OBESITY

What is it?

There are many theories about what obesity, or being overweight, is. There are also many ways of measuring it. GPs most commonly use the Body Mass Index, which is based on how your weight compares with your height. If your GP says that you are overweight, this means your weight is putting you at risk of various illnesses. The more overweight you are, the greater the risk.

What causes it?

When we eat food, our bodies either use it up or store it. If we do not need it to build up muscle, our bodies will store it as fat. This means there are really only two ways to become overweight - eating too much or exercising too little. What is too much for you depends on how big you are, your sex, and on how fast your body naturally burns up energy. Unfortunately, some people simply tend to put on weight more than others.

Who gets it?

Anyone who eats and drinks more calories than they burn up.

What can it cause?

To begin with, you may simply notice that your clothes do not fit you and that you tend to get sweaty more easily. You may find you get out of breath more easily and you do not have as much energy as you used to. You may feel self- conscious about your size. If you are overweight you are more likely to get arthritis with pain and stiffness in the joints - especially the hips, knees and back. You may also get varicose veins, hernias and heartburn. You are more at risk of diabetes, gallstones and gout. Being overweight can also put great strain on your heart. This is partly because your cholesterol is more likely to be high, and partly because your heart has to work harder the more overweight you are.

When should I go to my GP?

An endless number of books, magazines and people give advice on how to lose weight. This can all be very confusing, and it can be demoralising if the so-called 'foolproof' ways of losing weight do not work for you. If you feel that you need to lose weight and you are having problems doing so, make an appointment to talk to your GP about it.

What tests will my Doctor want to do?

Your GP will probably weigh you and measure your height to work out if you really are overweight. He may want to do a blood test.

What is the short-term treatment?

Assuming that your thyroid gland is not underactive (tested by a simple blood test) there are really only two ways to lose weight - to cut down the amount you eat or to exercise more. Your GP may give you a diet sheet or may send you to see the practice nurse or a dietician to work out how. She may want to weigh you regularly. Most of the so-called slimming tablets available do not work. Effective ones work by reducing your appetite. This may help in the short term but in the long term you are very likely to put the weight back on. They can also be dangerous and addictive. In the same way, crash diets or, 'fad' diets only help in the short term and can be dangerous. It is very important to retrain yourself to eat more healthily as well as less.

Will I need long-term treatment?

You will need to keep an eye on your weight once you have reached your target, to make sure that it does not creep back again. Again, the best ways to do this are to stick to a sensible eating pattern and regular exercise. Sensible eating means more fibre - fresh fruit and vegetables, wholemeal bread and so on, less fatty and fried food and fewer sweets. You should avoid too much alcohol.

How can I stop it getting worse?

Don't set your sights too high or you are bound to be disappointed. Do keep going even if you seem to stop losing weight for a while on your diet. Don't give up just because your diet slips now and again, or you will waste all the hard work you have done so far. And do remember that if you learn to eat and live more healthily, the weight you have lost should stay lost.

A DOCTOR information leaflet for patients