Enlarging Waist Circumference and Weight Loss

I hope you're not reading this while eating a bagel or, even worse, a donut. Looking back at the last fifty years, we'll see that we're facing perhaps the strangest irony regarding our health: while smoking, which causes numerous deaths, is decreasing, obesity is rapidly increasing.

On the one hand, millions of cancer-related deaths are prevented by people quitting smoking, but on the other hand, many people who cannot maintain a balanced waistline are at risk.

Today, obesity and smoking remain the leading preventable causes of death.

The International Agency for Cancer Research and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which reviewed over 1000 studies, state that there is a direct link between overweight and obesity and types of cancer that occur especially in young people.

These cancer types include esophageal, liver, gallbladder, colon and rectal, stomach, pancreatic, uterine and ovarian cancers, kidney and thyroid cancers, and in postmenopausal women, breast cancer, meningioma, and multiple myeloma. In such cases, a decrease has been observed only in colon cancer thanks to increased early screening and removal of precancerous polyps.

Studies indicate a direct link between excess weight and cancer in many cases. In other words, the more weight you gain, the greater your chances of developing cancer.

According to the CDC's October report, between 2005 and 2014, there was a 1.4 percent annual increase in cancer cases linked to overweight and obesity among individuals aged 20-49, while this rate was 0.4 percent among those aged 50-64.

According to CDC experts' reports in the medical journal JAMA, more than half of cancer cases seen in people under 65 are directly related to obesity and being overweight. Furthermore, experts predict that the increase in overweight and obesity among children, adolescents, and adults will lead to a significant increase in weight-related cancers and deaths in the American population.

Therefore, experts are urging doctors treating children and adults to exercise due diligence in their work, to be mindful of their patients' body mass index measurements, and to dedicate more time to helping them lose weight. Under these circumstances, the cost of public health efforts to control abdominal fat in Americans is likely to far outweigh the savings achieved in health, living, and economic areas.

Of course, these and similar efforts will not only prevent illness and death related to cancer. Excess weight and obesity are also major risk factors for Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and palpitations, hypertension, osteoarthritis, gout, gallbladder problems, sleep apnea, and respiratory diseases such as asthma.

However, even when weight measurement and counseling costs are fully covered by health insurance, these services are rarely provided. In November 2011, the Obama administration introduced Medicare, a government health insurance program for the elderly, offering free weight-loss counseling to obese seniors. This still-available service has benefited approximately 30% of individuals with a body mass index of 30 or higher.

However, only 120,000 elderly patients benefited from Medicare in the first three years. This represents less than 1% of those eligible for the benefit. Experts see this dire situation as a missed opportunity.

This free insurance includes weekly consultation services for the first month, weekly consultation sessions between months 2 and 6, and an additional six months of sessions for those who lose at least an average of 3 kilos starting from month 6. Additionally, participants who do not reach their goal in the first six months but have a body mass index of 30 or higher are offered unlimited access to services.

Among those struggling with obesity, there are, of course, many who have tried repeatedly and failed to lose weight, losing faith in their ability to do so. Even though they may have lost hope, they believe they can break out of this cycle through perseverance and patience. Let's give a good example for them: Most people who quit smoking only succeed after 8 to 30 attempts.

Healthcare professionals are just as responsible for failure in weight loss as patients. Many general practitioners lack the necessary training to help patients lose weight. Some doctors worry that focusing solely on weight loss will lead patients to discontinue treatment. Many patients, in turn, become withdrawn from treatment due to the negative attitudes healthcare professionals often adopt towards weight problems.

According to an online survey conducted by researchers at Yale University's Center for Nutrition Policy and Obesity, people perceive terms like "obese," "fat," and "extremely obese" used by doctors as stigmatizing and accusatory language. At least one in five participants said they would discontinue treatment if they felt this way about their weight, and 21% said they would consult a new doctor.

Aside from the Medicare option, it's crucial to address weight problems before aging. A study published in the July issue of JAMA by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health found that 23% of women and 13% of men aged 18 to 55 gained an average of 20 kilograms. Dr. H. Dietz of the CDC notes that obesity-related cancer cases in both men and women are linked to weight gain during adulthood. Dietz also emphasizes the need to prioritize obesity control and prevention programs for young people.

However, Dr. Dietz points out that the prevalence of obesity is 17% in children aged 6 to 11 and doubles to 34% in young adults aged 20 to 29.

So why are so many American teenagers overweight? It's not just high-calorie snacks, widespread fast-food consumption, or lack of physical activity at school and outside, of course. The real problem begins when a baby is weaned and transitions to solid food. The mistake parents and caregivers often make is constantly giving babies snacks to soothe them, leading them to believe they will be happy eating for the rest of their lives.

Unfortunately, danger looms for most of us! Cancer and related deaths are not a distant possibility for us.

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This article, The New York Times'It was taken from and translated into Turkish. Habit Gıda AŞ bears no responsibility for the content of this article. This article is for informational purposes only, has been translated from English to Turkish, and does not contain any health advice. Habit Gıda AŞ cannot be held responsible for any health problems that may arise in readers as a result of this article. Readers should not take any action based on the content of this article without consulting their doctor regarding their health condition. You should consult your doctor about all matters related to your health.