Over the past decades, and with the advancement of technology that has led to the completion of a lot of work without much muscular effort, the phenomenon of overweight has increased around the world. In Germany, for example, registered data show that a quarter of the population suffers from chronic obesity.
The Corona epidemic increased this phenomenon due to the closures that took place, according to the “T-Online” website. As the Fresenius Nutrition Center recorded shocking numbers, as the weight increased, during the Corona period, at 39 percent of the German population, at a rate of 5.6 kilograms. In people who were already chronically obese, the weight increased, on average, by 7.2 kilograms. Weight gain leads to a decrease in life expectancy, according to recorded statistics.
Therefore, doctors demand practical intervention against obesity. The German Obesity Control Association and the Diabetes Association also call for action to address obesity in society, because obesity may shorten life by up to ten years, depending on its severity. For years, doctors and researchers have been warning that many premature deaths can be prevented through intervention.
Double suffering for people with chronic obesity
Obese people suffer from discrimination in society because of their appearance, both in the family and at work, and their image in the media, but also with the health system, says Prof. Sebastian Maihofer of the Diabetes Institute at the University of Lübeck.
Most people with chronic obesity need medical help to reduce their weight, because treatment is not easy and takes a long time, and there are no ready-made treatment programs that suit each patient.
The risk of developing diabetes increases 10 times
And the matter does not stop with chronic obesity, because this has physical consequences, some of which are serious. High cholesterol, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure. Then comes the role of fat in the abdominal area, which negatively affects the metabolism and fat burning mechanism, and supports mechanisms that form inflammation in the body, according to the “T Online” website.
Doctors call this “metabolic syndrome,” and it is one of the most important factors that lead to diabetes. “The risk of developing type 2 diabetes is six to ten times higher for people with chronic obesity than for people of normal weight,” says Prof. Mayhofer. Obesity also increases the risk of high blood pressure, vascular disease, and fatty liver.
We must intervene – but how?
The researchers indicate that chronic obesity shortens the average life by six to ten years, depending on the degree of infection. Many studies confirmed this. Therefore, doctors are calling for intervention to prevent these premature deaths. How can we intervene? According to researchers from the German Obesity Control Association and the German Diabetes Association, these measures can contribute to confronting obesity in society:
The state controls unhealthy food.
Setting quality standards for what children eat in schools and kindergartens.
Ban ads for unhealthy foods and drinks aimed at children.
They also demand a structural interest in obesity treatment. Because this will fight type 2 diabetes.
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