EMOTIONAL FACTORS LEADING TO OBESITY

INTRODUCTION

It may be defined as excess weight or deposition of excess fats on body, which leads to various diseases like diabetes, heart diseases, hypertension, lowered pulmonary functions, lowers life expectancy.

Medical words, it may be defined as an abnormal growth of the adipose tissue due to enlargement of fat cell size (Hypertrophic) or an increase in fat cell number (Hyperplastic). It can be of 2 types, first is abdominal obesity and second is Gluteal obesity. Generally 20 % excess weight is considered as health risk.

RISK FACTORS OF OBESITY

Obesity is a chronic condition and there are a variety of factors which play a role in activating this complex health issue. Obesity upshots from an energy imbalance as more calories are consumed with limited physical activity.

Irregular Diet: Fast foods, soft drinks, candies & chocolates have high sugar & calories. Regular consumption of these foods and beverages contributes to excessive weight gain.

 Inactivity: Even if someone is not eating much, but remains inactive, has a sheer chance of gaining weight as the calories or energy is not burnt and hence get stored in body in form of fat.

Pregnancy: A pregnant woman gains considerable weight that is necessary too. But sometimes, it becomes tough to lose weight after the delivery, which leads to obesity in women.

Medications: Some antidepressants, like corticosteroids and tricyclic antidepressants can cause weight gain. Few other medications, including high blood pressure and antipsychotic drugs can also contribute to weight gain.

Age: When old age approaches, it makes you less active. Additionally, subsequent decrease in amount of muscle in your body occurs, which leads to reduced metabolism. All these changes also reduce calorie needs. So, if you are not lessening your caloric intake as you age, you have fair chances of gaining weight.

Genetic factors

If you have obese parents, then you are more likely to be obese. Your body fat may be in control of your genes but it is not at all guaranteed that you‘ll be obese

Environmental factors

Lifestyle behaviors like eating habits, physical agility or dietary methods can produce risky health consequences. Physicians' advice these techniques to keep off the environmental factors contributing to weight gain:

• Nutritious meals low in fat
• Recognize and control environmental cues [inviting smells]
• Physical activeness
• Record food intake and exercise habits

Psychological factors:

 People suffering from depression, stress or boredom get a habit of overeating to cope with problems. This causes unnecessary consumption of calories and thus, weight gain.

• Negative emotions like boredom, anger, depression influences eating habits  
• Binge eating disorders
• Low self esteem
• Negative body image
• Other emotional factors

Other contributing aspects

Certain illnesses contribute to weight gain. Hypothyroidism, Cushing's syndrome, depression and other neurological problems can head start overeating. Steroids and some antidepressants are weight gain promoters.

STRESS AND HORMONE

Ghrelin:

§  It is secreted primarily by gastrointestinal tract.

§  It accomplish appetite stimulation by encouraging the product of NPY.

  Cholecystokinin:

§  It is secreted by mucosal cell in the duodenum as well as by nervous in the brain.

§  It stimulates the release of pancreatic enzyme  along with bile promote digestion with in the small intestine.

Leptin

§   It is synthesized by adipose tissue.

§  It inhibit NPY/Ag PR neurons and stimulates POMR thereby decreasing appetite.

Corticol

§  It is produced by the adrenal cortex, that is part of adrenal gland.

§  It is referred as stress hormone.

§  It increases blood pressure and blood sugar and reduce immune responses.

Adrenocorticotropic hormone:

§  It is a polypeptide also known as cortico tropic.

§  It is produced and secreted by the anterior pituitary gland.

§  It is important component of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis.

§  It often produced in response to biological stress.

 CAUSES OF EMOTIONAL EATING

Emotional eating occurs anytime we eat to soothe hurt emotions or deal with a stressful situation. Emotional eating may take place after a rough day at work, an argument with a loved one, or when the kids are running around the house screaming. The first step to stop emotional eating is to become conscious that it is occurring. There are some common emotional triggers which often cause bouts of overeating. Knowing what they are is an important step in the healing process.

Here are some of the more common triggers of emotional overeating:

1.      Boredom: Boredom often leads to restlessness and the easiest way to overcome this for most people is to eat. The trouble with eating out of boredom is that we often fail to realize just how much we've eaten. It's as though our mind has lost track of what we do.

2.      Loneliness: Often, people who are feeling lonely, especially after a nasty breakup, tend to "drown their sorrow" in food. Certain foods have the ability to make us feel happier if only for a short while. This isn't whole bad but it can be detrimental if we wish to enjoy a long lasting weight loss.

3.      Stress: Stress is probably the most common cause of binge eating. Stress sends our body into a sort of internal storm of low confidence, fear, and negative wellbeing. Again, food is the ultimate source of comfort for many of us. It doesn't solve any of the problems but we go to it anyway.

4.      Tiredness: Now this is interesting since fatigue isn't really an emotion, but we often turn to food in order to keep us awake, especially if we're on some sort of deadline at work or school and just can't go to sleep. Food can serve as a temporary energy booster, but it won't cure fatigue in the long run.

