The Chemistry of Obesity in America: A Growing Dilemma

You've tried everything, and yet dieting and exercising don't get you the results you were hoping for. What are you doing wrong? Perhaps nothing. Sixty percent of adults in America are overweight or obese. Such conditions increase chances of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, gallstones and countless other conditions. Fat stored 'above the belt line' increases your chance of developing heart problems. The rising cost of medical care and health insurance is a direct result of this growing trend in American society. Every year, 300,000 people in the United States alone die from weight-related conditions that are entirely preventable!

At one time or another, we've all had to cut back a little on the intake and work a little harder to take off those few extra pounds we pack on. As we grow older, we realize that it just isn't as easy as it used to be; not only do we have to work harder to lose that extra weight, we also have to work a lot harder to keep it off.

Blame it on our ancestors if it will make you feel any better, those hominids. They never knew whether they would find their next meal, or their next meal would find them. Storing fat is our body's way of making it through lean times. And the bad news is, once fat cells form, they're here to stay. Nothing you can do will get rid of them.

Fat, or adipose cells, synthesize a hormone called leptin. Leptin has a direct impact on the portion of the brain that controls appetite. Like leptin, another hormone, cholecystokinin (CCK) is secreted by cells in the first portion of the small intestine and increases sensations of fullness. Before you get too excited, however, be aware that overweight people don't seem to be lacking in leptin, and perhaps have too much of it. What happens is that leptin receptors in their bodies aren't functioning properly, or perhaps their body cells just don't have enough receptors to begin with. That's not to say there's an excuse to gain weight, just that you may have to work a little harder than others to maintain a balance.

Other hormones can be culprits as well. Brain cells inside the hypothalamus, within the brain, and cells inside the stomach lining secrete ghrelin, a peptide hormone that increases the sensation of hunger and prevents you from burning fat. When the stomach is empty, this hormone is secreted into your body to stimulate eating. Unfortunately, studies have shown that even after dieters lost almost 20% of their former body weight, the levels of ghrelin had increased by roughly the same amount, which didn't help suppress their sensation of hunger. Development of a drug that slows ghrelin synthesis would help, but so far there is no such wonder drug on the market.

Heredity and genes have a lot to do with weight control as well. What to do? Above all, try to maintain a physically active lifestyle and cut back on foods that may taste great but offer nothing more than empty calories, or worse yet, fat-laden calories. Take control of your body. Determine your BMI (Body Mass Index) and see where you fall in the scale. To determine your BMI, follow this simple equation:

BMI= weight (pounds) x 703Height (inches) ²

It is generally accepted that you are overweight if you score a BMI of 25 to 29.9. Scores of 30 or more suggest obesity that can lead to substantial health problems down the road.

Dieting alone doesn't work. You must exercise as well. While health factors and genetic heredity may make weight loss more difficult, you can help yourself by educating yourself and watching your caloric intake.