In Abdominal Obesity the presence of hormonally active fat is proportionately more which is the reason abdominal fat deposits are considered more dangerous.

In women too abdominal fat is very dangerous as the natural fat deposition is otherwise in the hips and thighs.

Abdominal Obesity occurs primarily when obesity starts after adulthood and is more common with a sedentary lifestyle. In this type of obesity accumulation of fat occurs both under the skin of the tummy and also inside the abdomen, chest around the internal organs and intestinal mesentery.

The fat that builds up around abdominal organs known as visceral fat is arguably the most dangerous form of obesity. This visceral fat lies below the omentum which acts like a shield in front of the organs of the abdomen and prevents us from feeling this fat with our fingers. Normally the fat that we can hold by pinching with two fingers is under skin fat or subcutaneous fat.

The composition of the fat deposits also vary the associated risks. Environmental factors also play a role in the initiation of poor nutrition, reduced physical activity and excess fat accumulation leading to abdominal obesity.

Understanding the progression of the development of the body fat is the key to its reversal. Low calorie optimized nutrient foods and increased metabolism can help induce weight loss and reverse obesity and associated health issues in the majority of conditions.

Excess body fat in the abdominal area is an energy store but has a negative impact on various body organs and systems by acting as an endocrine gland producing hormones that control our food intake, our immune functions and various metabolic activities which leads to many disease conditions

• Abdominal Obesity and age factors: Abdominal Obesity after the age of 20 starts with decreasing metabolic rate and reducing muscle mass. There is an absence of corresponding decrease in calorie intake and necessary muscle maintenance activity.
• Fat as tissue: The excess calorie intake through food as carbohydrate, fat, protein or alcohol above the daily requirements will be converted to fat and deposited in the adipose tissues which leads to weight gain and obesity.
• Fat in circulation: Triglycerides / Circulatory fat is the fat found in circulating blood and blood vessels and is a major concern and is often associated with the presence of excess body fat.
• Fat in the liver: This excess fat deposition within the liver leads to fatty liver which may lead to hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer.
• Visceral fat: This is the abdominal fat /belly fat which is deposited around the abdominal organs is considered more dangerous than peripheral / under skin fat deposits.
• Subcutaneous fat: This is the fat that causes peripheral obesity and is generally seen under the skin of the belly, arms, legs, neck and trunk.
• Composition of fat and associated risk: If the deposited fat is in the form of inflammation inducing omega 6 and trans fat the health issues related to obesity and inflammatory disorders will be more intense.
• Hyper palatable foods: Easy availability and addiction to calorie rich taste enhanced food which is deficient in many essential nutrients, associated increased appetite, low physical activity and associated hormonal changes all contributes to the increasing incidence of obesity.
• Nutrition and fat deposition: High calorie low protein, low fibre diets also promote weight gain.
• Gut bacteria derailment: This can be caused by foods having preservatives, tastemakers, colouring agents, imitation foods, highly processed non nutritious foods and by medications which damage the environment in the gastrointestinal tract leading to obesity.
• Hormonal imbalance can cause obesity: Hormone imbalance in production or at receptor level can lead to obesity. Insulin, thyroid hormone, steroid hormones, leptin and ghrelin among others have a major role in the control of appetite and metabolism.
• Menopause: The hormonal changes associated with menopause can trigger obesity unless managed with required care.
• Obesity promotes hormone imbalance: This hormonal imbalance can further promote fat deposition and obesity.
• Medicine induced weight gain and obesity: Many drugs used as medications for diabetes, especially insulin, insulin pump, oral hypoglycemic agents, many psychiatric medicines, anti epilepsy medicines etc can induce weight gain and obesity.
• Hypoglycemia induced obesity: Diabetic patients on medication over eat to avoid hypoglycemic attack, which leads to obesity and further deterioration of disease process and blood sugar control.
• Alcohol induced obesity: Just like carbohydrate and fat alcohol also is a source of calories and yields 7 kcal from 1gm. Alcoholic drinks like beer, wine, toddy etc are rich in carbohydrates and also contribute to weight gain and often called ‘beer belly’.
• Mental health induced obesity: Stress associated overeating, eating disorders, deficiency of essential nutrients like vitamins, insufficient or poor-quality sleep, certain genetic disorders, psychological disorders etc also predisposes to obesity.

Treatment challenges

TThe individual’s awareness of health optimisation can change Abdominal Obesity management from a hearsay reaction mode to a clinically supervised lifestyle correction for lasting benefits.

