Endocrinologist spoke about the serious consequences of obesity

The director of the center, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Natalia Mokrysheva spoke about the dangerous consequences of overweight and obesity. On the eve of the World Day Against Obesity, which is celebrated on March 4, specialists of the State Scientific Center of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “NMITs of Endocrinology” of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation discussed the problem of excess weight in the country at a press conference at the Izvestia Medical Center.

Mokrysheva said that the prevalence of obesity in Russia is extremely high. According to her, at least 40 million Russian citizens are currently overweight and obese.

“40 million Russians are obese – this is at least. Obesity is a state when the ratio of mass and height exceeds a certain limit. This is the body mass index. Obesity is fixed when it exceeds 30”, – said the specialist.

She added that preobesity is as widespread as obesity itself. In particular, one third of the population of the Russian Federation suffer from obesity, and almost the same number are overweight.

“How is it different from being overweight? We, endocrinologists, do not really share these concepts. Overweight is the forerunner of obesity, if certain measures are not taken,” Natalya Mokrysheva said.

The endocrinologist emphasized that overweight causes a number of different diseases that make life difficult for a person. Among the diseases provoked by obesity are diabetes mellitus, a number of cardiovascular diseases, arterial hypertension, kidney stones, fatty hepatosis, as well as an increased risk of developing oncopathologies and the risk of infertility. In addition, being overweight can cause depression and low self-esteem.

Mokrysheva also listed the conditions in which it is necessary to consult an endocrinologist. So, you need to pay attention to the fact if the body mass index (BMI) of a person exceeds 25. Also, overweight can be indicated by disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and problems with the urinary and reproductive systems.

“If you go up to the fifth floor with shortness of breath, your blood pressure rises, you have headaches, you are sensitive to weather changes, you don’t eat quite the way the doctor recommends – this is all a reason to think,” — said the doctor.

In her opinion, the way of life of a modern person, the increase in the level of comfort and changed food preferences contribute to the fact that obesity will spread more and more.

In turn, the chief freelance pediatric specialist endocrinologist of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, scientific director of the Institute of Pediatric Endocrinology of the State Research Center of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “National Medical Research Center of Endocrinology”, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Valentina Peterkova noted the relevance of the problem of obesity in children. According to her, currently 21 percent of first-graders are overweight, and 6 percent of children are obese. Peterkova called it a real epidemic of obesity.

“Our main task is to do prevention already in childhood, because in old age it will be difficult. <...> The most important thing is to teach a person to limit himself. It doesn’t matter that he ate a hamburger, what matters is how many of them he ate. Pancakes, hamburger or cutlets – there is no difference in this if there are a lot of them. – explained the specialist.

Even Valentina Peterkova advised from early childhood to teach children to quench their thirst with plain water, and not with sugary drinks.

Earlier it was reported that the Ministry of Health announced a “dramatic” increase in obesity in men.