The wave of “free” cosmetic procedures that swept the country a couple of years ago has subsided. Perhaps most women have already received phone calls from certain cosmetic centers, which invited them to undergo a free hair or face care session with beautiful, unique cosmeceuticals in the country. And then it was necessary to show miracles of resourcefulness and fortitude in order to leave the salon without buying a skillfully “sniffed” case of creams for tens of thousands of rubles.
Then there were the courts. The network is replete with announcements about the renaming of these cosmetic companies, forums tell how to get your money back if you did give up and bought a case by signing a loan agreement.
But when they called me and offered to undergo a completely free computer diagnostic procedure for the body and receive advice from a qualified doctor on what to pay attention to in order to lose weight, I lost my vigilance and agreed to come.
This building in the city center provides computer diagnostics for weight loss. Photo: AiF/ Nadezhda Uvarova
Free cheese, or rather, test
Of course, I know where there is free cheese. But the girl who called my phone placed the accents in the conversation in such a way that I did not feel there was a catch and agreed to the diagnosis. According to my interlocutor, the company of which she is a representative is testing ultra-modern, extremely rare, only recently developed, practically the only equipment in the Russian Federation that literally breaks down the weight loss problems of a particular person. And there are only a hundred places for the lucky ones who can undergo this very diagnostic for free, in test mode. And it passes only with the presentation of a medical insurance policy - will I really not take advantage of the happiness that has fallen on my head? True, I hinted that I could look at the reviews on your website and read about the methodology. The girl said categorically no.
Yes, many people dream of losing weight. And I am among them. Only later did I understand how accurate the calculation was of both the first ones who sold “the only wonderful anti-aging” cosmetics” and these new ones that help “a specific individual” lose weight.
The process has begun
At the appointed time, I arrived at one of the most beautiful and modern buildings in the city center. I show my passport to the security guard - the girl who called me repeated it five times so that I wouldn’t forget it.
The office occupies a floor of an expensive building. Photo: AiF/ Nadezhda Uvarova
I go up to the desired floor. Together with me, seven ladies of different ages, from twenty-five to sixty, are crammed into a modern elevator. Everyone goes to the same office as me. “I wonder,” it flashes through my head, “what did this girl weighing 55 kilograms lose at the weight loss center?” The elevator doors swing open, and we all follow the arrow in an orderly line to the same office.
Standard registration procedure: they take our passports, swipe them with their eyes and return them back. They also carefully look at the insurance policy. They ask you to sit down. And so I was invited to a small room in which this most outlandish equipment is located - “the pride of Russian scientists in the field of weight loss.” The device consists of four plates of smooth metal sparkling in the sun, connected by wires. Two plates lie on the table, two on the floor below it. The wires go somewhere deep and are hidden near the computer system unit.
Death with and without a scythe
A sweet girl named Marina spends a long time explaining to me the basic truths that excess weight is the source of many, many diseases. Tells how good it is to be young and slim. Then she writes down my height and weight and offers to measure them on scales and a stadiometer in her office. I agree. It turns out that over the past year, at the age of forty, I have grown by one centimeter. Marina swears that they have the most accurate measuring system, and in general I don’t mind.
Everyone who comes knows their height and weight. Photo: AiF/ Nadezhda Uvarova
Then the process itself begins - the girl puts a clothespin with wires on my finger, tells me how the device now reads all the information from my body and gives a printout of problem organs and areas. I place my hands and bare feet on the plates. No tingling or hot-cold sensations. The girl turns off the button and unhooks the clothespin.
Very interesting: a model of a figure appears on the monitor screen, painted in different colors. Marina looks at the screen, is silent for several minutes and finally says something in the series that if this continues, death will sneak behind me and similar fat people. “With a scythe?” — for some reason I clarified. Marina became gloomy and began to explain.
These “miracle sensors” identify all excess weight problems inside and out. Photo: AiF/ Nadezhda Uvarova
It is clear that nothing is clear
“Here,” Marina points to the table, “is a sudomotor analysis based on the reaction of the sweat glands to electrical stimulation. This reaction is measured in units of conductivity measurement between metal pairs of electrodes in micro Si units.” My mouth opened: is this the vaunted diagnosis? I hear a bunch of smart words, but I don’t really understand anything.
According to the manager, this technique is almost the only one in the country. Photo: AiF/ Nadezhda Uvarova
The girl scrolled through the data a little lower and began pointing to the graphs: “You see, what is colored green is normal for you. And the fact that it’s orange or, God forbid, red is bad.” Judging by the images, I only had a few minutes left to live; it was not certain that I would make it to the end of the procedure. Only one value flashed green.
“Everything is abnormal with you except the intercellular and intracellular fluid,” the girl began to explain. — Are there any stresses or fatigue? That's all from this. Do you see the spine at the top and in the thoracic region highlighted in red? This indicates pinching or protrusion of the vertebrae.” Marina talked and talked, and I tried to understand what “arterial stiffness”, “indicator of body composition”, “stroke volume”, “cardiac output” and “parasympathetic system” are. The girl ended by saying that I need to go to another appointment with a chiropractor in the next office.
Berry again
In the office, a woman of about forty-five with dark hair and red nails was sitting at the table. “I’m forty-five,” a woman in a white medical coat sat me down on a chair and took a significant pause. “But I weigh 49 kilograms,” she continued a minute later. “That’s why I look 30.”
"Seriously?" — I asked, meaning why she decided that she looked 30. Did someone tell her about this or did she understand it herself? The woman raised her head high, counting my words as a compliment about forty-five, and motioned for me to lie down on the couch.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed the inscription on her badge “leading specialist.” For some reason there was no talk of any title as a chiropractor. A middle-aged lady, heavily made up, really thin and smelling of tobacco.
