IS OBESITY TREATMENT THE SAME FOR DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS?
Obesity is a condition where the body accumulates excess fat, which increases the risk of diseases such as diabetes, gout, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular disease, cancer... Therefore, the core goal of obesity treatment is to reduce fat mass to control complications.
9/6/2023 1:50:40 PM
Currently, the body mass index BMI is chosen to assess whether a person is overweight, obese or has a suitable weight. People with a BMI below 25 are normal, above 25 indicates that they are overweight. Obese people have a BMI of 30 or higher, if above 40 you are severely overweight.
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The BMI formula is Weight (kg) / height (m) x height (m).
The BMI index is suitable for estimating the amount of body fat for most people, however, some special groups such as pregnant women, bodybuilders, etc., this index may not be accurate. Therefore, you should see a doctor immediately for an assessment of health risks as well as finding effective and safe weight loss measures.
There are many diets being shared, but the advice of health experts is not to force yourself into a too strict diet, but to gradually apply and ensure that the diet still provides enough nutrients for the body. Diets applied incorrectly can pose many health risks, so it is advisable to have the supervision of a doctor or nutritionist.
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Nowadays, all weight loss methods are based on the principle of negative energy balance, meaning that the energy intake is lower than the energy expenditure. The body compensates for the energy deficit by burning fat and muscle, leading to weight loss. Therefore, if you are between 18 and 65 years old, nutritionists usually advise you to lose weight to control complications. Still, weight loss must be carefully considered if you are under 18 or over 65 years old.
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For children under 18 years old: This is when children grow both in weight and height, so improper weight loss can affect their growth process, especially size. Depending on the age, degree of obesity, and accompanying complications, the nutritionist will consider whether to maintain the current weight or lose weight for the child to ensure that the child manages their weight but does not affect their height growth.
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For people over 65 years old: If you do not exercise, especially strength exercises, then from 40 years old onwards, every ten years, you lose an average of 8% of muscle mass. That means your muscle mass at 70 years old has lost about ¼ compared to when you were 40 years old!!! The noteworthy point is that age-related muscle loss still usually occurs in obese people, even faster, because obese people often limit movement due to excess weight. Decreased muscle mass increases the risk of falls, fatigue, and increased dependence on caregivers...
Therefore, the goal of obesity treatment for this age group is to reduce fat mass but preserve muscle mass as much as possible. Depending on the degree of obesity and accompanying complications, the nutritionist will consider whether you should maintain or lose weight to ensure that the weight management process does not affect the muscle loss much.
At Care Plus, we assess weight based on body composition analysis using the Inbody 270 machine. This helps the nutritionist determine the customer's muscle and fat mass throughout the weight loss process and, thus, design a weight loss plan effectively.