Central obesity: Apple-shaped body is harmful to health

Some people have normal limbs and are not overweight, but have a big belly, that is, their waist is too wide, which is called central obesity or apple-shaped body. However, they are more likely to suffer from diabetes and cardiovascular disease than those with thick limbs, normal waist and overweight. This is because in patients with central obesity, fat is mainly accumulated in the internal organs, which affects metabolism and causes more severe vascular sclerosis.

Past domestic statistics show that men with a waist circumference of more than 90 cm and women with a waist circumference of more than 80 cm have a 70% higher chance of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease than the average person.

Eating enough high-fiber foods and exercising can effectively reduce body fat percentage. (Photography by Huang Zhiwen)

How to treat

Adjust your daily diet, consume appropriate amounts of whole grains, fruits, leafy vegetables, etc., eat less fatty meat and animal offal, and exercise moderately, such as 30 minutes of brisk walking, jogging, gymnastics, etc. every day. It is not necessary to only exercise the waist, as excessive local exercise can easily cause muscle strain. Whole-body exercise is more effective in burning abdominal fat.

Body fat percentage

To determine whether you are obese, we should not only look at your weight, but also measure your body fat percentage. Body fat percentage refers to the proportion of fat tissue in the body. Too high body fat percentage can lead to various chronic diseases. It can be measured with a body fat meter. The principle is to measure the resistance of the human body and use low voltage current to measure the conductivity of the body. The body fat in the human tissue is less conductive, that is, the resistance is larger, while other components are more conductive. The larger the resistance, the higher the body fat. People who look fat do not necessarily have a high body fat percentage. On the contrary, a thin person who lacks exercise and eats too much fatty meat may have a high body fat rate, which is the so-called hidden obesity.

How to treat

A high fat percentage will increase the chance of developing chronic diseases. Blood pressure, blood sugar, blood fat, etc. should be checked and treatment should be sought if any problems are found. Adjust your daily diet, consume enough high-fiber foods, such as whole grains, fruits, leafy vegetables, etc., eat less fatty meat and animal offal to reduce fat intake, and exercise moderately, 30 minutes a day of brisk walking, jogging, gymnastics, etc., such exercise will start to consume body fat and reduce body fat percentage from the 7th day.

Bulimia refers to eating large amounts of food in a short period of time and finding it difficult to control oneself. After an episode of binge eating, people may feel extremely regretful and try to compensate by dieting excessively, or try to induce vomiting, take laxatives, or exercise excessively, often causing physical harm. 3% of women and 2% of men have experienced binge eating disorder. People with bulimia usually eat normally when dining with others, but intermittently binge eat when dining alone. Patients with bulimia often have some emotional problems, such as lack of self-confidence, anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc.

How to treat

Behavioral therapy is very important, such as improving personal self-confidence, correct understanding of binge eating behavior, implementing diet plans, and dealing with life stress. In addition, doctors can prescribe medications to treat patients' emotional problems.