Moving her hands along my spine, she gave a verdict: I have disorders in the lower part of the spine, in the sacral part. Conclusion? We need to lose weight! And she will choose and describe the procedures for this to me! Still not quite understanding why a leading specialist or even a chiropractor should prescribe weight loss procedures, I was sent home, that is, to Marina.
8900 and 3590 are the same thing
Marina was carefully counting something on a calculator. I hesitantly asked why the computer gave me big problems with the spine in the upper and middle sections, and the one who is 45 saw them in the sacrum? “So you were sitting incorrectly during the diagnosis,” Marina immediately found out. - Maybe…"
“That’s it,” I thought. - How wrong? So maybe things aren't so bad for me? And live another 50 years, not 20 seconds?”
Marina explained with gestures: they said, you had to sit up straight. Generally speaking, I just sat there. Anyway. Just think, all the diagnostics are wrong.
The computer gave a completely different result than the doctor. Photo: AiF/ Nadezhda Uvarova
“So, in general, this is not the main thing,” says the girl. — What amount is more comfortable for you? 8900 or 3950?
I practically fall out of my chair. The amount, excuse me, is comfortable for what? And then Marina explains: so here it is, my salvation, in their center. Only they and no one else offer me to lose weight, and I must choose which of the above figures is more comfortable for me to lose kilograms. So that, so to speak, the family budget does not collapse.
“We didn’t agree that way,” I try to object. Meanwhile, Marina explains how many consultations with a nutritionist, as well as myostimulation, cavitation and pressotherapy procedures I will receive during these two years (!) while I am being observed at their center. And the amount per month, in general, differs precisely in this, the number of procedures, supportive and intensive.
I try to timidly thank and refuse, but here comes the climax of the story. For some reason, it was at this moment that the “manipulator” runs into the office, and the two of them begin to explain to me that only here and now should I conclude an agreement or make an advance payment. Otherwise, the one with the scythe.
Apples are delicacies
The dialogue between me and these two, of course, thin women looks like communication between a blind person and a deaf person. I try to back away to the door, apologizing and saying thank you, the ladies do not yield, they take positions of defense of the exit. And, shouting over each other, they explain to me that here they will teach me to love apples more than meat pies, and to adore low-fat cottage cheese, like pork ribs kebabs. Plus, they have the best equipment, trainers, and work schedules that are convenient for everyone.
Regretting for the hundredth time that I got involved in this adventure, I stand up decisively. I’m practically screaming that if I chew only apples and cottage cheese, I’ll lose weight without any additional effort. And that I understand perfectly well that I need to lose weight, but I want to do it alone, on my own, without them. And that their service is becoming too intrusive...
The forty-five-year-old, her eyes sparkling, leaves. Marina, without any smile on her face, says, they say, there are only 1-2 procedures per week, maybe you are scared of too intense loads? I divide the amounts she named by the number of weeks in a month and understand that this center may really give something to those who want to lose weight, but that first of all it is their wallet that loses weight - that’s absolutely certain.
Black and white diagnostics
Realizing that I will be able to leave, I ask Marina to print out the diagnostic results for me: maybe I’ll read it at home and see something interesting for myself. The girl says, is it okay that they will be black and white? I laugh out loud: it’s okay that red, ginger and green colors won’t be visible, and I simply won’t understand whether I’m normal for each indicator.
The main thing in a printout is that the client does not understand anything. Photo: AiF/ Nadezhda Uvarova
At the exit from the miracle diagnostic center, of course, they asked me for a list of at least ten phone numbers of my friends, who would also receive a free and much-needed consultation. Having refused, I figured out how many people had passed through this center even in one day. But we were talking about only a hundred lucky women. But it became clear where the girls got my number.
And yes, a little physical activity, light running, and outdoor activities have never hurt anyone. As well as a low-fat, healthy, varied and balanced diet. And most importantly - how many apples can you buy for 8900 per month!
A significant decrease in the number of obese patients occurred in six regions. In North Ossetia, the proportion of the population with this diagnosis decreased by 46.6% over the year, now it is less than 4.5 thousand people. In the Stavropol Territory, there were 4.5 thousand (18%) fewer obese patients.
In Moscow, there are 66.3 thousand obese patients, or 0.5% of the population. This figure is lower only in the Primorsky Territory: there obesity is diagnosed in 0.4% of residents.
Childhood obesity
In the Jewish Autonomous Region, more than half of all obese patients are children and adolescents (0 to 17 years old). The share of minors among all obese people in the region in 2017 exceeded 64%. In another 14 regions, children and adolescents made up more than a third of all obese patients, an RBC analysis showed. Among them are North Ossetia, Bashkortostan, Kaluga region, Perm region, Bryansk region, Tuva, Ulyanovsk region, Volgograd region and Crimea.
In two regions - the Altai Republic and the Ulyanovsk region - more than 3% of all children and adolescents were diagnosed with obesity. The proportion of obese children in the Altai Republic increased 3.5 times over the year, in the Ulyanovsk region - twofold, and the majority of patients are children under 14 years of age. According to the Ministry of Health, in the Ulyanovsk region, every 14th teenager aged 15-17 years is obese. In St. Petersburg, every 15th teenager in this age group suffers from obesity. The number of obese patients under the age of 18 has also increased sharply in Kabardino-Balkaria - from 373 in 2016 to 2082 in 2017, this is 1% of children.
Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor of the Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Alla Pogozheva believes that the increase in the incidence of obesity among children in Russia is due to the fact that “they are fed by parents who themselves are obese.” According to Pogozheva, it is parents who shape children’s addiction to unhealthy food and overeating.
