1b Obesity Flashcards
What is obesity?
A condition of abnormal or excessive fat accumulation in adipose tissue, due to the extent that health is impaired
What is the BMI range for obesity?
BMI > 30
How do you calculate BMI?
weiht in kg / height in m squared
What factors are not taken to account in BMI calculations that can make the result misleading?
Body muscle
Body fat percentage
Body fat distribution
Different demographics
What are some factors which can influence obesity?
Environment
Genetics
Ability to play outside
Car use
Screen time
Education Level
Educational achievement
Poverty
Social Deprivation
What are the co-morbitidies associated with obesity?
Stroke
Depression
MI
Sleep apnoea
Bowel cancer
Diabetes
Hypertension
OA
Gout
What single gene mutation is most likely to cause obesity?
Melanocortin 4 receptor genes
What is leptin resistance?
In some obese people,the brain does not respond to leptin, so they keep eating despite adequate (or excessive) fat stores, a concept known as ‘leptin resistance’
This causes the fat cells to produce even more leptin.
Describe the symptoms associated with leptin deficiency?
Infertility
Stunted growth
Decreased body temperature
Decreased energy expenditure
Decreased immune function
The body thinks it is in a starving state, and therefore does not waste energy on other body functions as listed above
Describe the physiological functions of leptin?
Helps regulate thyroid hormone synthesis
Increases heart rate
Decreases glucose-stimulated insulin release
regulates bone mass
regulates the menstrual cycle
Activates immune cells
INcreases blood pressure
Regulates appetite and controls metabolism
Describe the effects seen when children with leptin deficiency receive recombinant leptin therapy?
Body weight reduction
Describe the effects of leptin therapy on LH and FSH secretion?
Restores the pulsatile secretion patterns
What is leptin?
An anti-starvation hormone
What does the presence of leptin suggest to the brain?
Signal that the system has sufficient fat reserves for normal functioning but HIGH LEPTIN HAS LITTLE EFFECT
What drug can you use as a treatment for obesity?
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