India Obesity
Bursting at the seams
City-centric fast-paced lives have brought in their unique problems. Women are matching the steps with men at the workplace, but on the flip-side, they are gaining weight. Haima Desshpande delves into the issue and finds that a slow metabolism rate makes it more difficult for women to shed those extra pounds. As a result, they have to endure more social and psychological problems than their male counterparts
Since the past decade waistlines are expanding. Studies indicate that the expanding girth has affected more women than men. As the workplace and domestic front get more mechanised, women are increasingly gaining weight.
The hour glass figure — considered a barometer of beauty — has been relegated to the sidelines in the battle of the bulge. Since women have a slower metabolism rate than men, shedding extra pounds is getting tougher for the fair sex.
Obesity and overweight problems have become very common for educated, middle and upper class urbanised women. Statistics of the Nutrition Foundation of India indicate that 50 per cent of women and 32 per cent men are obese in urban India. Women in the cities pay a higher price for a highly-mechanised life, than their rural counterparts. They also pay a higher health price for obesity than men and suffer a “disproportionate” burden of disease attributed to obesity and overweight. Women also suffer relatively more social and psychological impact and the social prejudice against obesity is more for women than men.
For the uninitiated, obesity is defined as being 10 per cent of the ideal body weight calculated through the Body Mass Index (BMI). This is the weight (in kg) divided by the square of the height of an individual in metres (kg/m2). BMI between 18.5 to 25 kg/m2 is considered normal, up to 30 kg/m2 overweight, up to 40 kg/m2 obese and beyond this figure is morbidly obese.
Morbid obesity is associated with life-threatening complications such as strokes, sleep apneas, breathlessness, heart diseases, high blood pressure, liver diseases and cancers, including breast cancer. Obesity causes cholesterol and gall bladder diseases, asthma, osteoporosis, type I diabetes and reproductive problems. It can have a major impact on a woman’s fertility. Other effects on the reproductive health of a woman include reduced ovulation, lowered response to
fertility treatments, decreased pregnancy rate and risk to pregnancy.
Obesity is also linked to gestational diabetes, caesarean section, birth defects, urinary tract infection and pregnancy hypertension. Medical practitioners have sounded the bugle at the increasing obesity in society. Family physicians, cardiologists, endocrinologists, gynaecologists and diabetologists are looking for ways to control and manage overweight and obese patients.
“Obesity reduces the quality of life more for women than men,” said Dr Shrihari Dhorepatil, Bariatric surgeon who is also a part of the Obesity Support Group in Pune. “Suddenly, there are more obese women than men. They are getting extremely conscious about the treatments available and are willing to pay any amount of money to lose the extra fat. On an average, I see 10 female patients and four male patients in a day for obesity consultation,” said Dr Dhorepatil.
Thirty-five-year-old Neeta Sharma weighs 120kg. Since the past year she has been seeking consultations from various quarters to reduce her weight. “I am very scared of surgeries and I know that it is the only solution. I am like an outcast. People, particularly women, laugh at me when I pass by. I had severe psychological problems, but after talking to the doctors I know there is hope,” said Sharma.
Medical practitioners agree that commonly practised weight reduction measures like dieting, exercise and medication are futile in treating clinically severe or morbid obesity, as few persons are able to reduce weight effectively. In the fair sex, only five per cent of the obese or overweight women suffer from the ailment due to problems such as polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD), thyroid, pituitary gland problems, chronic depression etc. In the rest of the female population, obesity and overweight problems are essentially lifestyle disorders.
According to Dr Dhorepatil, obesity is a chronic disease with a strong genetic component. “In simple terms, if a person consumes more calories than they require then it is stored in the form of fat. Either they eat more or burn less. In effect fast foods, oversized portions or a diet high in fat, salt and sugar adds to the ailment. Lack of exercise is an important contributing factor,” revealed Dr Dhorepatil.
A slew of studies have indicated that though obesity is more prevalent in middle age, it can occur at any stage of life. In developing countries like India it is more prevalent among wealthy women, whereas in developed countries obesity is more common in the lower socio-economic groups. Obesity in women sets in at puberty, during pregnancy or at menopause.
Rising obesity has also led to more infertile couples.
A majority of women who throng infertility clinics are either obese or overweight, pointed out infertility experts. Megha Pal, 30, has given up all hope of having a child. Her 5 feet 2 inches frame weighs 88kg. She has done the rounds of at least six infertility clinics and each of them point to her obesity as a sure fire chance for a misfire in the treatment. “I have enrolled for this nutrition programme and have managed to lose five kg. I am confident that I will lose the required kilos and gain my self esteem,” said Pal.
The obese can now seek solace in a number of obesity groups that have sprung up in Mumbai and Pune in recent times. Obesity can be treated through dietary therapy, physical activity, behaviour therapy, pharmacotherapy and surgery. Though doctors see surgery as the last option, an increasing number of women are opting for it. Surgical options include slim gastric tummy, gastric binding, gastric bypass, dilio pancreatic diversion and liposuction.
Zydus Cadila has recently launched Slimona, a next generation anti-obesity drug, in India. It has been approved for treatment of obese patients with associated risk factors such as type II diabetes and lipidemia.
Interestingly, in keeping with the expanding waistlines many stores have opened sections catering entirely to the needs of the “very large” women. An American publication Obesity Management provides clinical and practical information on obesity, including prevention and management, patient motivation and nutrition.
A new study — conducted over 17 years by researchers at the Cancer Council of Victoria in Australia — found that waist measurement of more than 100 centimetre for men and 85 centimetre for women significantly increases cancer risk. Research throws up an important fact —nothing compensates for physical activity. Women have to make exercise an integral part of their daily lifestyles — this is the unanimous word of caution from experts the world over.
India Obesity
Linear Mode
