The higher the excess weight and body fat, the higher the chances of having health problems or diseases caused by this excess weight.
Along these lines, it is also very important to know whether overweight and obesity are related to a potential insulin resistance. This means that, when weight increases excessively, it is possible that the body’s hormones do not respond as they should to the insulin hormone, so the control of fat metabolism may not work properly.
In addition, excess weight is also directly linked to the possible development of some cancerous diseases, such as colon cancer, rectal cancer, esophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, uterine cancer….
Therefore, a correct diagnosis in time can be of great help to avoid health problems, both physiologically and psychologically.
What is the relationship between sex, overweight and obesity?
The calculation of the BMI, the Body Mass Index, will allow us to know if we are overweight or suffer from some type of obesity. In this way, thanks to the relationship between height and weight, we will know whether or not we are at an adequate weight.
To calculate the BMI, weight should be divided by height squared. In women, an adequate weight would be between 15 and 25, while overweight would be between 25 and 30. A woman would be obese if she exceeds 30 points on the BMI.
In the case of men, an adequate BMI should be between 10 and 20. Overweight would be between 20 and 25, while +25 would imply obesity.
Which cases aggravate obesity and overweight?
First of all, it should be mentioned that both overweight and obesity depend on many factors: genetics, other diseases or unhealthy lifestyle habits.
Today, about 50% of adults and 20% of children have obesity. Personally, as a nutrition specialist, I would like you to be aware of the situations that imply risks of weight gain:
- Watch your diet if you suffer from a disease that causes you to reduce your physical activity or to remain at rest. For example, contracting COVID or having a muscle injury.
- Taking certain drugs, such as corticosteroids, contraceptives or antidepressants can cause weight gain. In these cases, a balanced diet and regular physical activity are recommended.
- Some moments in life such as pregnancy or menopause may involve changes in a woman’s weight.
- Stressful situations due to life changes can alter previously healthy habits. Some examples would be work stress, giving up bad habits such as smoking or moving house.
However, all these factors can be controlled and avoided. If you have any doubts about this, consult a specialist in Endocrinology.