Obesity is a chronic disease on the rise in India and across the world that is often seen by many as a lifestyle issue largely caused due to an individual’s eating habit and lack of physical activity. But this is a common misconception.
People often associate obesity with overweight, but it is a much more complex condition. Obesity has a direct impact on the quality of life of an individual. It can lead to serious health issues including heart diseases, diabetes, and many other comorbidities. It is a chronic condition where an upsurge in body fat leads to problems in the way the body stores and utilises energy.
We need to focus on the root causes of weight gain and adopt a long-term holistic approach. Healthcare practitioners therefore usually recommend treatment beyond just diet and exercise for obese individuals.
The popular narrative around obesity is based on the assumptions about personal irresponsibility, lack of strong willpower, and places blame on the individual; eventually leading up to fat-shamming. As a complex and chronic condition, obesity requires lifelong management.
The obesity treatment should be personalised based on factors such as sex, the degree of obesity, individual health risks, psychobehavioral, metabolic characteristics, and the result of earlier weight loss efforts. An evaluation of hormonal and genetic factors of weight loss could also help in chalking out a customised therapy for a specific obese patient. A multilevel obesity management network working hand in hand will help achieve personalised treatment plans.
Centres of excellence in obesity management or a speciality team will be able to provide all-inclusive programs for the treatment of obesity derived from evidence-based medicine. Obesity management is a medically intensive treatment strategy developed to suit the patient’s lifestyle, preference, and condition together. The program can cover review and adjustments of medications, nutrition support, increased physical activities, counselling and bariatric surgery; if the patient is the right candidate.
It is important to understand that obesity is not just caused by overeating or lack of exercise. A lot goes into it, including genetics, environment, and behaviour. It is a condition that’s tough to fight alone and needs to be managed with the help of a medical expert.
Dr Ganapati Bantwal, President – Endocrine Society of India, Professor, Dept of Endocrinology, St Johns Medical College, Bengaluru.