Challenges in medical treatment

In Abdominal Obesity it is to optimise health to achieve desirable weight loss to provide the desired quality of life and avoid diseases associated with abdominal obesity. This is most important as if health is not optimised the body can revert to its earlier stage if not worse because of deficiency or excess in the body’s composition.This requires regular followup of the body parameters to ensure that the body receives all the needed inputs to achieve the target body composition and weight.

Individuals who realise that they have a problem with weight that needs serious attention are at an advantage as they are able to follow the treatment requirements much better.

(In some very rare instances abdominal obesity will have its origin in genetic problems, rare metabolic syndromes and hormone imbalances but overall they all are very much impacted by the lifestyle of the individual. Identifying any such issues go a long way in planning the treatment protocol in such cases.)

Treatment objectives

In treating Abdominal Obesity often the real treatment is removing the root cause and optimising health.This involves returning the body to its pre-obesity state. This requires a comprehensive intervention as the change begins when the individual understands the need and is confident in the treatment resources provided. This will make weight management a key to better health. This is the best response for preventing damage to other organs and tissues and the proper functioning of the immune and endocrine systems as well.

Generally the individual will be having health issues and some may be concealed from view. This is why the role of health optimisation to improve the overall health of the individual is more important for both health and a better quality of life.

Improved health status reflects in self confidence and quality of life.

Total health improvement overcomes the disadvantages of obesity in daily life apart from other serious and silent health challenges.

The goal of cell activation treatment is optimization of health and not just weight reduction. Cell activation treatment focuses on optimal functioning of the body at a cellular level including all 50-70 trillion cells of the body. So while utilising excess fat and reducing weight it controls and reverses the comorbidities associated with obesity like elevated blood sugar, elevated insulin level, elevated triglyceride level and many other blood parameters too. Reversing obesity with cell activation will help to control and possibly reverse other health issues like diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, allergy, asthma, psoriasis, eczema, autoimmune diseases, cancer etc too.

• Weight reduction of 5-10%: Cell activation treatment for weight reduction helps the patient to achieve around 5-10% weight reduction each month.
• Type 2 diabetic patients can stop insulin and hypoglycemic medications.
• Reverses diabetes related conditions: Normalisation of blood sugar will slow down / arrest diabetic foot and neuropathy, retinopathy and nephropathy.
• Improves vessel health: Optimisation of health and reversal of circulatory fat, normal glucose levels and balanced inflammatory activity improves vessel health and helps prevent associated conditions like blocks, ruptures etc.
• Improves organ health: Improve kidney function, liver function and other organ functions and help to recover from fatty liver, liver cirrhosis, renal failure etc if started early.
• Improves array of lifestyle related health conditions: Help to recover from other health issues like irritability, depression, hypertension, constipation, piles, asthma, allergy, skin disease, osteoporosis etc
• Improves body strength: Optimized nutrient food along with oxyflex stimulation increases muscle and bone mass, strengthens the body, improves flexibility and prevents falls and fractures.
• Reverses accelerated aging: Reducing the accumulation of advanced glycosylation end products (AGEs) inside the cells and in intracellular fluid improves cell health.
• Skin health is improved: Optimized nutrient skin care nourishes and protects the skin, helps in prevention and healing of ulcers and delays aging signs like wrinkles and dryness.
• Metabolic age below chronological age: Regain body shape, strength and youthfulness and slow down the aging process and help to keep metabolic age below chronological age.

Patient options

The informed patient is the key to treatment success.

• Cell Activation Program (CAP) is normally a 3 month Outpatient Program for Health Optimisation. However depending on individual requirements the duration may be extended depending on the health challenge and the extent of improvements required in body parameters. An initial evaluation visit is essential and follow up visits vary case by case.
  
• When you notice anyone who is overweight or obese trying to reduce weight please DO NOT make fun of the person if he is not succeeding but do your bit to help him find a better way. Please appreciate that he is able to understand that obesity is a disease that needs treatment.
• If you have the feeling of loss of strength you should have a check up to see if you are having abnormal muscle loss.
• If you have overweight or obesity or you suspect so please get a check up and follow up at the earliest to prevent the progression of the weight gain and other associated damage.
• If you have Generalized Obesity you should be watchful regards symptoms for other lifestyle diseases as well and learn more about how you can optimise your weight to height with confidence.
• If you are suffering from Generalised Obesity and if you want to check out how you can benefit from optimising health with Cell Activation to reduce weight under medical supervision you can call / fix an appointment at Life Care Centre.