In order to improve the health of children and adults, prevent non-communicable diseases and conditions caused by a lack of “micronutrients,” the Ministry of Health approved “Recommendations on rational standards for the consumption of food products that meet modern requirements for a healthy diet,” the department’s press service told RBC.
All-Russian problem
The proportion of Russian residents diagnosed with obesity increased by 6% from 2016 to 2017, to 1.3% of the population (1.9 million people). Among children and adolescents under 18 years of age in Russia as a whole, the increase in the number of obese people was 5.3% - at the end of 2017 there were almost 451 thousand people. In just the last five years, the proportion of Russians who are obese has increased by 30%.
The press service of the Ministry of Health reported that in reality the situation could be significantly worse. “There is a study (“Epidemiology of cardiovascular diseases in various regions of Russia.” — RBC), held on this topic every five years. Thus, as of 2013, the prevalence of obesity among men aged 25 to 64 years was 26.9%, among women aged 25 to 64 years it was 30.8%,” the department said.
The number of Russian men suffering from obesity by 2013 had tripled compared to 2003, in April 2018, Oksana Drapkina, director of the State Research Center for Preventive Medicine of the Ministry of Health, based on data from the same study.
A year ago, the government approved the project “Formation of a healthy lifestyle” to combat obesity and other factors that reduce the health of the population, the ministry recalled.
One of the main reasons for the increase in the number of Russians diagnosed with obesity is the lack of systematic education in matters of healthy nutrition, Viktor Tutelyan, scientific director of the Federal State Budgetary Institution of Science "Federal Research Center for Nutrition and Biotechnology", chief nutritionist of the Russian Ministry of Health, explained to RBC. “A woman has not yet become pregnant, but she should already know all the basics of healthy nutrition for her unborn child. Eating habits are formed by grandparents, mothers, and fathers. Just a little bit, they give you sweets so that the child doesn’t cry,” he noted.
The problem of obesity in the world
According to the World Health Organization for 2016, about 39% of the world's adult population is overweight (body mass index - BMI - greater than or equal to 25). This is 1.9 billion people, of which over 650 million are obese (body mass index greater than or equal to 30). At the same time, WHO experts note that more people around the world die from the consequences of overweight and obesity than from the consequences of abnormally low body weight.
The island countries of the Pacific Ocean are at the top of the ranking of countries in terms of the share of the population suffering from obesity. Among the main reasons for this state of affairs are the genetic predisposition of the local population, the rejection of local food products in favor of cheaper but less healthy imported products, and a decrease in physical activity.
Of the large countries, the leader (11th in the world) in the number of adults suffering from obesity is the United States (37.3%). Russia ranks 55th in the ranking (25.7%).
According to Tutelyan, healthy eating and physical activity are two factors that can improve the situation with obesity and related diseases: “A person must understand that if he ate two cakes, he needs to walk for two hours or run for an hour to expend energy.”
In reality, the number of obese people is many times higher than it appears from the Ministry of Health data, says Olga Grigoryan, leading researcher at the Federal Research Center for Nutrition and Biotechnology (formerly the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences). “In Russia, every third person is overweight, and every fourth, that is, 20-25%, suffers from obesity. These are statistics from the Nutrition Center. If only 1.3% of all Russians in the country suffered from such a problem, we would be without work,” she told RBC.
According to Grigoryan, the increase in the number of obese people is also due to the fact that patients began to see a doctor more often. “Some people come to their senses earlier and go to the doctors,” she noted. The expert points out that, in general, the diagnosis of “obesity” is made very rarely, both in the regions and in Moscow. “There are already complications from obesity. Hypertension, diabetes, arthrosis - everything that is a consequence,” she concluded.
When is obesity diagnosed?
Doctors distinguish four degrees of obesity. If necessary, you can find out the stage of the disease using body mass index indicators. To calculate BMI, you need to divide your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in meters. For example, with a weight of 55 kg and a height of 1.65 m, the BMI will be 20.2.
In first degree obesity, the excess of normal body weight is 10-30%. For women this corresponds to a BMI of 28-31, for men - a BMI of 30-32. Second degree obesity is an excess of normal body weight by 30-49% (BMI for women - 31-34.5, for men - 32.3-37.2). The third degree is an excess of normal weight by 50-99%. BMI of women is 35.5-47.3, men - 37.7-49.7. In case of obesity of the fourth degree, the normal weight is exceeded by 100%. In this case, women have a BMI of more than 47, and men have a BMI of more than 49.
In the body of any person there are on average 30-40 billion fat cells, but not all of them are in a functional state and this is wonderful. All the extra calories that we consume without expending are immediately stored in fat cells, filling them with fat. In our distant ancestors, these fat deposits were intended to nourish the body during a hungry period (for example, in winter). Therefore, a person’s love for high-calorie foods can be considered innate - for survival. If we look at the diet of a modern person, we will see that it is customary to take breaks between meals for no more than 4 hours. Is it correct? Of course not. In these cases, fat is stored “in reserve” and occupies the space necessary for the location of internal organs. This is especially obvious with the abdominal type of obesity (male type). Repeatedly in the newspaper we touched on the harm caused to the body by excess weight: this is not only the load on the spine, legs, constant stress, but also metabolic syndrome, in which, due to the resistance of body tissues to insulin, diseases such as type II diabetes mellitus appear, atherosclerosis, hypertension and their complications.
The Vitalain company has developed its own effective program for weight loss, which includes a specific approach to the regimen and quality of nutrition, physical activity and the judicious use of dietary supplements, combined according to the mechanism of action into 6 groups. The patient (together with the consultant doctor) can choose one (suitable for him) drug from each group - a total of 6 (possibly 5) and take them according to the method specified in the book “Vitaline Products”.
