New research suggests ‘healthy obesity’ doesn’t exist

New research adds to growing scientific opinion that “healthy obesity” does not exist. The findings show those who are significantly overweight have a 66% higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease, compared with those of a normal weight.

Many people with obesity say not only do they have to live with prejudice and stigma, but they struggle to find treatment.

Scientists have found that people’s genetic background means their weight changes differently, even if they eat the same amount of calories.

Dr Denise Ratcliffe, a clinical psychologist who supports patients through bariatric surgery, says people’s past experiences can come into play. She says that many of the people she sees, have experienced trauma, abuse or neglect, for example, which leads to a dysfunctional relationship with food.

Both the genetic and psychological components of obesity can be amplified when there is easy access to fatty, sugar-laden foods, which are available cheaply and conveniently.

Dr Abd Tahrani, a senior lecturer in obesity medicine at the University of Birmingham, says there are a lot of people who are “biologically pre-designed to conserve energy”, which is stored as fat. He explains that signals from the hypothalamus - the part of the brain that controls appetite - bombard the person with feelings of hunger and a desire to eat, that are almost impossible to fight.

So even if the person successfully loses several stone by dieting, their body remembers its baseline weight and strives to return to it.                     Source : BBC