Morbid obesity - Causes and effects

Obesity is a very complex disease that is not caused by any one factor, and its full biological basis is not fully understood.

Some of the contributing factors include genetics, culture, socioeconomic status, psychosocial issues and environmental cues. In addition to these factors, there is a gender difference.

Women are three times more likely than men to be morbidly obese. Ongoing research is attempting to determine the genetic basis of morbid obesity at the chromosomal level.

However, at this time, a medical or “gene therapy” treatment for morbid obesity is not available and is unlikely for many years. Non-operative methods to control morbid obesity have been very disappointing.

Even with the combination of powerful anorexic drugs, aggressive behavioral modifications, and intensive support, long-term weight loss is usually unsuccessful.

Less than 3% of all morbidly obese individuals are able to maintain any significant long-term weight loss utilizing only non-operative methods.

In addition to the psychological stigma that is applied to those who are morbidly obese, there are many medical conditions that are directly or indirectly caused by morbid obesity.

Some of these are:

• Type II Diabetes
• Venous Stasis Ulcers
• Elevated Cholesterol
• Increased Operative Risk with any Surgery
• Obstructive Sleep Apnea
• Deep Vein Thrombosis
• Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis
• Coronary Artery Disease
• Stress Urinary Incontinence
• Cancer (including uterine, breast and prostate)