Introduction to obesity

Question 1

what is obesity?

Answer 1

Obesity is an abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that presents a risk to health

Question 2

what is the basis of obesity?

Answer 2

imbalance of energy.
energy intake > energy expenditure
Food intake and energy expenditure are controlled by the brain
Hypothalamus plays a key role in that process

Question 3

how prevalent is obesity and what risks does it pose in the future?

Answer 3

-Prevalence of obesity doubled in England in last
25 years
-25% of adults considered to be obese (not
overweight)
-By 2020, predicted that 60% male adults, 50%
male females and 25% children will be obese
-2-3% of adults considered to be morbidly obese

Question 4

what is maternal obesity?

Answer 4

obesity during pregnancy
The percentage of women at child bearing age considered
to be obese has increased significantly

Question 5

what effect does maternal obesity have on childhood nutrition?

Answer 5

studies (gale et al. 2007, stettler et al. 2002) have shown prenatal/childhood nutrition has an effect on the offsprings body composition in later life

1. More overweight/obese women before/during pregnancy
   2.Offspring tend to be of higher birthweight with greater
   fat mass
   3.Continues into childhood
   4.Increased risk of abdominal/general obesity in later life
   5.Extent of weight gain in early months also associated
   with risk of obesity as well as other disorders

Question 6

what are the health consequences of obesity?

Answer 6

psychological issues (eg. derived from social stigma/ low self esteem)
hypertension 
T2DM (type 2)
respiratory problems (eg sleep apnoea)
CVD 
stroke
cancers
reproductive issues (can also be psychological

Question 7

how does obesity cause hypertension?

Answer 7

Activation of Renin-Angiotensin system
Tubular reabsorption
Increase in blood volume = increase in TPR (total Peripheral Resistance) and LV volume

Question 8

how does obesity cause Hyperlipidemia (excess lipids in blood)?

Answer 8

High circulating triglycerides
High LDL, Low HDL = risk of atherosclerosis
Potential reason for hypertension but also risk of CVD

Question 9

How does obesity cause T2DM?

Answer 9

obesity causes a rise in insulin resistance

cause is unknown but possibly due to excess lipids in liver, interfering with signalling?

Question 10

how does obesity cause Hyperinsulinaemia?

Answer 10

• difficult to determine which causes which.
• Effect on triglycerides and dislipidaemia.
• Adipose tissue is known to secrete various metabolites, hormones and cytokines that may play a role in causing hyperinsulinemia
• Specifically cytokines secreted by adipose tissue directly effect the insulin signalling cascade, and thus insulin secretion
• Weyer “et al,.” (2011) have discovered that hyperinsulinemia can be due in large part to low adiponectin concentrations in obese people

Question 11

what is adiponetins?

Answer 11

protein involved in regulating glucose levels and fatty acid breakdown

Question 12

how does obesity cause osteoarthritis?

Answer 12

sheer stress/pressure

increase in mass but not skeletal size

Question 13

i havent done notes on BMI cause its easy as fuck

Answer 13

determining ‘healthy obesity’ depends on the individuals body profile, thus issues with BMI links into healthy obesity