Group I includes dietary supplements that help remove “bad” cholesterol from the body:
- Lecithin in granules or capsules reduces cholesterol levels and the concentration of fatty acids in the blood;
- Mega Plus reduces triglycerides and the risk of blood clots;
- Carni-Plas breaks down fat, reduces its reserves, removes “carbon waste” from the cell;
- Arginine and Lysine reduce fat stores in the body;
- Cambridge nutrition is low-calorie, in a weight loss program it is used to replace 3 meals a day (plus fresh vegetables) for 5 days, and subsequently - a constant replacement for dinner;
- Super C speeds up your slow metabolism, causing you to burn more calories.
Group II includes dietary supplements that reduce fluid content in the body:
- Vita-Taurine has a diuretic (removes sodium) effect, regulating the water-salt balance;
- Diures Formula enhances urinary function, being a potassium-sparing diuretic;
- Burdock roots have a diuretic effect.
Group III includes dietary supplements that suppress appetite:
- Vita-Tryptophan reduces cravings for carbohydrate foods;
- Vita Tyrosine suppresses appetite and helps reduce fat deposits;
- Glutamine reduces cravings for carbohydrate foods and sweets;
- Citri-Bern reduces appetite with hydroxycitrus acid derived from Garcinia Cambogia.
Group IV includes dietary supplements that reduce insulin resistance of body tissues:
- Healthy Chrome (Chromium Picolinate) increases insulin activity, reducing tissue insulin resistance;
- Zinc increases the effectiveness of insulin;
- Citri Bern reduces cell resistance to insulin, prevents the transition of glycogen to fat (due to chromium and vanadium);
- Magnesium complex is involved in the production of insulin and improves carbohydrate metabolism.
Group V includes dietary supplements that normalize blood sugar:
- Citri-Bern prevents the transition of glycogen to fat and blocks the absorption of sugar in the gastrointestinal tract;
- Vita-Taurine increases cell sensitivity to insulin;
- Burdock roots have a hypoglycemic effect;
- VitaGreen Plus (Living Greens) stabilizes blood sugar due to spirulina.
Group VI includes dietary supplements that reduce the absorption of fat from the intestines:
- Citrus pectin slows down the rate of food absorption (thanks to dietary fiber);
- Lactofiber prevents the absorption of saturated fats and cholesterol through the gastrointestinal tract, creates a feeling of satiety thanks to natural dietary fiber;
- Quito-Trim adsorbs fats and turns them into a gelatinous form like gelatin, which is not absorbed, blocks the formation of fat from carbohydrates (thanks to chitosan from crustacean shells);
- Ultra Calcium & Silicon Formula activates lipase, an enzyme that breaks down fats for their further utilization.
About the quality of food. Food should be varied. Proteins speed up metabolism by 30%, stimulate the synthesis of glucogon, and the pancreas produces the hormone insulin. Glucagon mobilizes fats from tissue depots, helping to reduce body weight. Among the proteins, the most useful foods for weight loss are: turkey or chicken meat (without skin), white fish, boiled or baked (but not fried). Vegetables and fruits are preferred among carbohydrates: broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, green beans, radishes, spinach, turnips, apples, grapefruits, strawberries, watermelon. Raisins and onions are rich in the microelement BOR, which accelerates calorie burning. Twice a week you can eat avocados, olives, raw nuts and seeds, wheat and corn germs.
The amount of water you drink per day should be 6-8 glasses. Herbal teas, which can be mixed with fruit juices if desired, and mineral water are beneficial. The following should be excluded from the diet: butter, mayonnaise, ice cream, meat, whole milk, fatty sauces, cream, white wheat flour products, white rice, pies, cakes, chocolate bars, any sugar, candy, corn sweetener, alcohol, including including beer and wine. Reduce the portion of food, chew slowly, do not wait to be full. Chewing gum causes a feeling of hunger due to the release of digestive enzymes. Poor nutrition can also be a cause of obesity, since in the absence of important nutrients, fat does not burn, but accumulates in the body.
It is necessary to monitor the regularity of bowel movements.
Physical activity is necessary to reduce body weight. Be sure to spend time outdoors (at least an hour a day in any weather) - walking, cycling, gymnastics, swimming, water aerobics. Increased physical activity speeds up basal metabolism and helps “burn” calories (and fat).
And most importantly, to lose weight, give up late dinner.
Why is late dinner dangerous? Referring to the information obtained from studying the materials of the monograph by Ph.D., Dr. Belkin, “How to give dinner to the enemy -2 or the healing power of night hunger,” we state that during the day the main energy for a person comes from carbohydrate foods, due to the combustion of carbohydrates under the influence hormone insulin. At night, energy is consumed from fat depots for the activity of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, liver, etc. If dinner is late, then insulin is produced for it (by the pancreas), and another endocrine gland, the pituitary gland, receives information: “you should not waste “precious” fat reserves - for energy production, dinner is enough.” Late dinner reduces the synthesis of prostaglandin E-1 and growth hormone, reducing the mobilization of fat from the depot, which accelerates the natural aging process of the body.
Another “endocrine disruption” as a result of eating a late dinner is the excess production of “nighttime” insulin. It is known that the basis of all diseases of “civilization” is hyperinsulinemia. It leads to weakened immunity, dysbacteriosis, atherosclerosis, hypertension, osteoporosis, and hypothyroidism. In addition, eating dinner at night causes nocturnal hyperglycemia. Excess glucose, due to its aldehyde group, enters into a chemical reaction with proteins (protein glycosylation) and irreversibly damages them. Most often, collagen, which is part of the structure of blood vessels, suffers, so diseases such as ischemic heart disease and its complications arise - myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction (stroke), diabetes and its complications - gangrene of the extremities, retinal dystrophy (blindness), neuro- and nephropathy . Excess glucose contributes to the development of Parkinsonism and Alzheimer's disease due to damage to brain vessels, neurohormones and neurotransmitters, denaturation of lens fibers, which leads to cataracts. In late dinner seekers, excess glucose inactivates antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione-dependent peroxidase and catalase). Due to an excess of free radicals and damage to proteins, nucleic acids, and phospholipids, premature aging of the body occurs.
