Affecting half of South Africans, obesity is a complex and widespread health concern characterised by excessive body fat accumulation that goes beyond physical appearance.
According to Dis-Chem clinic executive Lizeth Kruger, obesity is a complex, multifaceted condition with implications that extend beyond what meets the eye.
While its visible effects include higher risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, she highlights that it also has hidden impacts on cognitive function, reproductive health, mental well-being, and even certain cancers.
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Impact of being overweight
Kruger elaborates on these hidden health implications, which include:
Cognitive function:
Obesity not only burdens the body but also takes a toll on cognitive abilities, affecting memory, learning, and decision-making processes in midlife.
For this, she recommends strategies like regular physical exercise to enhance brain blood flow, consuming a diet rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, engaging in mental stimulation activities like reading and puzzles, and managing cardiovascular risk factors through proper medical care to help maintain cognitive function.
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Reproductive health
Obesity significantly affects reproductive health in both genders. In women, it leads to hormonal imbalances, disrupting ovulation and causing menstrual irregularities, which increases the risk of infertility.
In men, obesity reduces sperm quality and causes erectile dysfunction, impairing fertility and increasing the risk of reproductive disorders.
For this, Kruger advises managing conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and hypertension, seeking fertility counselling as needed, and receiving prenatal care to address fertility issues and reduce pregnancy complications.
Cancer risks
Kruger stresses the importance of maintaining a healthy weight and an active lifestyle to reduce the risk of obesity-related cancers.
Additionally, she advises preventing further weight gain and striving for weight loss to decrease cancer risk.
Mental well-being
Obesity is not just a physical burden but an emotional one as well.
To address this, Kruger recommends that both men and women seek support from mental health professionals, engage in therapy or counselling, build a strong support network of friends and family, and practice self-care activities such as mindfulness and relaxation techniques.
“Let us not only raise awareness about the visible aspects of this condition but also strive to understand and mitigate its indirect health implications. By recognising and addressing the multifaceted nature of obesity, we can pave the way for a healthier and more inclusive future for all,” says Kruger.
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