Adult Obesity

Adult obesity is not just a cosmetic problem; it is a serious health hazard.

According to the American Obesity Association, adult obesity is a complex, multi-factorial chronic disease involving physiologic, environmental, psychological, genetic, metabolic and behavioral components. [2]

Trends in Adult Obesity

Adult obesity is the second leading cause of early deaths in the U.S., which can be prevented.

According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 97 million adults in the United States are overweight or obese. Adult obesity has increased dramatically, in the past 20 years.

This trend in adult obesity led World Health Organization (WHO) to recognize a “global epidemic of obesity” in 1998. [1]

Prevention of Adult Obesity

According to a study conducted by Simmons et al [3], there is a promising possibility of preventing adult obesity by taking early action at its onset in childhood.

Adult obesity

Parsons et al find that heavier babies at birth, born to overweight mothers, are at high risk of adult obesity, whereas there is little influence of father's weight on the risk of adult obesity in his children. Thus, steps taken to prevent obesity in women of reproductive age is not only beneficial to women but to their children as well.

Health Conditions associated with adult obesity:

• High blood pressure
• High Triglycerides and low HDL
• Diabetes Type 2
• Osteoarthritis
• Coronary heart disease, Angina
• Cerebrovascular Accident
• Gallbladder disease
• Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
• Some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)
• Erectile Dysfunction

Management of Adult Obesity

Weight management in adult obesity should include planned physical activity, proper counseling for behavior modification, good dietary patterns and public policy initiatives.   

Dr. David Lau of University of Calgary, who holds Chair of the Obesity Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines Steering Committee, lays stress on combined treatment approaches involving diet, exercise, and behavior modification for better results as compared to any single treatment to combat adult obesity.

Obesity & Erectile Dysfunction

According to Ontario Men's Health, which is a Canadian Men's Clinic in Toronto, some of the early signs of erectile dysfunction which could be associated with obesity are:

• Morning erections less frequent or softer.
• More effort or concentration needed to get an erection.
• Ejaculation occurring quickly or with a softer erection.
• Difficulty maintaining an erection to complete intercourse.

If untreated, these conditions over time often result in poor health outcomes and disability.

References:

[1] World Health Organization (1988). Obesity. Preventing and managing the global epidemic.

[2] American Obesity Association (2002). AOA Fact Sheets. Obesity in the U.S.

[3] David Simmons, Bernhard H Breier, Robert Fraser, Hora Soltani, Nicolas Stettler, Virginia A Stallings, Tim Cundy, and Simon Langley-Evans (2001). British Medical Journal. Adult obesity and growth in childhood

[4] Ontario Men's Health - Dr. John Aquino