Exploring the Causes of Obesity: From True or False to an Overview of Traditional Chinese and Western Medical Perspectives

With the development of the times and trends, have you noticed that weight loss clinics are appearing on streets and in shopping malls?

Gyms are springing up like mushrooms after rain, and weight loss has become a popular activity among young people, especially girls.

Fashion topic. In the 1960s, a "disease of civilization" called "obesity" swept across the United States and other developed countries.

The virus first spread to developed countries and then to Asia, and our country was not spared. A 2003 report indicated...

It has been found that nearly 15% of adults in my country are overweight or obese, a 50% increase compared to 10 years ago. In 2000, my country's national...

Data from the national physical fitness monitoring program show that among urban adolescents aged 7-18, the rates of obesity are as high as 10% for both males and females.

5%, and increased by 70% and 60% respectively within 5 years. Among middle-aged people with comparable data, approximately 16

Over the course of a year, the number of overweight and obese men and women increased by 137% and 95% respectively, with some of them being overweight.

The obesity rate has reached as high as 50%.

Obesity not only affects a person's physical appearance, but it also contributes to diabetes, stroke, and other health problems.

Hidden dangers such as tumors and sleep apnea syndrome pose a significant threat to children and other serious illnesses.

Obesity has a negative impact on the growth and intellectual development of adolescents. People seem to have begun to realize the importance of obesity.

The severity of the obesity problem is evident, yet some people still manage to lose weight even after sweating profusely at the gym.

Despite eating only bland, watery meals three times a day, it's still difficult to lose weight. We can't help but ask, why is that?

Why? Because obesity hides many "little secrets." Let's take a closer look at obesity together.

Let's see what its little secrets are.

By now, you should have a basic understanding of obesity. Do you know what obesity is?

How does obesity develop? Please judge whether the following statements are true or false.

(1) Changes in lifestyle and reduced physical activity are one of the factors leading to obesity.

A very critical influencing factor.

(2) Eating too fast or eating too few meals a day has no effect on the occurrence of obesity.

(3) Night eating syndrome refers to the proportion of energy intake between night meal and next meal to total intake.

More than 25% of them, often reaching 50%, are commonly seen in obese individuals and may be related to sleep disorders.

(4) If maternal malnutrition or protein deficiency occurs during the fetal period, or at birth...

Low birth weight in infants can occur when their diet changes during growth or even into adulthood.

They are also prone to obesity.

(5) Psychological factors influence obesity by regulating appetite; when emotions are not in a good mood...

It can increase appetite and food intake, thus leading to obesity.

(6) Frequent drinking can lead to obesity.

(7) Studies have found that sleeping less than 6.5 hours a day increases the risk of obesity.

If there's a risk, then the longer you sleep, the less likely you are to become obese.

(8) Genetics not only affects the degree of obesity, but also has a strong influence on the distribution pattern of fat.

(9) Psychiatric medications and hormones can cause obesity.

(10) If energy intake is excessive, energy metabolism is in positive balance, and the excess portion...

Energy is converted into fat and stored in fat cells as triglycerides.

(11) Leptin, adiponectin, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and other adipose cells

Cytokines all play a role in the development of obesity.

(12) Traditional Chinese medicine believes that obesity is the result of the combined effects of congenital endowment and acquired factors.

(13) Traditional Chinese medicine believes that different regions and climates will not affect a person’s obesity constitution.

(14) Traditional Chinese medicine believes that when the stomach is slow to digest and the spleen is sluggish, the body's Qi will become disordered.

If the spleen and stomach fail to ascend or descend as they should, their function will be disrupted, leading to the accumulation of dampness and turbidity.

When these substances accumulate in the body, they turn into fat and fat, leading to obesity.

(15) Traditional Chinese medicine believes that obese people have phlegm-dampness, qi deficiency, yang deficiency, blood stasis, and spleen excess.

These characteristics exist individually and cannot coexist simultaneously.

Answers: (1) Correct; (2) Incorrect; (3) Correct; (4) Correct; (5) Correct; (6) Correct; (7) Incorrect;

(8) Correct; (9) Correct; (10) Correct; (11) Correct; (12) Correct; (13) Incorrect; (14) Correct;

(15) Wrong.

