometimes, the right medicines and surgical procedures are necessary to control the health condition.

Obesity is spreading like an epidemic, haunting both the adults and the kids. Although genetic factors and other physical ailments play a role, the problem is mostly caused by a reckless lifestyle.

By changing our way of living, we can surely take control of our health. In other words, it would be possible to eliminate the condition of obesity from our lives completely by leading a healthy lifestyle.

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The Causes and Effects of Obesity

Introduction.

Today, obesity is one of the most common diseases in many countries. Obesity is not so dangerous but leads to several complications and causes many life-threatening diseases. Currently, many ways to treat and prevent obesity often do not require medication intervention but only a human lifestyle change. Nevertheless, more and more research is needed to encourage more people to make these necessary changes for their health. Hence, the study, diagnosis, and prevention of obesity are one of the highest priorities in modern medicine.

Causes of obesity

There are two large groups of causes of obesity. Blucher (2019) writes that most of the cases of obesity worldwide are related to improper lifestyle, and only a minor one has a connection with a person’s hormonal background or genetic predisposition. Starting with the first and more prominent group of causes of the development of this disease, it is worth noting improper diet and lack of sufficient physical activity. It is also worth noting that in the study of the causes of obesity, prevention means the ways to avoid the reasons that create this illness.

Improper nutrition

Even in the scientific community, there is a great deal of debate about the definition of good nutrition. Still, several universal tips can serve as a prevention of obesity. Safaei (2021), for example, highlights eating the optimal daily caloric intake for one’s body type, avoiding junk foods, which often include convenience foods and fast food, eating small meals frequently during the day, etc. All these recommendations are directly related to the causes of obesity, which in its essence is related to the receipt of the body more calories than it has time to use up. Despite their caloric content, fast food, sugary drinks, and other unhealthy foods cause the body to feel poorly satiated with food, are poorly digested, and lead to a person consuming more calories than they need.

A passive lifestyle

It’s no secret that modern man is spending more and more of his time at the computer or in front of the phone screen. The availability of cars, the development of electronics, and other global trends have made the lifestyle of the modern man more passive, which hurts his figure. In addition to learning how to get the right calories, the body needs to consume them correctly. Otherwise, the muscle tissue begins to participate poorly in processing fat. Low physical activity and a sedentary lifestyle, which can be due to his professional duties and a way of spending ordinary leisure time, lead to the fact that a person’s body begins to deposit fatty accumulations, which leads to obesity. Unfortunately, modern man is often forced to spend most of his life in a sedentary position, and the lack of time and ideas of careerism lead to the fact that people eat fast and affordable food instead of healthy, forgetting about their health.

Internal factors of obesity

Meldrum (2017) writes about another critical group of reasons why people can be obese a set of failures in the internal organs and systems of the person. It includes various endocrine diseases, brain tumors, the influence of hormonal drugs, or genetic heredity associated with a lack of enzymes responsible for the breakdown of fats. All of these causes are less common and require medical attention to address the cause of the problem. In this case, obesity is instead a symptom of other diseases, which in any case can lead to the development of other pathologies in the body. Incidentally, there are also psychological reasons for the development of obesity associated with stress, long-term depression, insomnia, and other psychological diseases that affect the hormonal background of the person, and consequently on the work of his digestion, feelings of satisfaction with food, etc.

Effects of obesity

Obesity is a factor that increases the risk of many other internal human diseases. The World Health Organization, in a 2020 report, warns that obesity causes respiratory and heart failure, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and arthritis and can lead to the development of diabetes and some cancers. Blucher (2019) also wrote that obesity is a multifactorial disease, the essence of which refers not only to excess weight but also to changes in the functioning of all internal organs of a person. It is also noted that excess weight has a detrimental effect on the bones and joints, forced to be overloaded constantly, which can lead to diseases characteristic of the older part of society.

Causes of atherosclerosis development

In addition to the problem of obesity itself and the consequences it causes, several comorbidities also lead to severe complications. For example, obesity is almost always accompanied by high cholesterol levels in a person’s blood, significant accumulations that block blood circulation, narrowing, and sometimes even clogging an artery. It is just one of the principles obesity influences the development of other diseases, often leading to a patient’s premature death.

The relationship between obesity and diabetes

Diabetes is another example of the development of a chronic disease caused by excess weight. Of course, not all overweight people get diabetes, but the disease is several times more common in those who are obese. It is because obese people have increased insulin secretion, leading to higher blood glucose levels. Thus, obesity can lead to the development of a chronic disease that requires a change in a person’s entire lifestyle.

Difficulties arising from obesity

Finally, being overweight creates difficulties in a person’s life. People who are obese are susceptible to more rapid exhaustion and have difficulty performing physical activities. Increased shortness of breath, fatigue, and many other symptoms of obesity also make the person uncomfortable in everyday life. The exact consequences of obesity can include problems with sexual activity in men because excess weight interferes with the average production of the male hormone testosterone. Thus, in addition to increasing the chance of developing other diseases, obesity can interfere with a person’s daily life and negatively affect their reproductive function and hormonal background.

Thus, poor diet and inactivity are the main, but not the only, causes of obesity in humans. Several genetic, hormonal, and psychological diseases can cause this, but the underlying cause must be treated first. Obesity is a considerable danger to human civilization, as it leads to several severe diseases of many human internal organs, which significantly reduces the average life expectancy of a person due to the accumulation of problems with age and their increasing danger. A wealth of literature on avoiding obesity often boils down to maintaining an active lifestyle and eating a proper diet. It could reduce the burden on the already ecologically weakened human body, reduce the risk of many serious diseases, and prolong life.

Blucher, M. (2019). Obesity: global epidemiology and pathogenesis. Nature Reviews Endocrinology , 15 (5), 288-298.

Meldrum, D. R., Morris, M. A., & Gambone, J. C. (2017). Obesity pandemic: causes, consequences, and solutions—but do we have the will?. Fertility and sterility , 107 (4), 833-839

Safaei, M., Sundararajan, E. A., Driss, M., Boulila, W., & Shapi’i, A. (2021). A systematic literature review on obesity: Understanding the causes & consequences of obesity and reviewing various machine learning approaches used to predict obesity. Computers in biology and medicine , 136 , 104754.

World Health Organization. (2020). Overweight and obesity.

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Obesity in America: Cause and Effect Essay Sample

It is clear that the American lifestyle has contributed to the increasing prevalence of obesity. With estimates from the Washington-based Centers for Disease Prevention in the Department of Health and Human Services indicating that one in three American adults is overweight, it is evident that the country is facing an obesity epidemic. To better understand the causes and effects of obesity, research is needed to further explore the issue. For those struggling with obesity, coursework assistance may be available to help them make the necessary lifestyle changes in order to live a healthier life.

Writing a thesis paper on the topic of obesity can be extremely challenging. It requires extensive research and time to adequately cover the subject. However, there are services available that can provide assistance with the writing process. Pay for a thesis allows for the benefit of having an experienced professional provide guidance and support throughout the entire process.

Causes of Obesity

Every phenomenon must have a reason. In order to write a cause and effect essay , you need to analyze the topic carefully to cover all aspects. Obesity is considered to be a complex illness, with a number of factors contributing to its development. These can be:

• hereditary;

As you may have guessed, it is the latter category of causes and effects that we are interested in. At this point, we care about the five ones that have made the biggest contribution.

Product Range

The main cause of obesity is junk food and an unbalanced diet rich in simple carbohydrates, fats, and sugars, plus a bunch of additives. Manufactured, processed, refined, and packaged meals are the most popular. Thanks to advances in technology, Americans have come to mass-produce meals that keep fresh longer and taste better. It takes less time to prepare unhealthy, processed foods in the microwave than it does to cook them yourself.

