The obesity rate in the United States continues to alarm the medical community, and it’s not so much the effect of extra pounds on a person’s appearance but its impact on the everyday functioning of the body, that has doctors worried.
Beyond the effect of obesity on the joints and cardiovascular system, there is its effect -- often harmful -- on the gastrointestinal tract. If you are battling a lot of extra weight or have a loved one who is, the obesity information page on the American College of Gastroenterology website can easily throw a scare into you.
First, how bad is the obesity rate? According to a headline in the August 26, 2011, Los Angeles Times, half of adults in the United States could be obese by 2030. That’s based on studies by the medical journal Lancet, which looked at 20 years of height and weight data to predict future obesity trends.
The Lancet forecasts a rise in obesity among women to 45 - 52 percent, from 35 percent a few years ago. For men, the rate could be as much as 50 percent, from 32 percent a few years ago. The upshot, the journal reported, would be millions more cases of diabetes, cancer and coronary heart disease.
Second, what deleterious effects from obesity is the medical community particularly concerned about, just focusing on the gastrointestinal tract? Here’s a breakdown from the ACG on conditions often linked to obesity:
-- Esophagus-related problems, including gastroesophageal reflux disease, erosive esophagitis, Barrett’s esophagus and esophageal cancer
-- Gallbladder concerns, including gallstones and cancer
-- Pancreatic cancer
-- Colon health, including precancerous polyps and colorectal cancer
-- Liver problems, including nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), cirrhosis, liver cancer and advanced hepatitis C-related disease.
All of these conditions are worth reading up on, here at EmpowHER or on other reputable health websites.
The ACG said that many common gastrointestinal diseases are two to three times more likely to occur among the obese than among those of normal weight. And even if the diseases are not immediately life-threatening, they are sure to reduce the quality and longevity of your life.
To download an ACG brochure geared toward patients, go to http://patients.gi.org/topics/obesity/ and click on the slide that reads “Obesity and Your Gastrointestinal Health: Do you know your risks?” In addition to listing the various dangers to your health, the brochure gives tools for monitoring diet and physical activity.
By the way, do you know for sure whether you or your loved one qualifies as obese? The standard tool is to measure body mass index, or BMI. There is a helpful chart on the Centers for Disease Control website, under “Defining Overweight and Obesity.” The CDC explains that a body mass index of 18.5 to 24.9 qualifies as a healthy weight, while a BMI of 25.0 to 29.9 falls into the overweight category and a BMI of 30 or higher qualifies as obese.
Sources:
Stein, Jeannine. “Half of adults in the U.S. could be obese by 2030.” LATimes.com. Web. 7 Dec. 2011. http://articles.latimes.com/2011/aug/26/news/la-heb-obesity-rates-prediction-20110826
“Obesity.” American College of Gastroenterology Patient Education and Resource Center. Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
http://patients.gi.org/topics/obesity
“Overweight and Obesity.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/defining.html
Reviewed December 8, 2011
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith