Being obese does not mean being lazy and having a weak will! Doctor: Obesity stigma and negative labels should be corrected
More than 25% of Taiwan’s population is obese. Doctor: Obesity stigma and negative labels should be corrected
The body shape of Taiwanese people continues to develop horizontally, and there is an urgent need to face up to the fact that “obesity” is a chronic disease that has a profound impact on health. According to the “Report on the Changes in National Nutrition and Health Status Survey”, the obesity rate in Taiwan over the age of 19 is as high as 23.9%, and more than a quarter of the population meets the “overweight” standard. Doctors point out that obesity is a risk factor for coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer. However, obesity is not caused by a single cause. The stigma and negative labeling of obesity are more likely to aggravate the health problems of obese people.
Lin Wenyuan, chairman of the Taiwan Obesity Medicine Association, said in an interview that the 2022 World Obesity Medicine Conference in Melbourne called on medical staff and the public to avoid labeling obese patients with negative labels such as “lazy”, “eating and lazy”, and “weak-willed”. Empirical research has found that depression and anxiety are common complications of obesity, and people with depression or anxiety are also prone to obesity, and the two interact with each other. In the face of overweight and obesity, the cause of obesity should be identified and appropriate treatment and treatment should be provided.
Chairman Lin Wenyuan pointed out that taking “central obesity” which is common over the age of 65 as an example, the proportion of waist circumference exceeding the standard for this type of obese people may reach more than 60% to 70%. The source of their obesity may be a decrease in metabolism or postmenopausal hormones in women. If the negative label of “obesity” is applied arbitrarily, it will damage the patient’s self-confidence and aggravate the patient’s physical and mental problems.
Chairman Lin Wenyuan explained that the obesity rate among modern people is increasing year by year. The World Obesity Alliance advocates the “ROOTS” concept: Recognize obesity, Obesity monitoring, Obesity prevention, Treatment of obesity and Systems-based approach, advocates a multi-pronged approach from “cognition”, “medical treatment” and “behavior”, including raising public awareness of the disease, changing disease stigma; seeking professional medical assistance and changing lifestyles Only by facing up to the importance of weight management and formulating a personalized weight loss strategy can we truly implement the purpose of the “Happy Weight Management Plan”.
Is obesity caused by anxiety and emotions? Doctors reveal the differences between four “obesity types”
Dr. Cai Mingjie, a specialist in endocrinology and metabolism, pointed out that obesity is a tug-of-war between eating and metabolism. When caloric intake exceeds consumption, weight will increase. International research has found that from the relationship between eating behavior and energy consumption, obese groups can be divided into Four types:
Hungry brain: You must eat food with 62% more total calories than others to feel full, and you often cannot restrain your “greediness”.
Emotional hunger: Anxiety is particularly high, 2.8 times higher than that of other ethnic groups. Emotional eating is the main cause of this type of obesity.
Hungry intestines: The gastric emptying speed is 31% faster than others, making it easier to eat more frequently.
Metabolic abnormalities: The basal metabolic rate is 12% lower than others, causing heat accumulation.
Dr. Cai Mingjie said that rather than shooting at random and using the wrong methods, identifying the obesity pattern and prescribing the right medicine is the key to successful weight loss. Among them, people with the “hungry brain” type are most often affected by external stimuli and unknowingly eat too many calories to feel full, while those with the “emotional hunger” type tend to rely on eating to release negative emotions or to obtain satisfaction. Eat in response to feelings and pleasure. It is relatively difficult to lose weight and overcome appetite by relying solely on willpower.
Dr. Cai Mingjie pointed out that today’s weight loss drugs have different mechanisms and effects. If corresponding medication treatments can be adopted according to the obesity type, 98% of patients can successfully lose 5% of their body weight within one year on average. The precise medication group with the most obvious benefits can achieve a weight loss of 15.9% in one year, which shows the necessity of seeking correct and professional medical treatment once there is a weight loss problem.
Why are Taiwanese fatter than Japan and South Korea? Sedentary breakfast delivery is the three main culprits?
Dr. An Xinyu from the Department of Family Medicine of Chiayi Christian Hospital pointed out in an interview that although rice is the staple food in Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, differences in eating habits and lifestyles have resulted in a relatively higher obesity rate. For example, Taiwanese people are accustomed to eating starchy egg pancakes, steamed buns and other foods for breakfast. Office workers often sit for long periods of time, and the rise of food delivery and group buying has increased the problem of excessive calorie intake and insufficient consumption. Coupled with the lifestyle of eating delicious food as a reward for hard work, or eating delicious food to relieve stress after get off work, these are all factors leading to the increase in the proportion of adult obesity.
Dr. An Xinyu said that in recent years, a variety of new weight loss drugs have been launched, which can help overcome the causes of obesity that could not be solved in the past. For example, “hungry brain” and “emotional hunger” are related to the hypothalamus, the brain’s eating center. Taking dual-mechanism oral weight-loss drugs can simultaneously reduce hunger and food cravings, helping people solve the problem at the source. With the implementation of the Happiness Weight Loss Plan (HOPE), establishing a healthy lifestyle, maintaining a positive weight loss attitude, cooperating with a professional medical team, and maintaining willpower, you can regain a happy and promising life.
Dr. An Xinyu reminded that many chronic disease groups in the outpatient clinic need simultaneous weight loss intervention to help control the disease, such as sleep apnea, diabetes, hypertension, etc. Some obese groups with sleep apnea may even suffer from sleep apnea. When half unable to breathe, we call on people with chronic diseases to realize the importance of weight management and seek professional medical teams to find out the causes of obesity, so that they can solve the disease from the root and return to a healthy body.
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