Editor’s note: Season 9 of the podcast Chasing Life With Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the intersection of weight and health. We delve into a wide range of topics, including the science behind new weight loss drugs, weight gain around menopause, and the evolutionary reasons why weight loss is so difficult.can hear here.
(CNN) — When the American Medical Association voted in 2013 to recognize obesity as a disease, it paved the way for doctors, the largest professional group, to finally take the disease seriously.
At that time, and even now, many controversy Surrounded the decision. But from the belief that obesity is the fault of obese people (who are lazy and lack willpower) to the idea that obesity is a chronic disease that puts health at risk and may require long-term medical management. The needle is moving slowly. Still, many people, including those in the fat acceptance movement, don’t believe their claims. The body should be pathologised..
This statistic is now well known. According to the latest statistics, approximately 42% of adult Americans are obese. Centers for Disease Control and Preventionan additional 31% I’m too fat. and health conditions related to obesity (such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, and stroke, to name a few). well documented.
But what exactly makes obesity a disease, and are all people carrying excess weight unhealthy?
Giles Yeo, a world-renowned geneticist at the University of Cambridge and a pioneer in the field of obesity research, said: ‘One of the important things we have learned is that obesity is a disease of the brain. There is no better term.” Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief medical correspondent, recently appeared on the podcast “Chasing Life.”
“It’s now clear, clear and obvious that[obesity]is a brain problem. It’s a problem with our brains that affects hunger,” Yeo said. “So even though hunger comes from the stomach, hunger is a brain scenario. And we now know that obesity only affects what the brain eats and how it eats.” I know that.”
Carrying extra weight can lead to a number of inconveniences (like arthritis and sleep apnea), but it won’t kill you on its own, says Yeo. However, carrying too much excess fat is dangerous. That’s because when fat cells become full (Yoh calls them “professional fat storage organs”), fat spills out into other parts of the body, including internal organs and muscles. It is not designed to store fat. And that’s when metabolic problems begin to take hold, which can eventually lead to diseases such as cardiovascular disease.
But not everyone who carries excess weight necessarily has a disease, says Yeo.
“If we redefine the term obesity — and I may be playing word gymnastics here, but I think this is an important nuance — obesity is not about being overweight; “The moment you start to understand that high weight is a condition when weight starts to affect your health, it becomes a disease,” he said.
Genetics plays an important role in how much fat your fat cells can store, and the frequency and strength with which your brain sends hunger signals also plays a role.
What can you do when nature is stacked against you? In his first book, Gene Eating: The Science of Obesity and the Truth about Diet, Mr. Yeo calls it the “Yo Truth.” Here are 5 tips for eating healthy and losing weight.
Losing weight goes against our self-preservation mechanisms.
“Anyone who says weight loss is easy is lying, believe me. lying to you”Yow said. “The reason it’s not easy is because your brain doesn’t make it easy. So when you lose weight, your brain hates it and tries to gain it back.”
If you’re struggling to lose weight, Yeo said, “understand that it’s not your fault, it’s because ‘it can’t be easy.'” .
Just reduce your overall food intake.
“Eat a little less of everything,” says Yeo, adding that this kind of advice won’t make you rich. “It’s also called temperance, but it’s also true.”
He cautions against trying to completely eliminate food groups that are often maligned, such as carbohydrates and fats. “If you can drink dairy, it’s not toxic to you,” he says. “If you want to lose weight, eat a little less.”
Choose foods that stick to your ribs.
“Foods that take longer to digest make you feel fuller,” says Yeo. “It’s true – you know it!”
One example is protein. “I don’t want to eat too much, but eating high-protein meals makes me feel full,” he says. “When you eat foods that contain fiber, you also tend to feel fuller.”
Consider the value of the whole food, not just one aspect of it.
“Don’t blindly count calories,” says Yeo. “Why? Because calories tell you how much food you’re eating. They don’t tell you about the nutritional value of a food. (Calorie counting) doesn’t tell you how much protein, fiber, salt, or micronutrients it contains. yeah.”
When discussing diet, Mr Yeo said people unnecessarily talk about eliminating so-called bad foods, rather than understanding how they relate to food.
“You don’t have to be afraid of food,” he said. “I think we need to improve our food environment. I think some people need to eat less. But when you’re afraid of food, you’re like, ‘Oh, I have to cut this out, I have to cut that out. I start thinking, “I have to do this.”
“I think we need to eat a little less. But I think we need to love our food.”
I hope these five tips help you think about food (and eating) in a more productive and less toxic way. For more on Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s interview with Mr. Yeo, listen to the full episode. here.and next week Chasing Life Podcast Author and fat activist Lindy West talks about society’s misconceptions about “fat” people.