Protecting the protein from glycosylation are Vitalain dietary supplements such as Super C and ORS 95+ Pycnogenol.
Stimulation of growth hormone (youth hormone), i.e. activation of the pituitary gland (mobilization of fat from the depot) can be obtained not only by “hungry” periods at night, but also by taking the amino acid Arginine, which, by forming nitric oxide (NO), activates the intracellular enzyme guanylate cyclase, promotes the synthesis of the universal metabolic regulator - guanine monophosphate.
With an early dinner at night, endogenous protein nutrition is activated. This happens as follows: 4 hours after eating (20 pm, with the last meal at 16 pm) food reaches the colon; In the duodenum, the hormone cholecystokinin is synthesized, which promotes the emptying of the gallbladder, the secretion of pancreatic juice, the digestion of mucus, digestive juices, and enzymes. Glucose reserves are consumed for brain energy, fatty acids for muscle energy, heart and other organs, as well as amino acids for building peptide proteins.
In conclusion, I would like to say that “Slimness for the body is as important as grace for the mind.” Both of these parameters are achieved if you refuse late dinner, which is what we encourage you to do!
The fight against obesity in the complex of therapeutic measures to improve the health of the population has come to the fore in recent years. As sad medical statistics testify, this problem hangs like a sword of Damocles over modern society, and in the vast majority of cases, the onset of the disease is provoked by people themselves.
Most often, the wrong lifestyle is “to blame” for the occurrence of obesity, and by correcting it, it is quite possible to return your weight to stable levels corresponding to the norm.
Overweight and obesity are rightly called the most important factor (along with physical inactivity and hereditary predisposition) provoking the disease of hypertension. If you are overweight, at risk of obesity, or have other predisposing circumstances, then this article is intended for you.
There are different points of view on what weight should be. It is unlikely that a modern fashion model with a weight of 55 kg and a height of 180 cm is a model that everyone should strive for. How to calculate the stage of obesity and what weight is normal?
It is customary to distinguish four stages of obesity:
- Stage 1 - excess weight by 10-29%; .
- Stage 2 - by 30-49%;
- Stage 3 - by 50-99%;
- Stage 4 - 100% or more.
In the first and second stages of obesity, the ability to work and vital activity of patients is not impaired or only slightly impaired. The disease is still in its infancy, and it is not always possible to draw the line between “healthy fatness” and the initial degree of obesity.
Hence the common joke about obesity levels: the first degree is when others envy, the second when they laugh and the third when they sympathize with the patient.
Factors contributing to the development of obesity: food and alcohol
What contributes to the development of obesity in most cases? Most often, obesity is caused by systematic overeating. If the quantity and calorie content of food consumed exceed the energy costs associated with the characteristics of work, physical activity, and the conditions of food absorption in the gastrointestinal tract, obesity inevitably develops.
In addition to malnutrition, the development of obesity is facilitated by the predominant content of animal fats and easily digestible carbohydrates in food: consumption of fatty meats, lard, and butter. Also foods that contribute to obesity are flour and potatoes.
Regular consumption of alcoholic beverages also contributes to obesity: They themselves are high in calories, and drinking alcohol stimulates the appetite and promotes excess in eating.
What else contributes to the development of obesity?
In addition to obesity as a consequence of poor nutrition, a person’s hereditary (constitutional) characteristics can play a certain role in the development of the disease. Families in which all members are overweight are quite common; however, even with “family completeness”, it’s most often all about the traditions of family nutrition, when children are overfed from an early age. Over the years, bad habits take root. A kind of vicious circle is created: adipose tissue, like any living tissue, requires nutrition, which leads to an increase in appetite, overeating and the transition of obesity to increasingly severe stages.
There are cases when factors contributing to the development of obesity are disruption of the activity of the endocrine glands and the nervous system. Then obesity acts as one of the manifestations of another disease and requires special drug treatment.
But much more often, obesity is caused precisely by poor nutrition and insufficient physical activity.
Obesity is a risk factor for the occurrence and development of diseases
Obesity is a risk factor for the following diseases:
- The increased load on bones and joints during obesity leads to changes in the musculoskeletal system, pain in the joints, and limited mobility in the joints of the lower half of the body.
- With severe obesity, the risk of cardiac disorders and the development of heart failure increases.
- Obesity is a risk factor for the development of diseases such as atherosclerosis, cholelithiasis, and myocardial infarction. Obesity is also a risk factor for spinal diseases and, of course, hypertension.
Treatment methods for overweight and obesity: fasting days
The main method of treating obesity is strict and long-term adherence to a low-calorie diet combined with dosed physical activity. The calorie content of food should be reduced to 1100-1400 kcal per day. Salt should be limited to 2 g per day. Instead of salt, you need to use spicy seasonings. One of the methods to combat obesity is to limit the amount of free fluid to 1-2 liters per day.
It is better to eat often, 4 to 6 times a day, but in small portions - this dulls the feeling of hunger.
Once a week for obesity, fasting days are arranged:
- milk (kefir) - drink 6 glasses of milk (kefir) during the day;
- meat - Divide 300 g of boiled meat into 5-6 doses and additionally drink rosehip infusion without sugar, up to 1 liter per day;
- salad - combine fresh raw vegetables and fruits, 250 g 5 times a day.
But the main principle of diet therapy for obesity in any case is to reduce the energy value of the diet.