Lack of a work-life balance, high-stress levels, insufficient sleeping hours contribute to body weight gain. Not only do these factors contribute to this, but failing to take the time to do your homework can also have a negative impact on your physical health. Without a healthy, balanced approach to work, rest, and play, you may find yourself increasingly dependent on a sedentary lifestyle that can lead to overweight consequences. Many Americans work 50, 60, or more hours a week and suffer from a deficit of leisure hours. Cooking processed foods saves them hours and money, even though they end up costing them a lot more – by causing cardiovascular disease. In addition, obese people feel stressed on a regular basis in the United States metropolitan areas. Many of them are simply binge eating under the influence of negative emotions. Chronic overeating leads to a disturbance in the appetite center in the brain, and the normal amount of food eaten can no longer suppress hunger as much as necessary, affecting the body mass.

Food Deserts

The term ‘ food desert ‘ refers to poor areas (urban, suburban and rural) with limited access to fresh fruit, grains, and vegetables – places where it is much easier to access junk food. A grocery shop in a food desert that sells healthy foods may be 10-15 miles away, while a mini-market or cheap shop that sells harmful snacks is close to the house. In such a world, it takes much more effort to eat healthier, form eating habits, and stay slim.

Everyone’s Passion for Sweets

Consuming sweets in large quantities is addictive: the more and easier we give the body energy, the more the brain uses serotonin and dopamine to encourage it – it will make obese people want sweets again and again during the day. Cakes and pastries are fast carbohydrates that easily satisfy hunger and increase body mass. Despite the harm of sweets, obese people experience the need for them to satiate. Sweetened carbonated drinks are one of the main sources of sugar in the American diet. Moreover, some individuals may be more adversely affected by such diets than others: patients with a genetic predisposition to obesity gain body mass faster from sugary drinks than those without it. This leads to childhood obesity.

The Harm of Tolerance

Every year, the body positive movement is becoming more and more popular all over the world. It would seem that this major trend should have freed us from the problems associated with the cult of thinness and society’s notorious standards. In many ways, a positive attitude towards the body has proved fruitful. For example, the notion of beauty has clearly broadened. Now on fashion shows and magazine covers, you can see not only a girl with perfectly retouched skin and without a single hint of body fat but also an ordinary person with its inherent features: overweight, wrinkles, hair, and individual skin features. In general, all the things that we are all so familiar with in real life.

Does it really make that much sense? Is this a positive thing in terms of the cause and effect topic regarding obesity? In short, opinions are divided. Extremes aren’t easy to overcome. Not everyone manages to do it. Researchers have concluded that due to plus size having become positioned as a variant of the norm, more persons have become obese. Many obese Americans have formed the opinion that it is really quite normal, and they have become oblivious to the damage it does to their health. This is what we are going to focus on next.

Effects of Obesity

We all know that obesity is dangerous to health. However, medical studies show that most adults are unaware of the number of complications and diseases that obesity in America entails. So they are fairly comfortable with becoming gradually fatter. But indifference is replaced by concern when obesity related diseases begin to occur.

For interesting examples of students writing that also reveal the causes and effects of other phenomena, consult the custom essay service offering essays by professionals. In this way, you will realize the importance of highlighting the effects right after the causes.

Is obesity an aesthetic disadvantage, an inconvenience, a limitation in physical activity or is it an illness after all? How does it affect health, and what are the consequences? The visible signs of obesity are by no means the only complication associated with this condition. Obesity creates a high risk of life-threatening diseases such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, heart attack, myocardial infarction, and kidney and liver problems. Moreover, it can also lead to disability.

Cardiovascular Disease

This is the most serious and damaging impact on the body and blood vessels in particular. Every extra kilo is a huge additional load on the heart. Obesity increases the risk of heart attacks. Experts from the American Heart Association have developed a paper on the relationship between obesity and cardiovascular disease, which discusses the impact of obesity on the diagnosis and outcomes of patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, heart failure, and arrhythmias. Childhood obesity aggravates the course of cardiovascular disease from a very early age. The fact that even kids and adolescents are obese is associated with high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia.

The result is excessive insulin production in the body. This, in turn, leads to an overabundance of insulin in the blood, which makes the peripheral tissues more resistant to it. As a consequence of the above, sodium metabolism is disturbed, and blood pressure rises. It is important to remember that excessive carbohydrate food intake leads to increased production of insulin by the pancreas. Excess insulin in the human body easily converts glucose into fat. And obesity reduces tissue sensitivity to insulin itself. This kind of vicious circle leads to type 2 diabetes.

Effects on Joints

Obesity increases the load on joints to a great extent, especially if one undergoes little or no physical activity. For instance, if one lives in a megalopolis, where all physical activity consists of getting off the sofa, walking to the car, and plumping up in an office chair at work. All this leads to a reduction in muscle mass, which is already weak, and all the load falls on the joints and ligaments.

The result is arthritis, arthrosis, and osteochondrosis. Consequently, a seemingly illogical situation is formed – there is practically no exercise, but joints are worn out harder than in the case of powerlifters. In turn, according to a study by the University of California, reducing body weight reduces the risk of osteoarthritis.

Infertility

In most cases, being obese leads to endocrine infertility, as it causes an irregular menstrual cycle. Women experience thyroid disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome, problems with conception, and decreased progesterone hormone. Obese men are faced with erectile dysfunction, reduced testosterone levels, and infertility. It should be noted that the mother’s obesity affects not only her health but also the one of her unborn child. These children are at higher risk of congenital malformations.

Corresponding Inconveniences

Public consciousness is still far from the notion that obese people are sick individuals. The social significance of the issue is that people who are severely obese find it difficult to get a job. They experience discriminatory restrictions on promotion, daily living disadvantages, restrictions on mobility, clothing choices, discomfort with adequate hygiene, and sexual dysfunction. Some of these individuals not only suffer from illness and limited mobility but also have low self-esteem, depression, and other psychological problems due to involuntary isolation by watching television or playing video games. Therefore, the public has to recognize the need to establish and implement national and childhood obesity epidemic prevention programs.

Society today provokes unintentional adult and childhood obesity among its members by encouraging the consumption of high-fat, high-calorie foods and, at the same time, by technological advances, promoting sedentary lifestyles like spending time watching television or playing video games. These social and technological factors have contributed to the rise in obesity in recent decades. Developing a responsible attitude towards health will only have a full impact if people are given the opportunity to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. At the level of the community as a whole, it is therefore important to support people in adhering to dieting recommendations through the continued implementation of evidence-based and demographic-based policies to make regular physical activity and good nutrition both affordable and feasible for all. It is recommended to cut down on the food consumed.

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Obesity - Free Essay Examples And Topic Ideas

Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to an extent that it may have a negative effect on health. Essays on obesity could explore its causes, the health risks associated, and the societal costs. Discussions might also revolve around various interventions to address obesity at an individual and community level. We have collected a large number of free essay examples about Obesity you can find at PapersOwl Website. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

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How To Write an Essay About Obesity

Understanding obesity.

Before writing an essay about obesity, it's crucial to understand what obesity is and its implications. Obesity is a medical condition characterized by an excess accumulation of body fat, often defined by a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. It is not just a cosmetic concern but a complex health issue associated with various diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Start your essay by outlining the causes of obesity, which may include genetic factors, lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating patterns, and environmental and psychological factors. Discuss the global prevalence of obesity and its rise in recent decades, indicating a significant public health concern.

