Obesity is a chronic disease. 2015 was the year where the Canadian Medical Association recognized obesity as a chronic disease. For decades, obesity was recognized as a risk factor to develop other complications such as diabetes and hypertension. It is an entity on its own, and it’s a chronic disease, because we all know—and everybody that’s tried dieting or losing weight does know that the battle is lifelong. Once we suffer from obesity, we have dis-regulation of several hormones, or even the neurobiology is modified.

The issue medically with obesity is, of course, the medical complications.
And as one becomes more and more obese you’re increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, strokes, peripheral vascular disease, damage to the circulation to your lower limbs, an increased risk of cancer of reproductive organs, colon cancer, amongst others, an increased risk of mortality.

                         

As you gain weight, your life expectancy decreases. And there are also other issues, such as effects on fertility; obesity decreases your fertility and also affects joints, particularly lower limbs, knees, hips, and lower spine. A weight increase causes degenerative changes to be accelerated in individuals who are overweight. 
If you have any questions about obesity, the measurement, or treatment of it, please do discuss it with your primary care practitioner. Presenter: Dr. Richard Bebb, Endocrinologist, Victoria, BC

NOW Health Network Local Practitioners: Endocrinologist

Although historically we've used body mass index as part of the criteria to diagnose obesity, again a BMI over 30 as being diagnostic, in fact, BMI has been criticized as an imperfect measure.  It doesn't account for muscle, so an individual with a large muscle mass will have a higher BMI, but actually not an increased risk.                   
And a better measure is actually the amount of abdominal fat, so clinically you can measure your abdominal circumference or it can be done by your healthcare practitioner or the person who's assessing you as your exercise specialist, anyone can really do it.

And the abdominal circumference is a reflection of how much visceral fat you have. Visceral fat is the fat that's inside your abdomen, not the fat you can pinch but the fat inside. It's around the bowel, it's around your organs and it is bad fat.

It is fat that carries with it an increased insulin resistance, makes it harder to metabolize sugar, and makes it more likely you're going to get diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, and increased risk of cancer. So how much fat you have is very, very critical. Appointments are available  with local Cardiologists, pharmacists, and family physicians who can treat conditions, and symptoms of  obesity

If you have any questions about obesity or the measurement or treatment of it, please do discuss it with your primary care practitioner. Presenter: Dr. Richard Bebb, Endocrinologist, Victoria, BC

Now Health Network Local Practitioners: Endocrinologists