Throughout  human evolutionary history, individuals needed high caloric diets to keep up with the rigors of life. Taste buds evolved to prefer high-calorie foods, that suplemented  the energy levels needed to human activity. There was plenty of hunting, finding food and water, and escaping predators was a priority at all times. And  Storing fat was the body mechanism to prepare for times when food was an uncertainty.

But with the  growth of technology and agriculture, daily life became increasingly sedentary. Although humans were evoluationary programmed to crave high-calorie foods. Very few people now expend the amount of energy required to keep up with the diets of our ancestors. As such, global obesity pandemic is on the rise. In 2010, 1.4 billion adults worldwide were considered overweight or obese.

Regular consumption of high-calorie foods decreases the sensitivity of dopamine receptors in the brain. This means that over time, a person should intake higher amounts of food,  in order to be equally satisfied with the food.  The fact that high fat food can have an effect similar to those created by  drugs  is not new, it has recently been discovered that this feeling starts in the gut itself, not with the tastebuds as previously thought. Without the feeling of satiety, many people overeat on a daily basis, leading to an unhealthy weight gain. However, this does not have to be a permanent shift. Decreasing the frequency of high fat foods will return the hormone levels to normal. Unfortunately, the problem doesn’t end there.

Fixing the obesity epidemic is not as easy as making sure to eat less calories. An increasing  amount of scientific research has shown that epigenetics can influence a waistline. Children of obese fathers are likely to have changes at the gene for insulin-type growth factor 2 (IGF2). Mutations on this gene can lead to colorectal, ovarian, and kidney cancer, though there is no evidence yet that epigenetic markings on the gene will cause disease.

No matter what is causing the obesity, it isn’t healthy. Obesity brings on a host of diseases, including: heart disease, high cholesterol, infertility, cancer, ulcers, skin infections, Type II diabetes, and hypertension, among others. In the United States alone, obesity-related diseases cost a total of $190 billion annually, exceeding the amount spent on diseases related to smoking.

Bariatric surgery has emerged the most viable option to address the Obesity Epidemic. Weight Loss  Surgery is a proven therapy for patients who do not respond to less invasive measures and should be considered mainstream therapy in the treatment of the obesity epidemic.

If you, or one of your loved ones is struggling with obesity. Contact My New Body Obesity Center for a complimentary Bariatric Consultation, and learn more about the different Weight Loss Surgery Options and which one is best for you.

Alberto Carlos, MD. FACS

Resources:

Obesity and Overweight (WHO). World Health Organization. June 9th, 2021.