Obesity and atherosclerosis, hypothalamic diseases and upper body obesity increase the risk of diabetes

Why is obesity related to atherosclerosis?

Among cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, atherosclerosis is particularly worrying. It is not only a potential danger to cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases but also one of the main causes of sudden death from coronary heart disease. Furthermore, atherosclerosis is closely linked to obesity. Therefore, the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis should be carried out with equal importance to the prevention and treatment of obesity.

So how does obesity cause atherosclerosis? It turns out that cholesterol is the culprit. Obese patients not only have increased body fat, but also significantly increased lipid levels in their serum. These lipids include triglycerides, free fatty acids, and cholesterol. The significant increase in cholesterol, in particular, leads to its deposition and adhesion to the inner lining of arterial walls, forming porridge-like lumps that cause arteriosclerosis.

Now that we know cholesterol is the main culprit in atherosclerosis, let's look for...

Where does excess cholesterol come from? It turns out that increased cholesterol is directly proportional to increased body weight. Medical practice has proven that weight gain can lead to higher cholesterol levels in the body.

Therefore, losing weight, lowering lipids, and reducing cholesterol levels are currently the most effective ways to prevent atherosclerosis. However, once atherosclerosis has formed in the arteries, reversing it is extremely difficult.

Why should we pay attention to obesity caused by hypothalamic diseases?

Although the hypothalamus is relatively unknown and quite unfamiliar to most people, once explained in detail, you will suddenly realize that the hypothalamus is the gland that controls physiological functions such as nutrient intake.

Generally, the hypothalamus has two neural spindles that regulate feeding activity. The ventromedial spindle is the satiety center, which, when excited, leads to satiety and food refusal; the ventrolateral spindle is the feeding center, which, when excited, increases appetite and food intake. Normally, these two spindles regulate and restrain each other, working closely together to maintain a balance. Because human intake behavior is strictly controlled by the hypothalamus, people maintain a healthy state of being neither too fat nor too thin. However, the hypothalamus does not always function normally. When the hypothalamus is diseased, inflamed, traumatized, or subjected to other stimuli, its function can be affected. For example, if the satiety center of the medial hypothalamus is damaged, the control over the feeding center of the ventrolateral spindle is released, resulting in overeating, frequent hunger, and excessive food intake, accompanied by drowsiness, fatigue, and decreased sexual function. As a result, a person's weight quickly becomes excessive, leading to obesity, commonly known as secondary obesity.

The hypothalamus can be affected by a wide variety of diseases, the most common being intracranial tumors, encephalitis, and encephalopathy, as well as infections. Given these various diseases affecting the hypothalamus, most are fatal; therefore, obesity caused by hypothalamus issues should be approached with extreme caution.

Why are people with upper body obesity more prone to diabetes?

It is an indisputable fact that obese individuals are more prone to diabetes. Medical research has proven that...

Etiology

70%-80% of insulin-dependent diabetics have a history of obesity. These people are relatively wealthy, have abundant material resources, consume calories without restraint, and have very little physical activity and exercise. As a result, they not only become obese, but also develop diabetes.

So, do all obese people develop diabetes? If not, which type of obesity is more prone to this disease? Yes, the development of diabetes is related to the type of obesity. According to research by American researchers, apple-shaped obese individuals, whose fat is mainly concentrated above the waist, are more likely to develop diabetes than pear-shaped obese individuals, whose fat is concentrated in the hips and legs. Researchers discovered under a microscope that people who are heavier in the upper body have fat cells that are packed with a lot of substances. Perhaps these cells are too large, and only a small amount of insulin is effective, resulting in insulin deficiency. In addition, excessive production of oxygen free radicals and insufficient SOD clearance capacity all contribute to the increased risk of diabetes in people who are heavier in the upper body.

Why can genetic diseases also cause obesity?

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Many people who are obese immediately think of losing weight, but many obese individuals cannot lose weight through conventional weight loss methods alone. The obesity discussed here refers to obesity caused by genetic diseases.

Although obesity caused by genetic diseases accounts for only a small percentage, it is very harmful. If it cannot be distinguished from general obesity, it is easy to misdiagnose and difficult to treat in a targeted manner.

Currently, the genetic diseases causing obesity can be broadly categorized as follows: First, obesity caused by glycogen accumulation, with main symptoms including extreme liver enlargement, ketonuria, and delayed bone growth. Second, obesity caused by sexual immaturity, specifically manifested as intellectual disability, developmental delays, retinitis pigmentosa, polydactyly, and hypogonadism. Third, obesity caused by hyperplasia of the inner table of the skull, primarily affecting women, with main symptoms including headaches, hirsutism, and thickening of the frontal bone plate.

Obesity caused by genetic diseases cannot be effectively treated with conventional weight loss methods. Only targeted treatment can alleviate the obesity.

Why do children get particularly fat when they watch TV and eat snacks at the same time?

Many teachers have noticed that when summer and winter breaks end and students return to school, some students have gained considerable weight, almost becoming chubby. These students experience weight gain, sluggishness, morning sleepiness, drowsiness in class, increased feelings of inferiority, and a sharp decline in academic performance. All of this is caused by obesity, which is almost always caused by children spending their holidays at home, doing nothing, and snacking while watching television. Researchers abroad call this type of childhood obesity "television obesity," mainly due to excessive television viewing, excessive snacking, and insufficient physical activity, resulting in excessive calorie intake and obesity during the holidays.

"TV-induced obesity" has significant negative impacts on children. Firstly, there's the psychological pressure. Being overweight can lead to ridicule from classmates, causing feelings of loneliness and further social isolation, resulting in decreased physical activity and exacerbating obesity. Secondly, obese children often have slower reflexes and are more prone to drowsiness, inevitably affecting their academic performance. This can lead to feelings of inferiority and even worse academic results, a significant blow to their development. To prevent "TV-induced obesity" during holidays, parents and teachers must work together to guide and support children; otherwise, this phenomenon will only increase.

90. Why does wolfing down food accelerate weight gain?

After seeing this title, many people may disagree, or even ask: wolfing down food only leads to indigestion and is good for weight loss, so how could it accelerate obesity?

To understand this issue, let's start by discussing the control of the brain's hunger and satiety centers. Human satiety and hunger are not primarily determined by the emptiness or fullness of the stomach, but rather by the hunger and satiety centers in the brain. After food is digested and absorbed by the stomach and intestines, it enters the bloodstream, causing an increase in the concentration of sugars, amino acids, and fatty acids in the blood, sending important chemical signals that regulate hunger and satiety.

Etiology

Overeating, excessive eating, and binge eating are all detrimental to health. Therefore, chewing slowly and thoroughly is a scientifically sound eating method that won't lead to obesity. When someone eats very quickly, almost wolfing down their food, although a considerable amount of food has been ingested, the digestive process hasn't had time to transmit the necessary chemical signals, and the brain's satiety center hasn't received any signals indicating fullness. Therefore, the person still feels hungry, and eating continues. Finally, when the satiety center receives the signal, the person's food intake has far exceeded the energy expenditure required for calorie consumption. Therefore, it would be strange if someone who wolfs down their food didn't become obese over a long period.