5.      Feeling Deprived: You feel deprived of the foods which you enjoy and this leaves you craving for them even more. Media's attitude towards emphasizing thinness as ideal has lead to restrictive dieting and avoidance of whole groups of foods. This leads to a feeling of being deprived which is followed by feelings of low self-esteem. This motivates the individual to go on over consuming the avoided food in an attempt to numb these negative feelings.

6.      Needing Love and Comfort: Some people turn to food when they're really needing love and comfort. With the pressure of work both at office as well as at home, people tend to be burned out. All this is acceptable if supported with constant appreciation and love. Lack of appreciation, discouraging remarks leave some people sad and lonely, who tend to turn towards food to find consolation.

7.      Feeling upset and hurt: Some people turn to food when someone says or does something that upsets or hurts them. Anxieties and emotions can also trigger the desire to eat. Some women eat because they are sad or stressed out or even to celebrate when they are happy.

8.      Habits: Your daily habits are not as healthy as they may be and you may not even be aware of some of them. Often, excessive eating, lack of physical activity and stress tips the scales of our otherwise balanced lifestyles. Many people have found that overeating tends to occur in specific places and times, such as in the evening when you're at home and watching television.

WAYS TO COUNTER OBESITY

• Walking.
• Eat only when you are hungry.
• Drink plenty of water
• Sound Sleep.
• Follow a healthy diet.
• Regular weight check ups.

MANAGEMENT

§  Nutritional  Management

§  Management through Herbs

§  Lifestyle Management

NUTRITIONAL MANAGEMENT:

Healthy diet, regular exercise and proper nutrition are the key to beat the problem of obesity. While dieting for obesity one need to keep in mind the fact that the foods which contain fats, sugars and oils should be taken in minimal amount
Obese should keep in mind the fact that dieting doesn't mean starving. Proper intake of food at proper time and in proper amount is what defines dieting. Minerals, carbohydrates, protein should be taken in proper proportion by both obese and normal weighed persons.

FOODS TO BE TAKEN

Carbohydrates can be taken in a small amount and to mention the names of a few healthy complex carbohydrates, they are:

• Oatmeal
• Whole wheat bread
• Brown rice
• Whole wheat pasta
• Potatoes

Protein supply can be well met by intake of the following foods:

• Fish
• Turkey
• Eggs but less of yolks
• Fat free peanut butter
• Fat free cottage cheese
• Skimmed milk
• Fat free yogurt
• Chicken

There can be no substitutes for fresh fruits and vegetables when it comes to nutrition and food values. Intake of fresh fruits and vegetables in great amount will only help one on the positive aspect without doing any harm.

REGULARITY AND INTAKE OF MEAL FOR OBESE

·         Small and Frequent Meals

Diet for obese also comprise of having meal in proper frequency and timing. One can always choose 5-6 smaller meals a day. Smaller meals in a duration of every three hours helps in keeping the metabolism rate higher and thus helps both in production of energy and fair distribution of nutrients in the body and destruction of calories.
A balanced diet for an obese person comprise of intake of 40% carbohydrates, 40% protein and 20% fat split. The diet chart for an obese person consists of carbohydrates, protein and fats. Obese people while trying to lose weight should primarily keep in mind that the foods should be taken in biggest proportion in the morning and in the smallest proportion for dinner.

·         Low Carbohydrate Diets

·         Safe Sweeteners and Fat Burners

FOODS TO BE AVOIDED BY OBESE PEOPLE

There are certain foods that should be avoided by obese people trying to lose weight. A child obesity diet should be lacking in all of these products and parents should supply healthy alternatives.

FOOD RESTRICTED

• Carbonated beverages
• Fruit juices
• Sports drinks
• Chips
• Crackers
• Packed food products
• Fried foods

MANAGEMENT THROUGH HERBS

·         Ginger

·         Ajwain

·         Turmeric

·         Coriander

·         Bitter melon

·         Amla

·         Neem

·         Saunf

·         Methi

·         aloevera

MANAGEMENT THROUGH LIFESTYLE

The first level of the alternative medicine involves no risk but may be the hardest way to go. You'll have to restrict yourself from many things. So if you are considering this approach, you will need a strong mind and a positive thinking for managing these changes. Surprisingly, there has been less research on how lifestyle changes can affect hormonal imbalance. Nonetheless, techniques for stress reduction (e.g. yoga), a diet rich in estrogenic food (soy, apples, alfalfa, cherries, potatoes, rice, wheat and yams) or even becoming more fit by doing regular exercises, will have positive effects on the treatment of osteoporosis

The Eight Limbs of Yoga

 (1) Moral restraint (niyamas)

 (2) Religious observance (yamas)

 (3) Postures (asanas)

 (4) Breath control (pranayama)

 (5) Sense withdrawal (pratyahara)

 (6) Concentration (dhyaan)

 (7) Meditative absorption (dharana)

 (8) Enlightenment (samadhi)

  YOGA ASAN

• Paschimottanasan
• Bhujangasan
• Sarvangasana
• Hal asana
•  Dhanurasana
• Trikonasana,
• Pawanmukhtasan
•  Suryanamaskar

PRANAYAMA

• kapaalbhaati
• Bhasrika
• Anulom Vilom
  
  
  

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