Obesity

Today, March 4th, is officially World Obesity Day. Obesity gets a whole day because awareness of obesity and its effects on health are very important. Across the world, the number of people living with obesity is increasing every year. In the Caribbean and Latin America, about 1 in 3 adults is obese.

In Saint Lucia, 2 in 3 adults are overweight or obese. The number of women who are obese (46%) is more than twice the number of men who are obese (21%).

Why is Obesity dangerous?

Obesity is one of the main risk factors for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and some types of cancer. These diseases are known as the non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and they are responsible for 80% of deaths here in Saint Lucia each year.

What is Overweight and Obesity?

To understand what overweight and obesity are, we need to understand the Body Mass Index or BMI.

The Body Mass Index or BMI measures how much fat in your body based on your weight and height.

• You are overweight if your BMI is between 25 and 29,
• You are obese if your BMI is 30 or more.

You can calculate your BMI yourself using this calculator. All you need to do is enter your weights and height.

What causes Obesity?

The causes of obesity include:

1. Diet – Eating fast food which often has high levels of sugar, fats and oils, sugary drinks, alcohol, and ultra-processed foods whihc tend to be high in calories and low in nutrients.
2. Not moving enough – Lack of exercise, sitting or lying down for long periods of time, and excessive screen time stops you from burning off calories.
3. Stress – which causes the hormone Cortisol to be high which causes increased appetite
4. Not getting enough sleep – can also increase Cortisol and cause increased appetite and weight gain
5. Certain health conditions like Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, or Hypothyroidism can also cause weight gain and make it difficult to lose weight.
6. Drugs – including steroids, and medications for seizure and depression can cause weight gain
7. Genetics – some people are more prone to becoming obese than others because of their genes that control metabolism etc.
8. Our environment – living and working in areas with limited access to healthy food, safe places to walk or play makes it difficult eat well and exercise.

How do you treat Obesity?

The pillars for tackling Obesity are:

1. Eating balanced and nutritious meals and avoiding sugary drinks, lots of fast food and ultra-processed foods
2. Getting regular exercise in also important. For adults, its recommended that you exercise for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week
3. Talk to your doctor. Why?
   1. Some people have underlying conditions like hypothyroidism that need to be addressed to achieve weight loss.
   2. Others are on medications that can cause weight gain, so you’d have to talk to your doctor about the possibility of taking alternative medication if weight loss is your goal
   3. Some people need help to lose weight, beyond eating well and exercise. This may be in the form of medications and/or surgery. Your doctor would be able to advise you on eth best option FOR YOU.

Obesity is a very common condition across the world and here in Saint Lucia. It can lead to high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and other illnesses which can be life threatening. Talk to your doctor if you are concerned about your weight. Everyone is different and require their own unique approach to tackle overweight and obesity.

I hope you’ve found this helpful and informative. Have a safe and healthy week!

Dr Rachel Thwaites-Williams,
Family Physician and Public Health Specialist