Developing a Thesis Statement

A strong essay on obesity should be centered around a clear, concise thesis statement. This statement should present a specific viewpoint or argument about obesity. For instance, you might discuss the societal factors contributing to the rise of obesity, analyze the effectiveness of current interventions and policies, or argue the need for a multifaceted approach to tackle this health issue. Your thesis will guide the direction of your essay and ensure a structured and coherent analysis.

Gathering Supporting Evidence

To support your thesis, gather evidence from a variety of sources, including medical studies, public health reports, and statistical data. This might include data on obesity rates in different populations, research on the health risks associated with obesity, or studies evaluating the effectiveness of diet and exercise programs. Use this evidence to support your thesis and build a persuasive argument. Be sure to consider different perspectives and address potential counterarguments.

Analyzing the Impact of Obesity

Dedicate a section of your essay to analyzing the impact of obesity. Discuss the physical health consequences, such as increased risk of chronic diseases, as well as the psychological and social implications, including stigma and reduced quality of life. Consider the economic burden of obesity on healthcare systems and society. This analysis should provide a comprehensive understanding of the far-reaching effects of obesity.

Concluding the Essay

Conclude your essay by summarizing the main points of your discussion and restating your thesis in light of the evidence provided. Your conclusion should tie together your analysis and emphasize the significance of addressing obesity as a critical public health issue. You might also want to suggest areas for future research or propose potential strategies to combat the obesity epidemic.

Reviewing and Refining Your Essay

After completing your essay, review and edit it for clarity and coherence. Ensure that your arguments are well-structured and supported by evidence. Check for grammatical accuracy and ensure that your essay flows logically from one point to the next. Consider seeking feedback from peers, healthcare professionals, or educators to further refine your essay. A well-written essay on obesity will not only demonstrate your understanding of the issue but also your ability to engage with complex health and societal challenges.

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Obesity is a complex disease involving having too much body fat. Obesity isn't just a cosmetic concern. It's a medical problem that increases the risk of many other diseases and health problems. These can include heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, liver disease, sleep apnea and certain cancers.

There are many reasons why some people have trouble losing weight. Often, obesity results from inherited, physiological and environmental factors, combined with diet, physical activity and exercise choices.

The good news is that even modest weight loss can improve or prevent the health problems associated with obesity. A healthier diet, increased physical activity and behavior changes can help you lose weight. Prescription medicines and weight-loss procedures are other options for treating obesity.

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Body mass index, known as BMI, is often used to diagnose obesity. To calculate BMI , multiply weight in pounds by 703, divide by height in inches and then divide again by height in inches. Or divide weight in kilograms by height in meters squared. There are several online calculators available that help calculate BMI .

See BMI calculator

Asians with a BMI of 23 or higher may have an increased risk of health problems.

For most people, BMI provides a reasonable estimate of body fat. However, BMI doesn't directly measure body fat. Some people, such as muscular athletes, may have a BMI in the obesity category even though they don't have excess body fat.

Many health care professionals also measure around a person's waist to help guide treatment decisions. This measurement is called a waist circumference. Weight-related health problems are more common in men with a waist circumference over 40 inches (102 centimeters). They're more common in women with a waist measurement over 35 inches (89 centimeters). Body fat percentage is another measurement that may be used during a weight loss program to track progress.

When to see a doctor

If you're concerned about your weight or weight-related health problems, ask your health care professional about obesity management. You and your health care team can evaluate your health risks and discuss your weight-loss options.

More Information

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Although there are genetic, behavioral, metabolic and hormonal influences on body weight, obesity occurs when you take in more calories than you burn through typical daily activities and exercise. Your body stores these excess calories as fat.

In the United States, most people's diets are too high in calories — often from fast food and high-calorie beverages. People with obesity might eat more calories before feeling full, feel hungry sooner, or eat more due to stress or anxiety.

Many people who live in Western countries now have jobs that are much less physically demanding, so they don't tend to burn as many calories at work. Even daily activities use fewer calories, courtesy of conveniences such as remote controls, escalators, online shopping, and drive-through restaurants and banks.

Risk factors

Obesity often results from a combination of causes and contributing factors:

Family inheritance and influences

The genes you inherit from your parents may affect the amount of body fat you store, and where that fat is distributed. Genetics also may play a role in how efficiently your body converts food into energy, how your body regulates your appetite and how your body burns calories during exercise.

Obesity tends to run in families. That's not just because of the genes they share. Family members also tend to share similar eating and activity habits.

Lifestyle choices

• Unhealthy diet. A diet that's high in calories, lacking in fruits and vegetables, full of fast food, and laden with high-calorie beverages and oversized portions contributes to weight gain.
• Liquid calories. People can drink many calories without feeling full, especially calories from alcohol. Other high-calorie beverages, such as sugared soft drinks, can contribute to weight gain.
• Inactivity. If you have an inactive lifestyle, you can easily take in more calories every day than you burn through exercise and routine daily activities. Looking at computer, tablet and phone screens is inactivity. The number of hours spent in front of a screen is highly associated with weight gain.

Certain diseases and medications

In some people, obesity can be traced to a medical cause, such as hypothyroidism, Cushing syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome and other conditions. Medical problems, such as arthritis, also can lead to decreased activity, which may result in weight gain.

Some medicines can lead to weight gain if you don't compensate through diet or activity. These medicines include steroids, some antidepressants, anti-seizure medicines, diabetes medicines, antipsychotic medicines and certain beta blockers.

Social and economic issues

Social and economic factors are linked to obesity. It's hard to avoid obesity if you don't have safe areas to walk or exercise. You may not have learned healthy ways of cooking. Or you may not have access to healthier foods. Also, the people you spend time with may influence your weight. You're more likely to develop obesity if you have friends or relatives with obesity.

Obesity can occur at any age, even in young children. But as you age, hormonal changes and a less active lifestyle increase your risk of obesity. The amount of muscle in your body also tends to decrease with age. Lower muscle mass often leads to a decrease in metabolism. These changes also reduce calorie needs and can make it harder to keep off excess weight. If you don't consciously control what you eat and become more physically active as you age, you'll likely gain weight.

Other factors

• Pregnancy. Weight gain is common during pregnancy. Some women find this weight difficult to lose after the baby is born. This weight gain may contribute to the development of obesity in women.
• Quitting smoking. Quitting smoking is often associated with weight gain. And for some, it can lead to enough weight gain to qualify as obesity. Often, this happens as people use food to cope with smoking withdrawal. But overall, quitting smoking is still a greater benefit to your health than is continuing to smoke. Your health care team can help you prevent weight gain after quitting smoking.
• Lack of sleep. Not getting enough sleep can cause changes in hormones that increase appetite. So can getting too much sleep. You also may crave foods high in calories and carbohydrates, which can contribute to weight gain.
• Stress. Many external factors that affect mood and well-being may contribute to obesity. People often seek more high-calorie food during stressful situations.
• Microbiome. The make-up of your gut bacteria is affected by what you eat and may contribute to weight gain or trouble losing weight.

Even if you have one or more of these risk factors, it doesn't mean that you're destined to develop obesity. You can counteract most risk factors through diet, physical activity and exercise. Behavior changes, medicines and procedures for obesity also can help.