In today's society, the obese population is growing larger and larger. As the saying goes:

"You can't get fat overnight." Obesity doesn't appear suddenly; it's the result of many factors working together.

It develops gradually. Both traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine have unique insights into the formation of obesity.

Western medicine believes that obesity is related to social and environmental factors (including...)

(Including dietary habits, lifestyle, emotional factors) and genetic factors

It is closely related to factors such as age and gender. With age...

With the increase in [something], obesity rates have risen for both men and women. Especially [something].

After middle age, bodily functions begin to decline, and the metabolic rate...

Lowered, life is basically comfortable, less travel, for energy

Reduced calorie expenditure makes it easier for fat to accumulate. Women typically...

Women are more prone to obesity than men, mainly due to physiological differences.

Several factors contribute to young women having a higher body fat percentage than men.

Currently, the overweight rate among young people is increasing year by year. Young women...

The rates of overweight and obesity in simple obesity were significantly higher in young men than in young women.

The proportion of overweight and obese middle-aged women in my country also exceeds that of men.

What is the relationship between social environmental factors and obesity?

Xiao Yang is a typical "Beijing drifter." After graduating from university, he worked for a company in Beijing. His daily work...

With a busy work schedule and many social engagements, Xiao Yang, who used to be a lightweight drinker, became a heavy drinker after a few years of work.

"Drunk," he said, "his career development also progressed with his drinking capacity, and he even bought a car for easier travel."

However, the industry is highly competitive, and Xiao Yang often works overtime, resulting in severe sleep deprivation. Sometimes he even has to work overtime...

When he gets hungry, he treats himself to a hearty late-night snack. Besides work pressure, Xiao Yang also faces...

The immense pressure from family to get married and buy a house makes me either smoke incessantly when I'm feeling irritable.

No binge eating. At the Spring Festival class reunion, classmates noticed that Xiao Yang, who was originally thin in school, had changed...

I became Little Yang Fatty. In today's society, "Little Yang" is not uncommon; various social and environmental factors have shaped me.

Changes in our lifestyle habits are, in turn, changing our physical condition.

Lifestyle changes

Social development and technological progress have led people to increasingly use energy-saving methods in their work and daily lives.

Equipment that requires physical exertion. The widespread use of televisions, computers, and mobile phones leads to modern people spending long hours sitting; housework can...

Washing machines, dishwashers, and even robot vacuums take over these tasks; convenient and advanced transportation has made people...

People are increasingly relying on cars for transportation when going out. Lack of physical activity leads to reduced energy expenditure and weight gain.

From an energy balance perspective, due to reduced energy expenditure, excess energy is converted into fat and stored.

Physical activity is a major cause of obesity. It can be said that reduced physical activity leads to decreased energy expenditure.

Less is key to obesity. High technology not only brings us convenience in life and work, but also...

It has brought us "obesity".

**Unhealthy dietary structure**

(Evidence: With the same variety of foods, the more food consumed, the higher the calorie intake.)

The more calories you consume, the more fat will accumulate when the total calories you take in exceed the total calories you burn.

**(2) High-fat diet and excessive consumption** The fat content and proportion in the diet are positively correlated with body weight.

Fatty foods have a high energy density, more than twice that of the same weight of carbohydrates, and they also taste better.

It's tempting, so it's easy to exceed the recommended intake.

(3) In addition to being regulated by the dynamic balance of energy metabolism, appetite is also influenced by social factors.

The influence of factors such as lifestyle, eating habits, and emotions. A strong appetite leads to increased intake, exceeding the recommended amount.

When the body needs calories, calories accumulate and lead to obesity.

(4) If a child is not well-nourished during infancy, and is deficient in protein, iron, and carbohydrates, the child should be cared for at the appropriate time.

Currently underweight, during the growth process, the county magistrate will also develop obesity.

Unhealthy eating habits

(1) Eating too fast: During a meal, as food is continuously ingested, the hypothalamus...

The satiety center in the brain is stimulated, producing a feeling of fullness, which causes a person to stop eating. If eating is too fast...

Even if a sufficient amount of food has been consumed, the satiety center in the hypothalamus may not have enough time to send satiety signals.