In this case, a sufficient intake of protein from food is necessary, but meat and fish are preferable to low-fat varieties and boiled. Daily consumption of bread (mainly rye or bran) should be reduced to 100 g per day.
Rational nutrition for obesity: which foods are prohibited and which are allowed
Here are some foods you can eat if you are obese: fresh cabbage, radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant. Sweet and sour fruits can be consumed in limited quantities.
As for fats, you can’t give them up completely. Some nutritionists recommend consuming at least 80 grams of fat per day for obesity. But at the same time, most of the recommended amount of fats should come from vegetable fats used in cooking, including those added to salads and vinaigrettes.
Of course, vegetable fats are preferred: sunflower oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, olive oil, etc.
Also, to enhance the energy use of fat reserves in the body, rational nutrition for obesity involves limiting fluid intake.
Diet for obesity, diet therapy and therapeutic fasting
It is also necessary to strictly follow a diet for obesity, and best of all, one prescribed by a qualified nutritionist.
In addition to diet therapy for obesity, systematic monitoring of body weight is necessary. If it turns out that all the measures taken do not give the desired results, you can introduce a one-day fast once a week.
In general, fasting treatment has become a fashionable remedy today in the fight against excess weight, and this remedy is used uncontrollably, and this is very, very dangerous, which, by the way, also applies to irrationally or simply illiterately designed “fashionable” diets.
The mechanism of action of therapeutic fasting in obesity has not yet been sufficiently studied. In addition to positive experience in using fasting to treat, for example, diseases of the central nervous system and other diseases, there is also negative experience.
With uncontrolled fasting, a wide variety of and often dangerous complications are possible!
In addition, after an ill-conducted course of fasting, there is a high probability of regaining your previous weight very quickly.
Thus, it is better not to fast without medical supervision.
Much more reliable is a low-calorie diet, which, albeit slowly, produces results, especially if you combine it with constant physical activity.
Start by at least walking to and from work at a brisk pace. Race walking, jogging, swimming, morning exercises are your helpers in the fight against excess weight.
Disadvantages of laxative drugs for the treatment of obesity
In addition to fasting, today overweight people often resort to medications. To lose weight, many people, especially women, use laxatives.
Laxative drugs for the treatment of obesity - both chemical and biological - have serious disadvantages:
- Firstly , they are easy to get used to;
- Secondly , they weaken the functioning of the stomach and intestines;
- Thirdly , they contribute to the leaching of potassium from the body, and potassium deficiency can contribute to weakening of the kidneys and even the development of kidney failure, weakening of all muscles, deterioration of mental activity, and heart disease.
You need to be very careful with all anti-obesity medications that artificially reduce appetite. Most of these products contain amphetamine derivatives, which, although they eliminate the feeling of hunger, at the same time excite the central nervous system.
And this can lead to insomnia, a feeling of anxiety, the rhythmic functioning of the heart can be disrupted through the autonomic nervous system, and unpleasant phenomena such as sweating and muscle tremors may occur.
Herbal medicine for obesity caused by malnutrition
Herbal medicine for obesity is one of the effective methods of treatment, because there are plants that improve metabolism and promote weight loss.
For example, you can take the fee: corn silk, dandelion (leaf), yarrow (herb), sage (herb), chicory (root, herb), buckthorn (bark), parsley (fruit), mint (herb) - only 20 g of dry crushed raw materials. 2 tbsp. spoons of the mixture pour 0.5 liters of boiling water. Take 100 ml 3 times a day 15 minutes before meals.
In the treatment of obesity and overweight, this infusion regulates metabolism, activates ovarian function (which is important for women who have developed obesity during the postpartum or menopausal period), improves the functioning of the intestines and pancreas, and enhances the function of the kidneys to remove salts from the body.
Fighting obesity as a consequence of poor nutrition: massage and baths
Another way to combat obesity is baths:
- salt (2 kg of salt per bath);
- maritime ;
- (dilute mustard powder in warm water, approximately 200-300 g per bath; water temperature - 36-37 ° C, duration - 5-10 minutes; after the bath, you need to wash yourself in a warm shower and wrap yourself in a blanket);
- turpentine (yellow solution for a turpentine bath is prepared from 500 ml of castor oil, 40 g of sodium hydroxide, 200 ml of water, 225 ml of oleic acid, 750 ml of turpentine; take 15 ml of emulsion per bath, gradually bring to 60 ml; water temperature - 36- 39 ° C. Course of treatment - 10 baths for 15 minutes every other day).
Another great addition to diet therapy are saunas, steam baths, and massage. Saunas (dry heat) and steam baths (moist heat) stimulate profuse sweating, which means weight loss, which, however, is quickly restored if you drink plenty of water afterwards. The main point of such procedures is to remove toxins, improve blood circulation and stimulate metabolism, and this all contributes to weight loss.
But it is important to remember that only fairly strong people can afford such procedures.
Massage for obesity helps to lose weight because it activates blood circulation and has a calming effect on the nervous system, which is very important when following a diet when a person is exposed to severe nervous tension.
Tips for treating obesity: diet and healthy lifestyle
These tips cover physical activity, diet for treating obesity, healthy habits and a healthy lifestyle:
1. If you want to lose only a few kilograms, then it is most reasonable to exclude all sweets and alcohol from your diet, and reduce the fat content. If you lose weight in this way, then later, even with good nutrition, you will not gain back the lost kilograms.
2. If you need to lose more than 10 kg, first of all, consult your doctor and get tested (the main thing is a blood test). Depending on the results, choose the best method for losing weight.
3. When you lose two-thirds of your unwanted weight, you can allow yourself some of those foods that were prohibited. However, continue to monitor your weight, and if you notice that your weight has stopped falling, eliminate unwanted foods again.