Complications

People with obesity are more likely to develop a number of potentially serious health problems, including:

• Heart disease and strokes. Obesity makes you more likely to have high blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels, which are risk factors for heart disease and strokes.
• Type 2 diabetes. Obesity can affect the way the body uses insulin to control blood sugar levels. This raises the risk of insulin resistance and diabetes.
• Certain cancers. Obesity may increase the risk of cancer of the uterus, cervix, endometrium, ovary, breast, colon, rectum, esophagus, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidney and prostate.
• Digestive problems. Obesity increases the likelihood of developing heartburn, gallbladder disease and liver problems.
• Sleep apnea. People with obesity are more likely to have sleep apnea, a potentially serious disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep.
• Osteoarthritis. Obesity increases the stress placed on weight-bearing joints. It also promotes inflammation, which includes swelling, pain and a feeling of heat within the body. These factors may lead to complications such as osteoarthritis.
• Fatty liver disease. Obesity increases the risk of fatty liver disease, a condition that happens due to excessive fat deposit in the liver. In some cases, this can lead to serious liver damage, known as liver cirrhosis.
• Severe COVID-19 symptoms. Obesity increases the risk of developing severe symptoms if you become infected with the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019, known as COVID-19. People who have severe cases of COVID-19 may need treatment in intensive care units or even mechanical assistance to breathe.

Related information

• Link between extra pounds, severe COVID-19 illness grows stronger - Related information Link between extra pounds, severe COVID-19 illness grows stronger

Quality of life

Obesity can diminish the overall quality of life. You may not be able to do physical activities that you used to enjoy. You may avoid public places. People with obesity may even encounter discrimination.

Other weight-related issues that may affect your quality of life include:

• Depression.
• Disability.
• Shame and guilt.
• Social isolation.
• Lower work achievement.
• Overweight and obesity. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/overweight-and-obesity. Accessed Dec. 21, 2022.
• Goldman L, et al., eds. Obesity. In: Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Elsevier; 2020. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Dec. 21. 2022.
• Kellerman RD, et al. Obesity in adults. In: Conn's Current Therapy 2023. Elsevier; 2023. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Dec. 21, 2022.
• Feldman M, et al., eds. Obesity. In: Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 11th ed. Elsevier; 2021. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Dec. 21, 2022.
• Perrault L. Obesity in adults: Prevalence, screening and evaluation. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Dec. 21, 2022.
• Melmed S, et al. Obesity. In: Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 14th ed. Elsevier; 2020. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Dec. 21, 2022.
• COVID-19: People with certain medical conditions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html. Accessed Dec. 21, 2022.
• Perrault L. Obesity in adults: Overview of management. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Dec. 21, 2022.
• Healthy weight, nutrition and physical activity. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/index.html. Accessed Dec. 21, 2022.
• Ferri FF. Obesity. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2023. Elsevier; 2023. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Jan. 20, 2023.
• Feldman M, et al., eds. Surgical and Endoscopic Treatment of Obesity. In: Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 11th ed. Elsevier; 2021. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Dec. 21, 2022.
• BMI and waist circumference calculator

Associated Procedures

• Bariatric surgery
• Biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (BPD/DS)
• Cholesterol test
• Gastric bypass (Roux-en-Y)
• Intragastric balloon
• Liver function tests
• Sleeve gastrectomy

News from Mayo Clinic

• Mayo Clinic researchers pave the way for individualized obesity therapy, tailoring interventions to a person's needs July 12, 2023, 03:00 p.m. CDT
• People with severe obesity and a genetic pathway variant have increased risk of hypertension, Mayo Clinic research finds April 18, 2023, 08:00 p.m. CDT
• Obesity makes it harder to diagnose and treat heart disease Feb. 28, 2023, 04:15 p.m. CDT
• Mayo Clinic Minute: Obesity and heart disease Feb. 23, 2023, 05:30 p.m. CDT
• Healthy Weight Awareness Month. Mayo Clinic innovations can help you lose weight, keep it off Jan. 05, 2023, 04:15 p.m. CDT
• Mayo Clinic Q and A: Probiotics, gut bacteria and weight -- what's the connection? Sept. 25, 2022, 11:00 a.m. CDT
• Addressing health care barriers during Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 15, 2022, 04:30 p.m. CDT
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Home — Essay Samples — Nursing & Health — Obesity — The Most Common Causes of Obesity

The Most Common Causes of Obesity

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26 Conclusion: Obesity and its prevention in the 21st century

• Published: September 2010
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The case for a preventative approach to the obesity epidemic is compelling. Obesity poses what is arguably one of the most significant threats to population health that is currently faced. The data presented in this book highlight just how common obesity has become in children and in adults across the globe, and how it impacts disproportionately on the poor. This chapter presents a summary of the discussions in the preceding chapters.

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• Causes and Effects Essay

IELTS Causes and Effects Essay: Obesity in Children

This causes and effects model essay is about  obesity in children.

You specifically have to talk about the  causes  (reasons) of the increase in overweight children, and explain the  effects  (results) of this.

Here is the question:

The percentage of overweight children in western society has increased by almost 20% in the last ten years.

Discuss the causes and effects of this disturbing trend.

Thinking about Coherence & Cohesion

This particular essay is organized as follows:

• Body 1: Causes
• Body 2: Effects

Of course it is also possible to have a 3 body paragraph essay. For example

However, remember not to write too little on one part.

For example, if you wrote one very short paragraph about 'causes' with little support and most of your essay on 'effects', you may then be seen to have not fully answered both parts of the question.

Another possible way of organizing it is to put each cause and its effect within a separate paragraph:

• Body 1: Cause 1 - Effect
• Body 2: Cause 2 - Effect

If you do this though, each particular cause must relate to that specific effect.

Example Child Obesity Essay

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge.

Write at least 250 words.

Causes and Effects Essay - Model Answer

Over the last ten years, western societies have seen close to a 20% rise in the number of children who are overweight. This essay will discuss some reasons why this has occurred and examine the consequences of this worrying trend.

The main cause of this problem is poor diet. Over the last decade there has been a prolific increase in the number of fast food restaurants. For example, on nearly every high street there is a MacDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Pizza Hut. The food in these places has been proven to be very unhealthy, and much of the advertising is targeted at children, thus ensuring that they constitute the bulk of the customers of these establishments. However, it is not only due to eating out, but also the type of diet many children have at home. A lot of food consumed is processed food, especially with regards to ready-made meals which are a quick and easy option for parents who are working hard.

The effects of this have been and will continue to be very serious. Firstly, there has been a large increase in health related diseases amongst children, especially diabetes. This debilitating illness means a child has to be injected with insulin for the rest of their life. Not only this, very overweight children often experience bullying from other children, which may affect their mental health. The negative stigma of being overweight may also affect self-esteem.

To sum up, it is evident that there are several causes of obesity amongst children, and a variety of negative effects. Society must ensure steps are taken to prevent this problem from deteriorating further.

(275 words)

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More Cause & Effect Essays:

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Time Away from Families Essay: What are the reasons and effects?

In this time away from families essay you have to discuss the reasons why people have to spend more time away and how this effects the family and the individual.

Family Size Essay: Why is there a trend towards smaller families?

Family Size Essay: Learn how to write and structure excellent essays for IELTS. There are two parts that need to be answered: Why there is a trend towards smaller family sizes in countries that are developing and how this affects society in those countries.

Cause & Effect Essay: Why do people use skin whitening creams?

IELTS Cause and Effect Essay about Skin Whitening Creams.This essay is about the issue of skin whitening products: why people are using them and their possible dangers for health and society.

