Morbid Obesity Treatment

The obese is in a total delirium. For he is not only large, of a size opposed to normal morphology: he is larger than large. He no longer makes sense in some distinctive opposition, but in his excess, his redundancy. ~ Jean Baudrillard

First of all, let's precede this discussion on morbid obesity treatment with a brief overview of what morbid obesity means and how it's different from regular obesity. Obesity means any condition wherein the body fat exceeds the normal quantity with reference to height and body mass of an individual so much so that it interferes with the body's capability to normally undertake otherwise regular activities such as walking, climbing stairs, etc. and also leads to a lot of other weight related health problems. Morbid obesity is a category of obesity which is characterized by the individual so much fat as to becoming more than double the weight that is normal for his/her height, skeletal mass and age. In other words, when measured on the Body Mass Indicator scale, any result exceeding 39 is considered as a tendency towards morbid obesity. Morbid obesity poses a whole lot of serious health risks as the excess fat puts a lot of pressure on the bones and the vital organs.

Owing to this, a morbidly obese individual runs great risk of experiencing heart failure and suffering from other cardiovascular diseases. Incidences of kidney and liver diseases are also high in morbidly obese persons. Due to heavy pressure on the bones, they also run the risk of osteoporosis as their bones get weaker and are weighed down by all that excess fat. Also, an increase in fat results in a decrease in muscle mass, leading to restriction of body movements and loss of agility. Instances of various respiratory problems are also high in morbidly obese individuals. This is the reason why fat people are not necessarily strong - in fact, they are seriously sick people who need urgent medical attention. A morbidly obese body is like a time bomb, ticking and getting closer to collapse with each passing day!

Morbid Obesity Treatment Options

Morbid obesity management involves a bi-pronged approach with a third option, surgery, as the last resort. The twin prongs of non surgical morbid obesity management involves a combination of diet and exercise. The surgical method refers to bariatric surgery. Let's take a look at each of these methods to understand how they work to help the patient shed the unnecessary body mass.

Diet for Morbid Obesity
Since most cases of morbid obesity are caused by diet related irregularities and overindulgences, it is very important to put checks on eating habits of the patient first. There are various types of weight loss diets available that can be followed for losing excess lipids from the body by reducing the intake of calories in the form of carbohydrates and fats. However, before going on a crash diet, consulting a medical professional and a nutritionist/dietitian is strongly advised.

Exercise for Shedding Flab
After consulting a medical profession with regards to losing the extra weight, the recommended exercise regime must be followed religiously by the subject. A typical workout regime designed to help obese individuals lose weight includes about 20-30 minutes of cardiovascular exercises and aerobic workouts such as walking, swimming, biking, etc. However, since obesity puts a lot of pressure on the heart and other vital organs, it is best to get counseling from a professional weight loss expert regarding workout regime to avoid putting even more pressure on these organs.

Surgical Treatment of Morbid Obesity
Any individual with a BMI reading exceeding 40 is eligible for bariatric surgery for reducing the capacity of the stomach so that the patient's eating capacity is limited to a specific quantity, exceeding which he/she will feel nauseous and will regurgitate the excess food. Individuals with a lower reading who exhibit morbid obesity symptoms that indicate towards other health issues and functional problems of organs owing to excess weight also qualify for bariatric surgery. Before the surgery is attempted, the patient is often given a period of time within which to make certain lifestyle changes that contribute towards future weight loss. A clear liquid diet is usually followed post the surgery to allow the gastrointestinal tract to recover from the surgical procedure.

Other than diet, exercise and surgery, weight loss medication such as fat burning pills and appetite suppressants can also be taken to supplement the weight loss efforts of the aforementioned morbid obesity management methods. Medications and drugs alone cannot lead to effective weight loss unless accompanied by diet and exercise. Obesity is a preventable and reversible condition. However, the extent of its prevention and reversibility depends totally upon individual will and level of commitment towards a healthy lifestyle. Watch what you eat to stay fit - obesity doesn't just change the way you look, it also changes the way you live and feel.

Morbid Obesity Symptoms

A lot of fat people learn to laugh at themselves and deal with the issue of weight gain by mocking it. However, obesity is no laughing matter. A fat child may look cute and cuddly, but the troubles these children face as grown up adults, are beyond imagination for many. Obesity is a disease that is characterized by excessive weight gain, which eventually results in several correlated health problems. Body mass index (BMI) ration is a calculation that defines whether you are overweight, underweight or the correct weight. Morbid obesity is when you BMI ration crosses 30 kg/m2.

Morbid obesity is a graver concern than obesity, as it brings with it a series of dangers. The first repercussion of morbid obesity, is that is starts damaging your internal organs, which can make your condition fatal. If the tendency to gain weight is hereditary, then one needs to extra careful about diet and exercise routines. Let's take a few of the symptoms that indicate possibilities of morbid obesity.

Symptoms of Morbid Obesity

Blood Pressure
Morbid obesity causes several health problems. The first and commonly seen morbid obesity symptom is high blood pressure. As your body cannot use the excess of stored fat due to sedentary lifestyle, it begins to develop a high blood pressure. This will make you tired very easily and your energy levels will drop drastically. This can lead to heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, and arterial blockage .

Coronary Diseases
Heart diseases or coronary diseases are the more serious symptoms of morbid obesity. The heart suffers gravely due to high blood pressure, which causes an imbalance in the supply of blood and oxygen. This can lead to strokes and heart attacks, in people who are in their 40's too. The main cause for a tired heart, is the fat around it, which prevents it from functioning normally. If this continues for a longer time, it can also lead to lack of blood supply to the brain causing irreparable damage.

Depression
Morbid obesity symptoms are not just physical, but affect the mental health too. Depression is a symptom of morbid obesity that often remains ignored. Obesity is the main cause of low self-esteem, which leads to lack of social interaction and makes the sufferer lonely. This adds to feelings of self-hate, anger and makes the person depressed. Depression leads to inability to perform daily activities normally. It adds to more weight gain or causes the person to be on a constant depressive eating spree, trapping the patient in the vicious cycle of morbidity.

Osteoarthritis
Excessive weight cannot be supported by our bones. Over a period of time, they degenerate. The cartilage, bones and joints at the hips and downwards get worn out due to overpowering upper body weight. They get stiff, which leads to constant body ache, further reducing your physical activity. Osteoarthritis can be a great discouragement to those who are trying to lose weight.

Respiratory Problems
Slightest physical activity and a person with morbid obesity starts panting. A little exertion makes them breathless. This happens as they have 'heavier-than-normal chest wall', which makes it very difficult for the lungs to expand while breathing. Shortness of breath prevents them from doing normal activities such as climbing stairs too. Sleep apnea and hypoventilation syndrome during sleep are some more morbid obesity symptoms. These can cause heart or lung failure and blood thickening which can lead to blood clots too.

Morbid obesity symptoms follow one after the other, which makes controlling the condition a great trouble. However, with calorie restriction, exercise and unwavering will power, the disease can be brought under control. Stick to regular and timely meals, an exercise routine and learn to accept your problem. Morbid obesity can be treated if one wants to. After all where there's a will, there is always a way!