4. Remember more often the motives that led you to lose weight (illness, shortness of breath, unaesthetic appearance, inability to find a ready-made one in your size, etc.), this will strengthen your will.
5. Another piece of advice for obesity: do not give in to the whispers of your inner voice: “I’m not that fat,” be firm in completing the task.
6. When tempted, fight your weaknesses. If you don't resist and eat a high-calorie dish, you will regain the lost kilogram, but it will take several days to lose it. If this happens, then the next day eat only very light food, increase physical activity, and visit the sauna. Remember that because of one sin you are dooming yourself to a painful state.
7. Most nutritionists believe that you need to lose weight slowly. However, keep in mind that a lot depends on your individual characteristics. If you resort to a long-term half-diet, your efforts may be in vain, since you simply will not be able to maintain such a regime for a long time and will soon return to your normal diet. So you need a strict diet that must be followed carefully.
8. You cannot quickly switch to a normal diet after you have achieved your desired weight. During this period, it is very important to find a diet that would provide you with a cheerful state and a stable weight.
9. All those nutrition and healthy lifestyle skills for obesity that you learned during the diet should be preserved forever.
10. If after the diet you gain 1-2 kg, immediately go back to the diet that helped you: don’t expect an avalanche of weight gain.
11. Remember that bad habits take root very quickly.
12. In the process of treating obesity, do not forget that your diet should be regular and harmonious. Do not eat food on the go, in a hurry. Find time to sit quietly at the table. Eat slowly, chewing your food thoroughly.
13. Give preference to healthy foods that are rich in protein and vitamins.
14. Foods with the highest protein content: fish, caviar, chicken, milk, curdled milk, eggs, nuts.
15. Foods with the highest vitamin A content: parsley, spinach, liver, dried apricots, carrots, egg yolk, feta cheese, tomatoes.
16. Foods with the highest content of vitamin B ((thiamine): peanuts, peas, soybeans, pork, wheat bran, corn, barley, raisins, cucumbers, orange juice.
17. Foods highest in vitamin C (ascorbic acid): parsley, black currants, lemon, spinach, oranges, kiwi, pineapples.
18. Foods with the highest content of vitamin B: fish oil, salmon, sardines, herring, chicken liver, yolk, sour cream.
19. Foods with the highest content of vitamin E (tocopherol): butter, eggs, spinach, beans, soybeans, peanuts, beef, lamb.
20. Foods with the highest calcium content: milk, cheese, almonds, soy, caviar, beans, yolk, cauliflower, lemon.
21. Foods with the highest iron content: beef broth, parsley, yolk, beans, raisins, dried apricots, dates, chestnuts, almonds, pears, mushrooms.
And always remember that a diet is not a punishment. On the contrary, thanks to the diet you will be able to cultivate in yourself the strength of spirit and the ability to obey reason.
The diet will help you avoid severe complications in the future that obesity inevitably entails.
Physiotherapy in the treatment of obesity
Losing body weight in obesity is achieved primarily through a hypocaloric diet. Physiotherapy for obesity takes second place and plays a large role in complex treatment.
Most often, physical activity for obesity is used in combination with diet. The success of treatment depends on the degree and stage of obesity. More favorable results are observed during the so-called dynamic stage, in which fat deposition occurs as a result of a sharp increase in appetite and the intake of large amounts of food. In the stable stage, inertia of fat depots is observed due to metabolic disorders. The weight in such patients remains relatively constant regardless of diet and other therapeutic measures.
The purpose of physical activity in obesity is to disrupt the existing positive energy balance that has arisen as a result of overeating and reduced physical activity.
To achieve weight loss, you should achieve a negative energy balance by reducing the calorie content of food and increasing the body's energy expenditure through physical means.
In diabetes, endocrine forms of obesity are not so rare, accounting for 5-10% of the total number of obese patients in general. In these forms, the main therapeutic measure is the appropriate correction of the endocrine disorder.
In addition, one should keep in mind the so-called cerebral obesity and obesity of the lipodystrophic type, in which fat depots are concentrated in certain areas of the body.
The key to successful treatment for the most commonly observed forms of obesity is the comprehensive and systematic use of therapeutic measures for 1-2 years. Failure is mainly due to the fact that patients are unable to overcome their appetite and established eating habits.
When drawing up a physiotherapeutic complex, first of all they include physical therapy, and then diaphoretic and other physiotherapeutic procedures, depending on the general condition of the patient and his ability to tolerate procedures of greater or lesser load.
Sweating procedures are indicated for obese patients who do not have disorders of the cardiovascular system (hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary disease, cardiac decompensation, etc.). These procedures are aimed at regulating water-electrolyte disturbances, reducing the hydrophilicity of fatty tissue and reducing the tendency to edema. Under their influence, metabolism also increases and the body's energy costs increase.
Weight loss caused by diaphoretic procedures is not permanent; If treatment is not combined with an appropriate diet and active physical activity, the weight is quickly restored.
General light baths are also used (55-60 °C, 15-20 minutes per procedure every other day, 10-15 procedures per course), with the help of which they achieve abundant release of water and salt with sweat - up to 1-2 liters. Light baths alternate with salt baths (38-39 °C, 10-15 minutes per procedure, 10-15 procedures per course.
General wet wraps are used to obtain a diaphoretic effect - from 45 minutes to 1 hour daily. The procedures are completed with a rain shower at a water temperature of 36-37 °C, a total of 15-20 procedures per course.
Ultraviolet rays also have a beneficial effect on metabolism, including fat metabolism. Total body irradiation is used, up to 2 biodoses (20-25 procedures per course), in order to stimulate the body as a whole and improve the patient’s mood.
Thermal procedures with a diaphoretic effect include general mud baths, steam baths, etc. In addition to these procedures, jet, circular and underwater shower massages are prescribed.