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• Open access
• Published: 25 April 2024

Surgery is associated with better long-term outcomes than pharmacological treatment for obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis

• Leonardo Zumerkorn Pipek 1 ,
• Walter Augusto Fabio Moraes 2 ,
• Rodrigo Massato Nobetani 2 ,
• Vitor Santos Cortez 2 ,
• Alberto Santos Condi 2 ,
• João Victor Taba 2 ,
• Rafaela Farias Vidigal Nascimento 3 ,
• Milena Oliveira Suzuki 2 ,
• Fernanda Sayuri do Nascimento 2 ,
• Vitoria Carneiro de Mattos 2 ,
• Leandro Ryuchi Iuamoto 4 ,
• Wu Tu Hsing 4 ,
• Luiz Augusto Carneiro-D’Albuquerque 5 ,
• Alberto Meyer 5 &
• Wellington Andraus 5  

Scientific Reports volume  14 , Article number:  9521 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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• Endocrine system and metabolic diseases
• Gastrointestinal diseases

Obesity is a highly prevalent disease with numerous complications. Both intensive medical treatment with the use of pharmacological drugs and bariatric surgery are current options. The objective of this meta-analysis was to compare, in the long-term, intensive medical treatment and surgery based on twelve parameters related to weight loss, cardiovascular and endocrine changes. A review of the literature was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD42021265637). The literature screening was done from inception to October 2023 through PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science databases. We included randomized clinical trials that had separate groups for medical treatment and bariatric surgery as an intervention for obesity. The risk of bias was assessed through RoB2. A meta-analysis was performed with measures of heterogeneity and publication bias. Subgroup analysis for each surgery type was performed. Data is presented as forest-plots. Reviewers independently identified 6719 articles and 6 papers with a total 427 patients were included. All studies were randomized controlled trials, three had a follow up of 5 years and two had a follow up of 10 years. Both groups demonstrated statistical significance for most parameters studied. Surgery was superior for weight loss (− 22.05 kg [− 28.86; − 15.23), total cholesterol (− 0.88 [− 1.59; − 0.17]), triglycerides (− 0.70 [− 0.82; − 0.59]), HDL (0.12 [0.02; 0.23]), systolic pressure (− 4.49 [− 7.65; − 1.33]), diastolic pressure (− 2.28 [− 4.25; − 0.31]), Hb glycated (− 0.97 [− 1.31; − 0.62]), HOMA IR (− 2.94; [− 3.52; − 2.35]) and cardiovascular risk (− 0.08; [− 0.10; − 0.05]). Patient in the surgical treatment group had better long term outcomes when compared to the non-surgical group for most clinical parameters.

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Introduction.

Obesity has been a known condition for over 2000 years 1 but that has become much more prevalent in recent decades. Despite great efforts to prevent this disease, the prevalence in adults in the United States has increased in recent decades and reached 42.4% in 2018. The GBD Obesity Study 2 Collaborators 2015 showed that this increasing trend occurred in more than 70 countries and is highly expressive in adolescents.

The classification of obesity is defined by a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 kg/m 2 . The psychological damage that many of these patients suffer in a society governed by aesthetic standards is just one of the most visible and immediate consequences of obesity. Mortality from cardiovascular causes and its relationship with BMI has already been widely studied 3 , showing that the risk increases progressively with the increase of the index. Similarly, obesity was associated with a higher incidence of cancer 4 , respiratory 5 and metabolic 6 diseases.

In this context, the importance of effective treatment of this condition is clear, reducing mortality and improving the quality of life of these patients. While some benefits are evident with a loss of just 5% 6 of their weight, many patients require a more expressive loss to reduce the risks associated with obesity.

There are several treatments available for weight loss. Lifestyle changes, low calorie diet and increasing physical activity are the mainstay treatment for all patients 7 , 8 . Specific weight loss diets and exercise programs have also been developed for this purpose, yielding varying results. Finally, pharmacological, and surgical treatment has gained more attention in recent years for selected patients in whom other measures were insufficient.

Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of bariatric surgery in the short and medium term for the treatment of obesity. More recent studies have also shown that new drugs developed for weight loss may be a viable option for the treatment of this disease 8 , 9 . Comparison of these new drugs with surgical treatment is scarce in the literature and aimed only at evaluating changes related to weight loss in a short period of time.

This systematic review evaluated the hypothesis whether surgical treatment is superior than non-surgical treatment for patients with obesity. We evaluated the long-term effect of these treatments on anthropometric measures (weight, waist circumference, BMI) and on obesity related pathologies (triglycerides, LDL, HDL, total cholesterol, cardiovascular risk, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, HOMA and glycated hemoglobin).

Materials and methods

This systematic review was carried out in accordance with the items of Preferred Reports for Systematic Reviews and Protocol Meta-Analysis (PRISMA-P) 10 and assessing the methodological quality of systematic reviews (AMSTAR-2) guidelines 11 . This study was registered by the Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO, 258667) before the research was carried out.

Drafting of the research question was based on the PICO strategy 12 , considering: P (Patients with obesity with indication for bariatric surgery based on BMI); I (Bariatric Surgery); C (Pharmacological treatment); O (Long term morbidity/mortality—at least 5 years of follow up).

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria.

Types of studies: Randomized clinical trials.

Types of participants: Patients eligible for bariatric surgery, according to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).

Types of intervention: Bariatric surgery or medical treatment.

Exclusion criteria

Studies were excluded if they: (1) did not have one group for each type of intervention (surgery or pharmacologic treatment); (2) had a heterogeneous population; (3) did not use a standard assessment method for the entire duration of the study, or did not have pre-assessment; (4) were not related to the question in the review; (5) were in a language other than English, Portuguese or Spanish; (6) were incomplete, unpublished or inaccessible to the authors.

Types of variables/parameters analyzed

Data was collected and arranged in tables, including the authors name, date and country of publication, number of participants included in the final analysis, sex, age, and body mass index.

Literature revision

The survey was from inception to October 10, 2023, without language restrictions, in the Medline database (via PubMed), EMBASE and Web of Science.

Using the search tool, we selected MeSH terms from the most relevant publications to conduct a new search to obtain articles that could be included in this systematic review. In addition, a manual search of theses, meetings, references, study records and contact with experts in the field was carried out.

Search strategy

The same keywords were used in all databases, according to each database input format.

The search strategy was:

(Bariatric Surgery) AND ((nonsurgical) OR (Orlistat) OR (phentermine) OR (topiramate) OR (lorcaserin) OR (naltrexone) OR (bupropion) OR (liraglutide) OR (conservative) OR (conventional) OR (Anti-Obesity Agents) OR (Intensive medical)) AND (obesity) → 3024.

(Bariatric Surgery) AND ((nonsurgical) OR (conservative) OR (Anti-Obesity Agents) OR (Intensive medical)) AND (obesity) → 4732.

Web of Science:

(Bariatric Surgery) AND ((nonsurgical) OR (conservative) OR (Anti-Obesity Agents) OR (Intensive medical)) AND (obesity) → 1772.

Data extraction

The data for each study was extracted independently by two authors. Disagreements were resolved by consensus. If no consensus was reached, a third author was consulted. Data extraction was carried out using the Rayyan tool— https://rayyan.qcri.org/ 13 .

All studies were analyzed by their titles and abstracts, according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. If the eligibility criteria was met, the full text would be extracted. All studies eligible for qualitative analysis are described in the “Results” section.

Missing data was clarified by contacting the authors directly.

Data validation

The risk of bias for intervention-type studies was analyzed using the guidelines of the Cochrane Back Review Group (CBRG) 14 .

Statistical analysis

As several studies of sufficient quality were available, a meta-analysis was carried out with measures of heterogeneity and publication bias. The data was presented through forest-plots, according to their statistical relevance.

Characteristics of study participants are presented as means, minimum and maximum values for quantitative variables, and as frequencies and percentages for qualitative variables. The prevalence values and 95% confidence intervals was calculated using the Wilson method To assess the global heterogeneity between the studies, Cochran's Q test was calculated, as well as the I2 (percentage of variation). The results of the studies' association measures and their respective 95% confidence intervals are presented in forest-plots.

