Nearly 43% of people in the United States are obese. For many of them, obesity leads to various long-term health complications that can have a life-long impact. The endocrinology, thyroid, and diabetes experts at The Endocrine Center’s three offices in Houston, Texas, specialize in exploring the causes related to obesity and treating the condition according to its source. To explore obesity treatments and improve your health, call the Main Campus, Methodist West, or Greater Heights office or schedule an evaluation online today.
Obesity is a complicated and serious health problem with a high prevalence in the United States. If you are obese, you have an excess amount of body fat and may experience some health complications because of it.
In order to make an obesity diagnosis, the team at The Endocrine Center calculates your body mass index (BMI). While it doesn’t account for muscle mass and several other factors and, therefore, isn’t always the only tool for diagnosis, your BMI is calculated using your weight and height. If the number is 30.0 or higher, you may be obese.
Obesity is complex, and there are often many contributing factors to its development. Some causes are genetic or hormonal in nature, while others have to do with behaviors. It’s often too simplistic to narrow it down to a poor diet and lack of exercise, but these are indeed common causes of obesity. Others include:
Hypothyroidism happens when your thyroid gland is underactive and doesn’t produce enough metabolism-regulating hormones.
PCOS is a condition in women that causes an imbalance among sex hormones.
Cushing syndrome occurs when your body produces too much cortisol, which regulates how your body responds under stress or pressure. It’s also nicknamed the “fight or flight” hormone.
Other contributing factors include pregnancy, a consistent lack of sleep, and aging.
Obesity has a link to several different health conditions that can have lasting effects on your body and well-being. If you’re obese, your risk is higher than average for:
The team at The Endocrine Center evaluates you thoroughly to find out if you have any health conditions associated with obesity that you don’t yet know about. They take into account all of these while forming your individualized obesity treatment plan.
If you have trouble losing weight on your own, it may benefit you to undergo an evaluation at The Endocrine Center for conditions contributing to your obesity like hypothyroidism or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The team works with you to identify any existing causes and create a treatment plan that addresses your obesity and its complications.
Treating underlying medical causes of obesity can help significantly with losing weight. For your treatment plan, the team may recommend:
Each treatment plan for obesity looks different because of the many possible causes and contributing factors in each individual. Weight loss surgery is rarely necessary, but your provider may recommend it if no other approaches lead to results.
If you’re obese and want to find out more about the factors contributing to your obesity, call your nearest office of The Endocrine Center, or schedule an appointment online today.