In the absence of contraindications, hydrotherapy procedures (baths, showers, etc.) with low temperatures (33-25 ° C) are recommended in order to stimulate metabolism. The most effective procedure is contrast baths after underwater jet massage. Complex treatment contributes not only to weight loss, but also to the normalization of impaired metabolism.
Therapeutic exercise and physical activity for obesity
The most commonly used treatment for obesity is physical therapy.
The main task of physical therapy for obesity is the regulation of metabolism by enhancing oxidative and lipolytic processes. Under the influence of physical exercise, the functions of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, the motor activity of the gastrointestinal tract improve, and congestion in the lungs, abdominal organs and the body as a whole decreases. Under the influence of increased physical activity, body weight decreases mainly due to fat and to a lesser extent due to active body weight. In some cases, there is even an increase in active body weight with an increase in muscle strength and volume, which is especially beneficial.
The choice of means of physical therapy for obesity depends on the severity of obesity and the presence of functional disorders of the cardiovascular system, on the one hand, and on the other, on the age and fitness of the patient. Gymnastic exercises are used in various dosages, and the principle of gradually increasing the load is observed.
Motor mode and physical activity in obesity
Physical activity should be properly distributed throughout the day: in the morning - hygienic gymnastics for 10-15 minutes; in the first half of the day - a set of physical exercises for various muscle groups and, in particular, for the abdominal press, exercises on apparatus, exercises on the wall bars, walking, bouncing; and all this - in combination with breathing exercises. The duration of classes is from 30-45 minutes to 1 hour. Between lunch and dinner - walking, outdoor exercise or physical labor.
In general, the entire motor pattern for obesity should be radically changed: You need to move from a sedentary lifestyle to an active motor mode. This is not always easy, since obese people are usually weak-willed people who tend to spend time in their room, lying down or sleeping.
It is advisable to build a set of physical exercises on the basis of bicycle ergometer tests, since as the degree of obesity increases, the functional capabilities of the cardiovascular system also decrease. However, people who are overweight should definitely consult a doctor about their physical therapy regimen.
MOSCOW, August 3 - RIA Novosti. Doctors in Russian regions have increased their vigilance over the past few years regarding the growing number of obese patients, but this figure continues to rapidly gain weight, and doctors promise to make additional efforts in the fight against extra pounds in patients.
Endocrinologist Ekaterina Sheremetyeva previously told RIA Novosti that Russian obesity rates are almost close to American ones. The proportion of Russian residents diagnosed with obesity from 2016 to 2017 increased by 6% and amounted to 1.3% of the population (1.9 million people). Among children and adolescents under 18 years of age in Russia as a whole, the increase in the number of obese people at the end of 2017 amounted to 5.3% - that’s almost 451 thousand children. According to Roszdravnadzor, in just the last five years the proportion of Russians who are obese has increased by 30%.
Every sixteenth
“The registration of cases of obesity as a nosology is carried out according to statistical data provided by medical organizations. According to the results of work for 2017, in the Altai Territory 117,599 (cases of obesity) were registered among people over 18 years of age, of which 17,600 were for the first time, that is, every 16 people suffer from obesity -th resident of our region, or 6.2%. According to medical examination data of the adult population, 23% have excess body weight or abnormal weight gain...”, Acting Minister of Health of the Altai Territory Vera Ushanova told RIA Novosti.
According to her, the factors for the development of obesity are diverse, the most common of which are behavioral traits: overeating, decreased physical activity, genetic predisposition, pathology of the endocrine system.
According to the regional Ministry of Health, Altai doctors have been closely working on solving this problem for the last four years. The region has a program “Altai products + 100 for health”; officials are engaged in informing the population and promoting the principles of healthy eating. The department added that the region is developing the production of products with low salt content, simple sugars, and products that do not contain trans-fatty acids.
World trends
"An increase in the number of obese people is observed all over the world, including in Kabardino-Balkaria. The reason, as elsewhere, is associated with a sedentary lifestyle, excessive consumption of foods rich in carbohydrates, etc. At the same time, the proportion of the population with excess body mass index in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic is not higher than the all-Russian indicator,” the Ministry of Health of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic told RIA Novosti.
“The sharp increase in the indicator in the CBD compared to last year is associated with a change in the form of statistical recording and an increase in the detection and registration of obesity during medical examinations as a risk factor for the development of a number of socially significant diseases: hypertension, stroke, heart attack, type 2 diabetes, cancer. Accordingly “People who remain overweight for a long time most often develop chronic diseases,” explained the Republican Ministry of Health.
Formation of a culture of health
“Over the past three years, based on the results of clinical examination of certain groups of the adult population of the region and the results of examinations in health centers for adults and children (2015-2017), in the structure of risk factors for the development of non-communicable diseases in adults, overweight takes 2nd place, obesity - 4th place, for children - 1st and 7th place, respectively,” the Department of Health of the Kurgan Region told RIA Novosti.
According to the department, the solution to the problem is to create a culture of health among the population, which includes the popularization of a healthy lifestyle, including healthy eating. Individual prevention of obesity includes consulting the population with specialists from medical organizations, undergoing the first stage of medical examination and visiting a health center to identify and correct risk factors for non-communicable diseases.
The department added that there are six health centers in the Kurgan region: two for children and four for adults. The centers were created to draw the attention of citizens to the problems of maintaining health, identifying risk factors for the development of chronic non-communicable diseases and their correction. Any resident of the region with an insurance policy and passport can contact the center. In addition, health schools have been organized and operate in the region, including the “School of a Healthy Lifestyle”, “School of Proper Nutrition”, “School for Overweight People”, and free consultations are organized in medical prevention rooms.