Statistical analysis were performed using the Stata/MP 14.0 software for Windows.

Study selection

The electronic search found 9528 results for the keywords used. After removing 2809 duplicates and screening through abstract, we considered 55 potentially eligible studies for full-text analysis. Of these, 49 did not respect the exclusion criteria. Only 6 studies were considered eligible for qualitative analysis and 6 articles were eligible for meta-analysis [Fig.  1 ].

PRISMA 2020 flow diagram for new systematic reviews.

Many studies were excluded due to lack of description for the intervention in the non-surgical group.

Study characteristics

The following articles were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 . In total, there were 427 participants. All studies were RCT. Four had a follow up of five years 15 , 16 , 19 and two had a follow up of 10 years 17 , 18 . Of the six eligible studies, two were undertaken in the United States of America 15 , 16 , two in Italy 17 , 19 , one in Australia 18 , and one in Singapore 20 . Study characteristics and detailed demographics can be found in Tables 1 and 2 . All studies included a group treated exclusively with intensive medical treatment (IMT). The definition of IMT differed between them but were considered if the patients had frequent follow up visits and were instructed on health habits including exercise and diet, with or without the use of pharmacological treatment.

There were four modalities of surgery used for weight loss: Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) 15 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ; Biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) 17 , 19 ; Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy (LSG) 15 , 16 ; Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band (LAGB) 18 . The subgroup analysis for outcomes separated studies in RYGB, LSG and other types of surgery. The non-surgical treatment for obesity included one or the combination of the following medications: Orlistat, Phentermine, Naltrexone, Bupropion, Liraglutide, Lorcaserin, Sibutramine.

Risk of bias

After reading the articles included in the systematic review, the following elements were analyzed to determine the level of evidence: study design and selection, detection, loss, reporting and information bias. The summary of the risk of bias analysis for each of the included articles is presented in Fig.  2

Risk of bias analysis.

All studies had a low risk of bias for most criteria. In three of the studies, assessors were aware of the intervention received by study participants or the information was not available 16 , 17 , 20 . Three other studies 15 , 18 , 19 had bias regarding deviations from intended interventions due to the fact that an appropriate analysis to estimate the effects of assignment to intervention was not performed 15 ; patients assigned to the control group crossed over to the intervention group, and no measures were reportedly taken to balance that deviation 19 ; there was a significant loss of follow-up for all groups 20 .

All six studies had data on weight loss after treatment. Mean difference values and their respective 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated. In Fig.  3 A, the forest plot is shown. All publications found that surgical procedures were more efficient for long term weight loss. The global MD value was − 22.1 kg (95% CI [− 28.9; − 15.2). The measure of heterogeneity I2 (Higgins heterogeneity measure) was 77.8%, a value considered as high heterogeneity. According to Cochran’s Q heterogeneity test, the sample evidence did allow us to reject the null hypothesis of non-heterogeneity ( p  = 0.01).The subgroup analysis showed that there was not a significant difference between the types of surgery ( p  = 0.30).

(A ) Weight outcomes; ( B ) Waist circumference outcomes; ( C ) BMI outcomes.

Waist circumference

Four studies had data on waist circumference 16 , 17 , 19 , 20 . In Fig.  3 B, the forest plot is shown. Patients treated with surgery had a mean difference of − 12.3 (95% CI [− 15.0; − 9.6]) compared to IMT. The measure of heterogeneity I2 (Higgins heterogeneity measure) was 0%, a value considered as low heterogeneity. According to Cochran’s Q heterogeneity test, the sample evidence did not allow us to reject the null hypothesis of non-heterogeneity ( p  = 0.99).

The subgroup analysis showed that there was not a significant difference between the types of surgery ( p  = 0.99).

Five studies had data on BMI 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 . In Fig.  3 C, the forest plot is shown. Patients treated with surgery had a mean difference of − 8.0 (95% CI [− 10.5; − 5.5]) compared to IMT. The measure of heterogeneity I2 (Higgins’s heterogeneity measure) was 84%, a value considered high heterogeneity. According to Cochran’s Q heterogeneity test, the sample evidence did allow us to reject the null hypothesis of non-heterogeneity ( p  = 0.01).

The subgroup analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the types of surgery ( p  = 0.01). The group with LAGB and BPD surgery had the highest decrease in BMI, with a mean of − 10.0.

Triglycerides

Three studies had data on tryglycerides 17 , 19 , 20 . In Fig.  4 A, the forest plot is shown. Patients treated with surgery had a mean difference of − 0.7 (95% CI [− 0.8; − 0.6]) compared to IMT. The measure of heterogeneity I2 (Higgins’s heterogeneity measure) was 50.4%, a value considered high heterogeneity. According to Cochran’s Q heterogeneity test, the sample evidence did not allow us to reject the null hypothesis of non-heterogeneity ( p  = 0.08).

(A ) Triglycerides outcomes; ( B ) LDL outcomes; ( C ) HDL outcome; ( D ) Cholesterol outcomes.

The subgroup analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the types of surgery ( p  = 0.01), with a worse outcome for RYGB.

Four studies had data on LDL 16 , 17 , 19 , 20 . In Fig.  4 B, the forest plot is shown. Patients treated with surgery had a mean difference of − 0.5 (95% CI [− 1.0; 0.0]) compared to IMT. The measure of heterogeneity I2 (Higgins’s heterogeneity measure) was 92.7%, a value considered high heterogeneity. According to Cochran’s Q heterogeneity test, the sample evidence did allow us to reject the null hypothesis of non-heterogeneity ( p  = 0.01).

The subgroup analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the types of surgery ( p  = 0.01). There was an increase of 0.5 in LDL for the LSG group. The group with LAGB and BPD surgery had the highest decrease in LDL, with a mean of − 1.3.

Four studies had data on HDL 16 , 17 , 19 , 20 . In Fig.  4 C, the forest plot is shown. Patients treated with surgery had a mean difference of 0.1 (95% CI [0.0; 0.2]) compared to IMT. The measure of heterogeneity I2 (Higgins’s heterogeneity measure) was 90.5%, a value considered high heterogeneity. According to Cochran’s Q heterogeneity test, the sample evidence did allow us to reject the null hypothesis of non-heterogeneity ( p  = 0.01).

The subgroup analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the types of surgery ( p  = 0.01). The group with RYGB surgery had the highest significant increase in HDL, with a mean of 0.2.

Cholesterol

Three studies had data on cholesterol 17 , 19 , 20 . In Fig.  4 D, the forest plot is shown. Patients treated with surgery had a mean difference of − 0.9 (95% CI [− 1.6; − 0.2]) compared to IMT. The measure of heterogeneity I2 (Higgins’s heterogeneity measure) was 94.8%, a value considered as high heterogeneity. According to Cochran’s Q heterogeneity test, the sample evidence did allow us to reject the null hypothesis of non-heterogeneity ( p  = 0.01).

The subgroup analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the types of surgery ( p  = 0.01). The group with LAGB and BPD surgery had the highest decrease in cholesterol, with a mean of − 1.7.

Cardiovascular risk

Two studies had data on cardiovascular risk 17 , 19 . In Fig.  5 A, the forest plot is shown. Patients treated with surgery had a mean difference of − 0.08 (95% CI [− 0.10; − 0.05]) compared to IMT. The measure of heterogeneity I2 (Higgins’s heterogeneity measure) was 0%, a value considered as low heterogeneity. According to Cochran’s Q heterogeneity test, the sample evidence did not allow us to reject the null hypothesis of non-heterogeneity ( p  = 0.44).

(A ) Cardiovascular risk outcomes; ( B ) Systolic blood pressure outcomes; ( C ) Diastolic blood pressure outcomes; ( D ) HOMA outcomes; ( E ) Glycated Hemoglobin outcomes.

The subgroup analysis showed that there was no significant difference between the types of surgery ( p  = 0.36).

Systolic blood pressure

Four studies had data on systolic blood pressure 16 , 17 , 19 , 20 . In Fig.  5 B, the forest plot is shown. Patients treated with surgery had a mean difference of − 4.49 (95% CI [− 7.65; − 1.33]) compared to IMT. The measure of heterogeneity I2 (Higgins’s heterogeneity measure) was 71%, a value considered as high heterogeneity. According to Cochran’s Q heterogeneity test, the sample evidence did allow us to reject the null hypothesis of non-heterogeneity ( p  = 0.01).

The subgroup analysis showed that there was not a significant difference between the types of surgery ( p  = 0.79).

Diastolic blood pressure

Four studies had data on diastolic blood pressure 16 , 17 , 19 , 20 . In Fig.  5 C, the forest plot is shown. Patients treated with surgery had a mean difference of − 2.28 (95% CI [− 4.25; − 0.31]) compared to IMT. The measure of heterogeneity I2 (Higgins’s heterogeneity measure) was 60.5%, a value considered as high heterogeneity. According to Cochran’s Q heterogeneity test, the sample evidence did allow us to reject the null hypothesis of non-heterogeneity ( p  = 0.01).

The subgroup analysis showed that there was not a significant difference between the types of surgery ( p  = 0.66).

Three studies had data on HOMA 15 , 17 , 19 . In Fig.  5 D, the forest plot is shown. Patients treated with surgery had a mean difference of − 2.94 (95% CI [− 3.52; − 2.35]) compared to IMT. The measure of heterogeneity I2 (Higgins’s heterogeneity measure) was 14%, a value considered as low heterogeneity. According to Cochran’s Q heterogeneity test, the sample evidence did not allow us to reject the null hypothesis of non-heterogeneity ( p  = 0.32).

The subgroup analysis showed that there was no significant difference between the types of surgery ( p  = 0.33).

Glycated Hemoglobin

Five studies had data on glycated haemoglobin 15 , 16 , 17 , 19 , 20 . In Fig.  5 E, the forest plot is shown. Patients treated with surgery had a mean difference of − 1.0(95% CI [− 1.3; − 0.6]) compared to IMT. The measure of heterogeneity I2 (Higgins’s heterogeneity measure) was 79.8%, a value considered as high heterogeneity. According to Cochran’s Q heterogeneity test, the sample evidence did allow us to reject the null hypothesis of non-heterogeneity ( p  = 0.01).

The subgroup analysis showed that there was no significant difference between the types of surgery ( p  = 0.98).

Obesity is defined as a BMI greater than or equal to 30 by the CDC and is currently among the most prevalent diseases in the world, in addition to being an important risk factor for many other diseases. It has high rates of morbidity and mortality 21 , 22 and, in this context, weight loss can bring countless positive impacts to the individual. Currently, there are several treatments for obesity, and we can divide them into non-surgical or surgical.

Non-surgical treatments include non-drug and drug treatments. Among the non-medicated, we can highlight the change in eating habits, regular physical exercise, and cognitive behavioral therapy 8 . Ideally, these measures should be implemented for all patients living with obesity, even for those who will undergo drug or surgical treatment. Recently, in addition to lifestyle change, neuromodulation with deep transcranial stimulation has also been studied and has shown effectiveness in weight loss reduction 23 .

A systematic review carried out in 2021, which analyzed 64 articles concluded that among the most effective non-surgical interventions are low-carbohydrate or low-fat diets and combined therapies. This study also showed that non-drug interventions, such as physical exercise, when used alone, are not very effective in reducing the weight of these patients Therefore, a combination of two or more therapies should be chosen 24 .

Pharmacological treatment must be chosen together with the patient. One or more drugs can be used, the main ones used being: Liraglutide, Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, Orlistat, Phentermine and Sibutramine 25 .

Liraglutide was recently approved for the treatment of obesity and is now one of the most widely used drugs. It acts as a GLP-1 receptor agonist 26 , 27 , 28 , enhancing its effects. This group of drugs is already known in the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, a condition that can often be associated with obesity 29 , 30 , since its pathophysiology involves increased insulin resistance. The main actions of this drug are: increased satiety due to a reduction in the speed of gastric emptying, increased insulin release and decreased glucagon release. Semaglutide is a drug with a similar mechanism of action who demonstrated not only a substantial weight loss 31 , but was also associated with a lower 10-year T2D risk in people with overweight or obesity after 2 years of follow up 32 . More recently, a new drug that combines GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist, Tirzepatide, has shown even better results in the short term 33 .

Orlistat, in turn, reversibly inhibits the lipase enzyme 34 , which has the function of breaking down fat from food for its absorption, as well as inhibiting the absorption of ingested triglycerides. Thus, there is elimination of fat in the feces 35 . The main adverse effects are gastrointestinal symptoms, however this can be beneficial as it leads to a change in behavior, for example causing a lower consumption of foods rich in fat 36 .

Phentermine, an amphetamine analogue, can be used in conjunction with topiramate for the treatment of obesity. The mechanism of action of the drugs is not yet known, however, significant weight loss has already been observed, in addition to a reduction in the consumption of hypercaloric foods and a decrease in the speed of gastric emptying with the use of this combination of drugs 37 , 38 .

Sibutramine, widely used in the 1990s, acts to inhibit the reuptake of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine 34 . Serotonin, in turn, activates POMC system neurons and inhibits NPY neurons, thereby promoting reduced appetite and increased satiety. Despite generating weight reduction 39 , some data show increased cardiovascular risk 40 , and therefore, it is no longer used as a first-line drug.

Among the possible surgeries, the most performed today are: Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB), Biliopancreatic diversion (BPD), Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy (LSG) and Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band (LAGB). According to the NIH and the American Bariatric Society 41 , 42 , some indications for performing bariatric surgery are adults with BMI greater than or equal to 40 and adults with BMI greater than 35 accompanied by some comorbidity such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, obstructive sleep apnea or hypertension.

RYGB is one of the best-known procedures and its complications vary according to the surgical technique used. Some complications include gastric distention, ulcers, cholelithiasis, hernias, dumping syndrome, and hyperammonaemia encephalopathy.

BPD presents long-term nutritional complications, such as anemia, bone diseases and fat-soluble vitamin deficiency. This technique has high mortality rates, mainly due to the complexity of the technique.

Among the procedures described, LSG is the one with the fewest complications, being described in the literature bleeding or stenosis of the stoma. An alternative technique using endoscopy for sleeve gastroplasty has shown to be safe and efficient for weight loss after 104 weeks, with important improvements in metabolic comorbidities 43 .

The procedure with the lowest mortality rate is the LAGB 44 . Despite this, it can present complications such as obstruction, band erosion, band slippage and gastric prolapse, esophagitis, hernia, in addition to having a high rate of reoperation, reaching 50% of patients who underwent this surgery 45 .

In this article, we compare data on weight loss through intensive drug treatment, which includes changes in eating habits, physical exercise, and medications, and through surgical treatment. Both treatments showed that weight loss caused an improvement in the lipid panel, with a reduction in total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL, an increase in HDL, improvement in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, decrease in glycated hemoglobin and insulin resistance (accessed through HOMA), in addition to reducing the risk for cardiovascular diseases.

