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OBESITY AND MORBID OBESITY
Obese:
Body Mass Index (BMI) of 26 or greater. (BMI=kg/m2).
Morbidly Obese:
Body Mass Index (BMI) of 37.5 or greater (Roughly equivalent to 35 kg. over your ideal body weight).
The Clinical Guidelines For Consideration Are:
• 35 kg. or more above ideal body weight or a BMI of 37.5 or greater.
• BMI of 32.5 or greater with one or more obesity related health conditions.
Other Considerations:
• History of documented dietary weight loss attempts.
• Lifelong commitment to follow-up care and extensive dietary, exercise and medical guidelines.
• Psychological evaluation.
OBESITY CAN RUIN YOUR HEALTH
Obesity is the root cause of some of the common diseases as follows:
Type 2 diabetes:
People with obesity develop a resistance to the insulin that regulates blood sugar levels. Over a long period, high blood sugar can cause serious damage to the body.
High blood pressure/heart disease:
Excess body weight over-burdens the heart to function properly. The resulting hypertension (high blood pressure) can result in strokes (brain hemorrhage), significant heart and kidney damage.
Osteoarthritis of weight-bearing joints:
The additional weight placed on joints, particularly knees and hips, results in rapid wear and tear, along with pain caused by inflammation.
Sleep apnea/respiratory problems:
Fat deposits in the tongue and neck can cause intermittent obstruction of the air passage leading to interrupted sleep. The resulting loss of sleep often results in daytime drowsiness and headaches.
Gastroesophageal reflux/heartburn:
Obese people are susceptible to acid escaping into the esophagus through a weak or overloaded valve at the top of the stomach.
Depression:
Repeated failure with dieting, disapproval from family and friends, sneers and remarks from strangers, constant struggle with fat puts immense mental strain, pushing patients into depression.
Infertility:
The inability or diminished ability to produce offspring.
Fatty liver or hepatic lipidosis (steatosis):
Fatty liver disease is the accumulation of fat in liver cells. The greater the percentage of fat in the liver, the greater the risk of developing liver inflammation, fibrosis, or cirrhosis (moderate or severe scarring of the liver).
Others:
Other problems include swollen legs/skin ulcers, urinary stress incontinence, menstrual irregularities, lower extremity venous stasis, Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), dyslipidemia (lipid metabolism abnormalities), pulmonary embolus and cancer.
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