Is Obesity Habit or Disease?Apparently, primary obesity is connected with heredity. It has been noted that if both parents are obese, it occurs in 78% of cases in children, if one of the parents - in 56%, and if parents have normal weight then the probability drops to 14%. Nevertheless, despite the genetic predisposition, obesity is an acquired disease. There is a mechanism in the body which maintains a constant level of fat (lypostasis). A balance between caloric intake and its consumption is broken at the obesity, the fat is accumulated and then its quantity stabilizes at a new, higher level. The mechanism of regulation may be broken for various reasons, for example, because of constant overeating. A bad habit to eat more food than it is required in combination with hereditary turns into a disease. The development of obesity may have two scenarios. In the first case, the amount of fat cells (adipocytes) is constant but the accumulation of fat occurs in the each of them. The normal volume of adipocyte is 0.3 microliter, the limit is 1 microliter. Therefore, the depot will not increase more than 3-4 times. This form is called hypertrophic obesity and usually develops in mature age. In the second case, fat cells multiply and their amount is increasing. New cells emit a substance that increases the appetite. The number of cells, and, at the same time, the excess body weight increases to excessive quantities. This type of obesity (called hyperplastic) often associated with hereditary predisposition and starts much earlier. The greatest risk for the development of such obesity occurs in adolescence, during pregnancy and menopause. There are two types of the simple obesity according to the location of fat accumulation. They are android (male) and gynecoid (female). Gynecoid obesity is also called pear-shaped because fat is localized in thighs and buttocks. Android obesity is localized in stomach and chest, and is called apple. By the way, cells which form deposits of gynecoid type are able to synthesize and accumulate the female sex hormones that support women's sexuality in the menopause and protect against atherosclerosis. Therefore, a small fat interlayer in the thigh area is necessary for women. The android type gives more complications than gynecoid. Fat deposits in the abdominal area are often not located under the skin but around internal organs (visceral, or "interior", obesity). In general, hyperplastic, android and visceral obesity is more dangerous, and hypertrophic, gynecoid and hypodermic is less dangerous. The first combination brings the whole bunch of troubles, the second - only a few one. This "bunch" also includes atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, cerebral thrombosis, liver obesity, varix dilatation, diabetes, gout, arthrosis, chondrosis and cancer. Read also: |