Risk Factors of Female Obesity

Obesity can have an adverse impact on health at each stage of a woman's life cycle. In young women, obesity has an impact on psychosocial health and, as they grow older and become parents, on their reproductive health. Obesity also imposes a number of serious risks during pregnancy. In older women, obesity is associated with the emergence of a number of related chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and increased risk for almost all types of cancer. Of concern in the elderly is the increasing evidence that obesity is an independent risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Obesity also has a marked impact on life expectancy. The medical risks associated with Female Obesity are also important for the woman's children and future generations. There is emerging evidence that nutrition during fetal and early life can influence risk for obesity and chronic diseases for both sexes.

The following are other risk factors associated with Female Obesity;

• Women who are at risk of being obese are usually ex-smokers, people with a family history of obesity, shift-Workers-especially those who work late nights (since they have a tendency to snack more), ethnic and socioeconomic factors- like Afro Americans, Mexican Americans.

• Pregnancy and menopause are significant factors in the development of Female Obesity, suggesting that fluctuations in reproductive hormone concentrations uniquely predispose women to excess weight gain.2

• Obesity risk is greater among men and women with fewer years of education and poorer economic circumstances and among women, but not men, of lower occupational status.3

• Women generally have a higher percentage of body fat than men, and there are indications that basal fat oxidation is lower in females as compared to men, thereby contributing to a higher fat storage in women.4

• Serotonin contributes to the regulation of food intake and appetite behavior. As body mass index (BMI) increases, the amount of serotonin synthesis decreases, presumably to indicate satiety at lower levels of food intake. In men, this decrease occurs when men reach a BMI classifying them as “overweight,” whereas women do not experience this drop in serotonin synthesis until reaching a BMI classifying them as “obese.”5

• Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) is expressed in fat cells and is possibly involved in the development of insulin resistance. One variant of the gene for TNF-alpha is associated with Female Obesity, but not in men.6

Conventional Treatments of Female Obesity

In cases of Female Obesity, strict measures need to be taken in. There are several conventional methods that can be tried, which are in fact effective if one adheres to the plan of recovery.

Medications in the form of Orlistat (Xenical) help block the dietary fat and can be used as a measure for long-term fat reduction uses.

Exercise of any type that helps in burning the accumulated fat in the body is of tremendous help for Female Obesity. A discussion with your fitness expert will keep you on the track for staying fit.  

Consult a dietician who will advise you on a low-fat and high fiber diet that will help you loose those pounds.

Staying out of depression and not indulging in moody food binges is a good recovery program for Female Obesity.  

As a part of a recovery program, seek the support and strength of your loved ones to ensure that you stay committed to program for loosing weight.

Surgery can also be an option for fighting Female Obesity; however that should be the last resort, since surgery involves other complications too.  Though extremely effective in various cases, care must be taken to perform it under highly experienced surgical centers, since there might be post-operative risks involved.

Patients Medical’s Treatment of Female Obesity

At Patients Medical obesity is treated the holistic way. We recommend dietary and lifestyle changes keeping in mind the patient’s lifestyle. Instead of using drugs and sudden crash diets, at Patients Medical our treatment takes care of the after effects of the treatment on the body and uses gentle yet effective methods of reducing fat.

Modern science has developed a wide variety of techniques to treat obesity.  There is a series of procedures known as gastric bypass to treat patients. In the procedure, surgeons reduce the part of the stomach useful for digestion, reducing the patient’s capacity for food (and subsequently, lowering hunger levels and consumption.)

Our doctors recommend a number of other treatments before gastric bypass is recommended. As a first step, changes in lifestyle related to diet and exercise are recommended as a first course of action, and bypass is utilized only when traditional weight loss methods have failed or when obesity has reached a threatening level.   In cases where surgery is recommended patients generally undergo a program designed specifically for them to ensure that they understand the holistic goals of the procedure beyond the actual surgery.

However when gastric bypass is recommended it is important to note that the adjustment period after bypass should require an holistic approach that includes therapy and nutritional counseling in addition to dietary changes. A careful diet, adjusted for the patient’s individual situation is also crucial for achieving the goals of the treatment long after the surgical procedure. Under certain conditions, gastric bypass can result in rapid weight loss and a bodily transformation that helps sufferers of obesity to return to normal daily functioning.

Definitions of Various Terms

Endocrine- Pertaining to internal secretions, hormonal.

Phenothiazines- Converts ethionamide, chlorpromazine and thioridazine to their corresponding sulfoxides; requires NADPH and oxygen; does not contain p-45

Insulin - A polypeptide hormone (bovine insulin, 5780D) found in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Secreted by the cells of the pancreas in response to high blood sugar levels.

We are located at: Patients Medical PC, 800 Second Avenue, Suite 900 (Between 42nd & 43rd Street), Manhattan, New York, NY 10017.

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Date of Publication: 07/21/2009
Article Last Updated: 06/26/2009