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The Science of Obesity

 

            "Obesity is a term used to describe somebody who is very overweight, with a lot of body fat.) This disease can be caused by many reasons, such as genetics, unhealthy diet and lack of exercise. As of now, obesity is one of the biggest health problems that society is facing, with more than 600 million adults obese in 2014. Genetically, if one out of two parents are obese, the patient has 25% more of a chance of inheriting the disease. Metabolism is another genetic reason. Along with genetic reasons, a person's diet and eating lifestyle can heavily affect whether they become obese. For example, if they have a poorly balanced diet or eat many refined carbohydrates and high-calorie foods, they have a high chance of becoming obese. Patients who have obesity suffer with higher blood pressure due to the demand for oxygen and nutrients that the additional fat tissues need. They also develop sleep apnea and joint problems. Some social and psychological reasons would include a difficulty in finding the right-sized clothing in retail stores and the pressures of weight-based discrimination in society. .
             One of the most successful discoveries of curing obesity is leptin, which is the hormone that regulates body weight. This hormone was first discovered at the Jackson Laboratory in 1950, "Leptin, which is made by the body's fat cells, is the linchpin in a complex endocrine system that not only maintains the body's weight in a narrow range, but also exerts powerful effects on other aspects of physiology related to an organism's nutritional state" (Rockefeller University, n.d.) Leptin, due to the fat cells, is produced into the bloodstream and regulates the patient's food intake and energy expenditure. This medication is capable of treating not only obese people, but also deadly metabolic disorders and other forms of diabetes. .
             According to Science Daily, "The Maestro Rechargeable System, the first FDA-approved obesity device since 2007, is approved to treat patients" Until January this year, one of the main limitations of science was not being able to find a cure for controlling the patient's brain and stomach's sense of fullness.


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