Our systematic review confirmed the findings of individual studies that bariatric surgery has a greater potential for weight reduction, BMI and waist circumference, as already described in individual articles and widely in the literature. It should be noted that even in the long term, this difference remained. Similarly, a 2014 Cochrane systematic review 46 comparing RCT with more than 1 year of follow-up showed that all 7 articles included demonstrated an advantage of the surgical group. An article 47 on the use of pharmacological treatment for obesity showed that even recent drugs approved, including GLP 1 agonists, are not able to reduce weight to levels similar to those of bariatric surgery to date, despite the emergence of new drugs still in initial phase 48 . It is worth mentioning that in these studies the comparison time is relatively short (12 months) and that we do not have data on the long-term impact. Thus, in relation to long term weight loss, bariatric surgery is still the best option.

Most articles were not able to individually demonstrate that surgical treatment is superior to non-surgical in terms of pressure reduction. However, the result of the meta-analysis showed a superiority of the surgical group in relation to both systolic and diastolic pressure, more pronounced in the BPD group. Wang 49 performed a systematic review focused on the impact on pressure and demonstrated that there was a reduction in systolic and diastolic values, but the subgroup analysis showed that this occurs only in the RYGB groups for systolic pressure. Similarly, Schiavon also demonstrated a significant reduction in the need of blood pressure medication after 3 years in the RYGB group when compared intensive medical treatment for obesity 50 . This difference found in only one subtype of surgery seems to be just a reflection of the sample size, which can be interpreted that surgical treatment in general tends to reduce pressure to a greater extent than non-surgical treatment. The fact that different types of surgery are significant may reflect the studies selected in our meta-analysis, which have longer follow-ups.

In relation to both HOMA-IR and glycated Hb, there was a more significant improvement in the group that underwent surgery. The way in which the data on diabetes remission was reported in the articles did not allow a meta-analysis to be carried out with these data and, therefore, it was not included. However, individual data from the Mingrone 2015, Mingrone 2021 and Schauer articles showed that the surgery group had better results. A network meta-analysis from 2021 51 comparing the different types of metabolic surgery for the treatment of obesity and diabetes showed that RYGB was 20% more likely to result in remission of type 2 diabetes compared to SG. There was no significant difference between the other groups. Moreover, the effects of bariatric surgery on diabetes is not exclusive for patients with obesity, as shown by a study with patients with a BMI of 27–32 kg/m 2 that had a better glycemic control when treated with RYGB 20 . Regarding the lipid profile, Schauer's study was not able to demonstrate superiority in relation to LDL and HDL parameters. However, by combining the data from Mingrone's articles, it is possible to demonstrate that surgical treatment is superior. Regarding cholesterol reduction, Mingrone's studies showed that although RYGB and BDP were better in relation to non-surgical treatment, the BDP technique had a statistically greater reduction in relation to RYGB. This can be explained by the greater intestinal exclusion in BDP and, therefore, having a greater impact on lipid absorption. Despite Sayeed's study 52 et al. was not included in this meta-analysis due to the inadequate way of separating the groups for analysis, the results regarding the lipid profile showed that the group that received both interventions was superior to the exclusive non-surgical treatment. It is important to point out that despite a statistically significant difference between the groups, the effect size of this difference is probably not clinically significant.

The choice of treatment for obesity can also have an impact on several other patient comorbidities. Hossain et al. 53 performed a systematic review with 26 studies that showed that bariatric surgery appears to be more effective in the treatment of asthma. Similarly, a study by Crawford et al. 15 showed that there is a greater increase in bone turnover in groups undergoing bariatric surgery in relation to pharmacological treatment. Other than that, bariatric surgery is also demonstrated to be superior in the treatment of other obesity related pathologies, such as Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH), and in the treatment of obesity in adolescents 54 , 55 .

The effect of major cardiovascular adverse events (MACE) and mortality 56 have also been promising for bariatric surgery. A recent cohort comparing bariatric surgery in patients with obesity and use of GLP1-agonists inpatients with diabetes showed a lower risk of MACE in the surgical group 57 . The surgical treatment has also shown superiority when compared to medical treatment regarding the prevention of diabetic kidney disease in 5 years for patients with diabetes and obesity 58 . Boyers et al. evaluated the cost-effectiveness of surgical and pharmacological treatment in the treatment of obesity and found that RYGB should be the treatment of choice only if the optimization of health system costs is considered 59 .

Another important consideration is the fact that pharmacological and surgical treatment for obesity are not mutually exclusive. Most clinicians choose to combine both treatment modalities in practice to improve results. Weight gain after bariatric surgery is a known possibility, and for those patients, two-thirds of the weight regain can be safely lost with GLP1 agonist, providing clinicians with a therapeutic option for this clinical challenge.

Methodologies and limitations of the studies

Despite the large number of articles in the literature on the treatment of obesity, there are few RCTs comparing non-surgical and surgical treatment, and most of them only follow up in the short term. In addition, many articles do not adequately describe the strategy used in non-surgical treatment. This lack of data and standardization in this type of treatment can lead to bias and possibly the formation of extremely heterogeneous groups for analysis.

Most of the studies included in our systematic review have diabetes as an inclusion criteria. In this circumstance, our findings may not be generalized to patients with obesity without diabetes.

Another important limitation of our systematic review refers to pharmacological treatment in the non-surgical group. The use of GLP 1 agonists has great potential in the treatment of obesity, but they have only started to be used recently. As the purpose of our article is to assess the long-term impact, there are still few articles available that used this drug. The use of the most recent medications, such as Tirzepatide, could not be evaluated in our study, once there are no RCTs in the literature presenting its long-term effects. Those drugs proved to be very efficient and might have similar effect in the long term. Future systematic reviews may reveal a different results when including the new generation of weight loss medication.

Finally, choosing the most appropriate treatment often involves individual characteristics of each patient, and the impact on quality of life can be extremely subjective and difficult to assess.

Obesity is a disease that increases the morbidity and mortality of patients, contributing to several secondary diseases. This systematic review evaluated the impact on the main variables related to obesity in the long term. The findings indicated that both treatment modalities are efficacious in managing obesity; however, the surgical group demonstrated superior outcomes in comparison to the non-surgical group across most variables. Nonetheless, the advent of novel pharmacological treatments has shown promising potential. Further studies focusing on the long-term impacts of these new drug treatments should be undertaken to allow for a comprehensive comparison with non-surgical treatment methods.

Data availability

Data is provided within the manuscript or supplementary information files.

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The authors are thankful to Justin Axel-Berg for the English corrections and Rossana V. Mendoza López for the statistical analysis.

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Conceptualization: L.Z.P., A.M. Methodology: L.Z.P., L.R.I., A.M. Formal analysis: L.Z.P., R.F.V.N., A.M. Data Curation: L.Z.P., W.A.F.B., R.M.N., V.S.C., A.S.C., J.V.T., R.F.V.N., M.O.S., F.S.N., V.C.M. Writing—Original Draft: L.Z.P., W.A.F.B., R.M.N., V.S.C., A.S.C., J.V.T., R.F.V.N., M.O.S., F.S.N., V.C.M. Writing—Review and Editing: L.Z.P., R.F.V.N., L.R.I., W.T.H., L.A.C., A.M., W.A. Visualization: L.Z.P., R.F.V.N., A.M. Supervision: L.R.I., W.T.H., L.A.C., A.M., W.A. Project administration: L.R.I., W.T.H., L.A.C., A.M., W.A.

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Pipek, L.Z., Moraes, W.A.F., Nobetani, R.M. et al. Surgery is associated with better long-term outcomes than pharmacological treatment for obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sci Rep 14 , 9521 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-57724-5

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-57724-5

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