About Obesity

This page outlines useful information about obesity for patients struggling to lose weight without success. 

When looking at weight loss options, it’s important to understand what obesity is and why we, as specialists in comprehensive weight management, are treating it.

What is Obesity?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity is defined as “abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health”. It is considered a chronic relapsing progressive disease. Obesity can have medical, mental, and functional consequences, impacting all life aspects.

How Does Obesity Impact Your Health?

Obesity can profoundly impact various aspects of your health. Excessive body fat strains your organs, increasing the risk of developing serious medical conditions. Some common health consequences of obesity include:

• Cardiovascular disease:  Obesity is closely linked to an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke. Excess body fat can contribute to plaque buildup in the arteries, compromising blood flow and leading to cardiovascular complications.
• Metabolic disease: Obesity is often associated with metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, and dyslipidaemia. The body's ability to regulate blood sugar levels and lipid profiles becomes impaired, posing significant health risks.
• Joint Problems: The excessive weight carried by individuals with obesity puts stress on the joints, leading to conditions like osteoarthritis and chronic pain. Mobility can be significantly compromised, impacting your quality of life.
• Respiratory Issues:  Obesity can contribute to developing sleep apnoea, asthma and obesity hypoventilation, making breathing difficult during sleep and daily activities.
• Cancer:  Obesity increases the risk of many types of cancer and increases cancer-related death. 

How Common is Obesity?

Two-thirds of Australian adults are now overweight (35.6%) or obese (31.3%). Higher rates of men are overweight compared to women, while similar proportions of men and women are obese. 

The prevalence of overweight and obesity is rising in Australian adults.

What are the Causes of Obesity? 

Obesity is a complex problem with many factors contributing to its development and persistence, including

• Genetics
• Lack of physical activity and a sedentary lifestyle
• Poor diet
• The environment
• Socioeconomic factors

Diagnosing Obesity

We use a simple clinical tool called the Body Mass Index (BMI) to diagnose obesity. Although this tool has some limitations, it is easy to use in the clinical setting and reasonably accurate in most people and is, therefore, the currently accepted measurement. It is calculated by dividing your weight (in kilograms) by height (in metres squared). Any BMI over 30 kg/m² is considered obese.

 See our BMI calculator to calculate your BMI today.

Treatment Options for Obesity

Losing weight is hard. Losing and keeping off a large amount of weight with diet and exercise alone is incredibly hard. This is because the causes of obesity are multiple, complex and difficult to change - it’s not just your eating habits and whether you go to the gym or not. Biological, psychological and environmental barriers exist to achieving and maintaining weight loss. Additionally, the more weight that needs to be lost, the more intensive the treatment required.

At 360 SURGERY, we offer a range of solutions tailored to you. This includes advanced non-surgical solutions to the full range of surgical weight loss solutions. Whether it’s a specific nutrition and exercise plan, using medications to aid weight loss, endoscopic procedures or weight loss surgery, our team will work with you to determine how to help you best. Currently, the most powerful tool available for the management of obesity is bariatric surgery.  Bariatric surgery  provides the greatest weight loss, improvement in comorbidities and overall health and the best durability of any options for treating obesity.

Why Consider Losing Weight?

Losing weight is often recommended for individuals who are overweight or obese due to the numerous health benefits associated with achieving a healthy body weight. While weight loss should always be approached in a balanced and sustainable manner, there are several compelling reasons why it is beneficial:

• Improved Overall Health: Losing weight can significantly improve your overall health and reduce the risk of developing various chronic diseases. Excess weight is associated with an increased risk of conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, sleep apnea, and joint problems. By shedding excess weight, you can reduce the strain on your body and lower the risk of these health issues.
• Reduced Cardiovascular Risk: Losing weight can positively impact your cardiovascular health. Excessive body weight contributes to high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, and increased heart disease and stroke risk. Weight loss can help lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol profiles, and enhance heart function, reducing your risk of cardiovascular complications.
• Better Blood Sugar Control: Weight loss is particularly important for individuals with or at risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Obesity is closely linked to insulin resistance, a condition in which the body's cells become less responsive to the effects of insulin, leading to elevated blood sugar levels. By losing weight, you can improve insulin sensitivity, enhance glucose control and potentially improve or resolve your diabetes.
• Joint Health and Mobility:  Excess weight stresses your joints, particularly in weight-bearing areas such as the knees, hips, and ankles. This can contribute to joint pain, inflammation, and osteoarthritis. Losing weight can alleviate pressure on the joints, reduce pain, and improve mobility, allowing for a more active and fulfilling lifestyle.
• Enhanced Mental and Emotional Well-being: Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight can positively impact your quality of life. Weight loss can boost self-esteem and body image, improve mood, improve functionality and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. 
• Increased Energy and Vitality:  Carrying excess weight can be physically draining, leading to fatigue and reduced energy levels. By losing weight, you can experience increased energy and vitality, enabling you to engage in daily activities with greater ease and enthusiasm.
• Improved Quality of Sleep:  Obesity is strongly associated with sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, characterised by interrupted breathing during sleep. Weight loss can help alleviate sleep apnea symptoms and improve sleep quality, overall health and daytime functioning.
• Longevity and Disease Prevention: Maintaining a healthy weight is linked to a longer lifespan and a decreased risk of premature death. By reducing the risk of chronic diseases, losing weight can improve overall health outcomes and increase life expectancy.