Endocrinology clinic Zakopane – Specialist clinics Medical Clinic Podhale Art. Welcome!

Obesity is a very common phenomenon – in Poland it affects over 25% of the population. Both overweight and obesity can be the result of many factors (e.g. improper lifestyle and nutrition, stress, cultural factors and family traditions, endocrine disorders, internal medicine and psychotropic drugs, mental disorders). On the other hand, obesity can lead to very serious health consequences, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, heart and kidney failure, hormonal disorders and cancer.

The duration of the disease is also important – the earlier obesity appears, the greater the risk of complications. Therefore, it is very important to prevent the development of this disease and implement a healthy diet and physical activity from an early age.

The parameter most frequently used to identify overweight or obesity is the body mass index (BMI), calculated according to the formula: body weight / height2. Normal BMI values ​​are in the range of 18.5-24.99 kg / m2. In overweight, it is 25-29.99 kg / m2, and in the case of obesity> 30 kg / m2.

Several groups can be distinguished among the factors influencing obesity.

• negative eating habits (or changing habits to negative ones), e.g. increased consumption of sugars, highly processed foods with high energy density, fats, decreased consumption of dietary fiber); as a result, we exceed our energy requirements, and the body accumulates this energy in adipose tissue,
• negligible physical activity,
• chronic stress.

Stress is an extremely negative factor, because it winds up a spiral: stressful situations make us unload it by nervously eating (e.g. with sweets).

As a result, body weight increases, which in turn causes a significant decrease in self-esteem, deterioration of mood, and in extreme cases may lead to social isolation. It is difficult to get out of such a maze, so it is worth visiting specialists.

There are many mental disorders associated with eating, which effectively reduce the motivation to introduce positive changes in lifestyle. These can be mentioned, for example:

• the aforementioned lowering of self-esteem – lack of self-acceptance is a minor motivation to lead a healthy lifestyle, including maintaining a balanced, healthy diet,
• depressed mood, including depression,
• compulsive eating disorder (BED – binge eating disorder) – characterized by episodes of binge eating without control over its quantity and quality of products (often it is also eating despite the lack of hunger, up to the unpleasant feeling of satiety, accompanied by depression or guilt) ,
• food addiction.

The tendency to eat disorders (excessive and uncontrolled eating) is closely related to problems and emotions such as anger, sadness and irritability. Obesity can also be associated with hormonal disruptions. They often cause negative changes in appetite (e.g. increased appetite in Cushing’s syndrome) or in the level of metabolism (e.g. its reduction in hypothyroidism).

Non-metabolic complications are associated with the mechanical consequences of excess body fat. These include, for example:

• varicose veins of the lower extremities and venous thromboembolism,
• osteoarthritis of the knee, hip and spine, related to overload of the musculoskeletal system – causes joint pain and problems with movement,
• hiatal hernia,
• obesity-induced hypoventilation syndrome – shortness of breath, breathing problems,
• obstructive sleep apnea, causing chronic fatigue and daytime sleepiness,
• gallbladder stones,
• gastroesophageal reflux disease, which causes heartburn – a burning pain in the chest that occurs after eating.

Depending on the degree of obesity and its cause, we can introduce various forms of treatment, such as:

• dietary treatment,
• pharmacological treatment,
• surgical treatment,
• behavioral therapy,
• lifestyle change,
• increasing physical activity,
• changing incorrect eating habits.

Before starting the surgical treatment of obesity at the Medical Clinic Podhale Art in Zakopane, the patient has an interview with a doctor or psychologist. On the other hand, the specialist assesses his determination and readiness for radical changes in the way of life. The doctor checks whether the patient is highly motivated and willing to change and is aware of the new challenges in terms of reducing food consumption posed by bariatric surgeries, as well as absolute compliance with medical recommendations after the procedure.

The most common is c surgical laparoscopic procedures, but surgical treatment of obesity also include other methods that differ in the level of weight reduction and the frequency of complications.

• obesity grade III (BMI> 40 kg / m2),
• 2nd degree obesity (BMI> 35 kg / m2), if there are additional diseases associated with advanced overweight (diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, severe osteoarthritis).