Obesity is a major public health problem that has unfortunately increased in prevalence in recent years. In fact, since the 70s, the number of cases in our country has been steadily rising.
According to data from the National Institute of Health, it affects more than 20% of the adult population and 1 in 6 children and adolescents.
What diseases is obesity associated with?
First, obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (whether heart attacks/angina or strokes). And we mustn't forget that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in our country.
Secondly, it is associated with a higher risk of certain cancers (especially those of the digestive system).
It is also behind more than half of adult diabetes cases, which in turn contributes to metabolic syndrome and is behind all the cardiovascular diseases we mentioned earlier.
Furthermore, an association has been demonstrated between obesity and neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer's disease) that are so prevalent among our elderly today.
The reasons or causes for it are multifactorial, but we are going to list the most important ones.
First, there's the change in our diet over the last 20 years. Instead of natural or whole foods, we eat packaged and processed items. Many of these are also high in inflammatory trans fats and sugars. We also consume less fruit and vegetables than is recommended.
Secondly, there's physical inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle . We spend our days sitting in office jobs and struggle to reach a reasonable minimum of daily activity, which would be 8000-10000 steps. And if that's already difficult, forget about doing structured physical activity, like strength training or aerobic exercise. The percentage of the population that does that is much lower.
Thirdly, there is the stress we are subjected to in modern life. This stress increases cortisol, the quintessential stress hormone, which, if chronically present, promotes low-grade inflammation. Therefore, along with inactivity and poor diet, it contributes to perpetuating overweight and obesity.
Closely linked to stress is also the lack of sleep , which also contributes to this vicious inflammatory/cortisol cycle we are talking about.
The genetic factor also has an important influence on obesity, as it does on most diseases. However, let's say that genes are the cards we are dealt at birth and we are able to decide which cards we want to play with.
What can we do to improve these worrying numbers?
The first thing is to improve your diet. It should be based on food and not products. In real food, in fruits, vegetables, vegetable protein such as legumes, as well as animal protein such as fish (especially oily fish with high omega 3 content, which are so beneficial for cholesterol and the immune system), meats (preferably lean but Fattier meats also have a place more sporadically).
It is not necessary to eat 5 times a day, but 2 or 3 well-made meals based on nutritional density and the foods we just mentioned is enough.
Second is exercise. It is a priority that we stay active. Walk as long as possible, park further away from work or wherever we are going. Climb stairs and not in the elevator. If we have been sitting for a long time, change positions and walk for a few minutes. If we can answer a call walking, the better. With all these small strategies we do small things that add up to the overall day and bring us closer to the goal of a more active life.
In addition to that, it would be essential to do some type of cardiovascular exercise such as brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling; as well as strength training at least 2/3 days a week. Muscle is one of the organs in the body that requires the most energy for our body and therefore helps us the most in losing weight and being healthy in general.
Finally, to try to improve stress, strategies can be implemented to optimize the planning of our days and also the self-demand that we sometimes have with ourselves.
By Dr. Irene Narváez Mayorga , specialist at UICAR
About UICAR:
Heart problems are a leading cause of death worldwide, making access to top cardiologists in Madrid essential for the prevention and treatment of heart disease. At UICAR, you'll find a wide range of cardiology specialists, but only the very best stand out for their excellence in the diagnosis , treatment, and prevention of heart disease.