Sharp weight gain: causes, symptoms, treatment

bariatric surgeon at the Federal Scientific and Research Center of FMBA of Russia

“The appearance of excess weight in a person in the absence of errors in diet and bad habits, as well as in the presence of a normal level of daily activity in most cases is due to the violation of internal organs or systems. Such obesity is called secondary obesity and is considered a complication arising against the background of the underlying disease”.

Sisukord

Causes of obesity

The appearance of excess weight can be caused by:

excessive secretion of adrenal hormones (primarily cortisol) caused by Icenko-Cushing’s disease;
hyperplasia of the adrenal cortex;
adrenal cortex tumor;
psychiatric or neurological disorders;
frequent alcohol intoxication;
glucocorticosteroid use.

Excess cortisol

Cortisol as well as thyroid hormones, is involved in lipid metabolism. Under its influence, the number and size of adipose tissue cells increase, and the sensitivity of tissues to insulin decreases.

With an excessive concentration of cortisol in the body, excess fat is deposited mainly on the abdomen, chest and neck, while the lower and upper extremities are thinned.

Diabeet

Another reason for the appearance of excess weight is insulin resistance. The hormone insulin is produced by the cells of the pancreas and performs a transport function: it carries glucose and other nutrients from the blood to the cells. When this happens, sugar stops being transported to the cells and begins to accumulate in the body, causing chronic hyperglycemia (a steady increase in blood sugar levels).

In this condition develops diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM-2), which is characterized by excess weight. Associated manifestations of the disorder include the following signs:

frequent urination;
unquenchable thirst;
dry mouth;
reproductive disorders;
suurenenud väsimus;
slow wound healing;
itchy skin.

Thyroid disorder

One of the reasons for the development of secondary obesity is a disorder of the thyroid gland. It is responsible for the secretion of thyroid hormones that regulate metabolism. With insufficient hormone production, hypothyroidism develops, in which metabolism slows down, leading to overweight and other symptoms, such as increased fatigue, apathy, absent-mindedness, decreased libido, muscle weakness.

When women’s sex hormones fluctuate, such as during menopause, the likelihood of developing obesity also increases. This is due to the rapid decrease in estrogen production, which causes a slowdown in metabolism. Some gynecological diseases can cause obesity in women of reproductive age.

Thus, in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), the balance of estrogen and testosterone in the body is disturbed, on the background of which often develops insulin resistance, and as a result, over time appears abdominal obesity.

In men over 50 years of age, testosterone production also slows down, which also contributes to the accumulation of excess fat in the abdomen and upper torso.

How to prevent

Prevent the development of these conditions will allow regular preventive examinations. Each person in the absence of complaints should at least once a year to undergo preventive diagnostics, and in the appearance of alarming symptoms do not delay a visit to a specialist. It is important to realize that early diagnosis is the key to rapid and successful treatment of any disease.

When identifying the factor that caused obesity, it is necessary to treat the underlying disease as soon as possible and do not forget about the correction of excess weight. Obesity, which is a consequence of a certain pathology, can provoke the development of other complications, such as cardiovascular disease.

Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the body mass index (BMI) and make efforts to bring the weight back to normal. If specialized nutrition and exercise do not help to manage obesity, it is advisable to consult a bariatric surgeon for medication or surgery.