Clipping Board » Research Report ─ The latest medical research reports and related news.
◆ Asian Women Gain Weight, Infertility, Cancer, and More Easily Follow
Zhang Cuifen / Taipei Report, China Times, 2008.06.09
Don't think that gaining a little weight doesn't matter. Several obesity specialists unanimously warned on the 8th that Asian women are "less tolerant of weight gain" compared to Western women. Once the Body Mass Index (BMI) exceeds 25, various diseases begin to emerge, increasing the risk of metabolic syndrome, cancer, arthritis, infertility, and more. Especially for women over 55, the rate of weight gain is much higher than in men, and they need to be aware of the health crises brought on by weight gain.
The first Asian Women and Obesity Summit was held on the 7th and 8th in Hong Kong, with over 90 obesity experts from eight countries including Thailand, Malaysia, India, and Singapore attending. Several doctors from Taiwan also participated.
Experts at the meeting agreed that female obesity is an important issue that needs to be actively addressed. Women generally live longer than men, and after the age of 55, they enter menopause. Influenced by hormones, their rate of weight gain is faster than men's, and the risk of cardiovascular and other diseases also increases significantly.
Lai Chengzhi, director of the Weight Loss Center at Pingtung Christian Hospital, pointed out that Asian women are "less tolerant of weight gain" than Caucasians. Western women are taller; even with a BMI of 25, they may not look fat and are less likely to develop diseases. However, Asian women do not have the same leeway. For example, a woman who is 160 cm tall and weighs 65 kg already has a BMI over 25. She may appear only slightly plump, but due to differences in race, genes, or physique, even a "little bit of weight gain" can pose serious health threats to Asian women.
Lai Chengzhi said that the more severe the obesity, the greater the impact on health. The most obvious is the increased incidence of metabolic syndrome such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia. The risks of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, arthritis, polycystic ovary syndrome, and infertility also rise, and even life expectancy may be shortened.
According to U.S. research, obese individuals at the age of 50 have a risk of premature death increased by about two to three times; overall, overweight individuals have a risk of premature death increased by about 20% to 40%.
Liu Canhong, director of the Obesity Prevention Center at Wanfang Hospital, reported a case at the conference involving a family history of diabetes. A 33-year-old woman, 162 cm tall, had been overweight since childhood and was inactive, with her weight peaking at 88.5 kg. She already had diabetes when she sought medical help. The hospital used dietary control, exercise, and weight-loss medication, reducing her weight from 66.6 kg to 57.7 kg within six months, achieving a normal BMI of 22. Her blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides all returned to normal.
Hu Lijuan, a physician at the weight-loss clinic of Keelung City Hospital, suggested that dietary control and lifestyle adjustments are very important in the weight loss process. However, it usually requires the combination of exercise and medication; otherwise, it is difficult to sustain and easy to regain weight. She recommended that people develop the habit of weighing themselves daily or at least once a week. When weight slightly increases, immediate control is necessary to prevent it from becoming too difficult to lose later.
◆ Slight Overweight Also Increases Cancer Risk
Zhang Cuifen / Taipei Report, China Times, 2008.06.09
Medical research has found that obesity increases the risk of various cancers, including pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, kidney cancer, and endometrial cancer, all of which are related to being overweight. Experts suggest that the most direct way to prevent cancer is to start by preventing weight gain.
Pan Xiangru, a physician in the Family Medicine Department at Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, pointed out that several large-scale studies abroad in recent years have found a clear correlation between obesity and cancer.Using Body Mass Index (BMI) as a benchmark for cancer risk, if BMI is within the normal range, the risk of developing all types of cancer is set at one. When BMI rises to 30, the cancer risk increases to 1.1 times; at BMI 40, the risk increases to 1.5 times, indicating that the heavier one is, the higher the risk.
Obese men are particularly prone to liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, and blood-related tumors. Obese women, on the other hand, are more likely to develop breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and kidney cancer.
Why does obesity increase the risk of cancer? Pan Xiangru explains that the accumulation of a large amount of fat in the body secretes cells that cause inflammatory reactions, attracting carcinogenic factors, reducing the body's antioxidant capacity, and weakening the ability to inhibit cancer, thereby increasing the risk of cancer.
The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) conducted a study on the correlation between diet and cancer and found that even slight overweight increases the risk of common cancers such as breast cancer, colon cancer, and pancreatic cancer. To avoid cancer, it is best to reduce the intake of red meat and alcohol.
Pan Xiangru suggests that for non-smokers looking to prevent cancer, a more practical approach is to "control weight effectively." The current standard for normal weight is a BMI between 18 and 24. If one exceeds this standard, they should start losing weight through adjustments in diet, exercise, and lifestyle, or with the help of medication. For those with a BMI over 35, relying solely on diet and exercise may have limited effects, and surgical methods might be considered to achieve an ideal weight.
Source: http:/ / only- perception. blogs……/ 2008/ 03/ blog- post_4354. html
Slight Overweight in Asian Women Increases Cancer Risk
Zhang Cuifen / Taipei Report, China Times, 2008.06.09
Don't think that gaining a little weight doesn't matter. Several obesity specialists unanimously warned on the 8th that Asian women are "less tolerant of weight gain" compared to Western women. Once the Body Mass Index (BMI) exceeds 25, various diseases begin to emerge, increasing the risk of metabolic syndrome, cancer, arthritis, infertility, and more. Especially for women over 55, the rate of weight gain is much higher than in men, and they need to be aware of the health crises brought on by weight gain.
The first Asian Women and Obesity Summit was held on the 7th and 8th in Hong Kong, with over 90 obesity experts from eight countries including Thailand, Malaysia, India, and Singapore attending. Several doctors from Taiwan also participated.
Experts at the meeting agreed that female obesity is an important issue that needs to be actively addressed. Women generally live longer than men, and after the age of 55, they enter menopause. Influenced by hormones, their rate of weight gain is faster than men's, and the risk of cardiovascular and other diseases also increases significantly.
Lai Chengzhi, director of the Weight Loss Center at Pingtung Christian Hospital, pointed out that Asian women are "less tolerant of weight gain" than Caucasians. Western women are taller; even with a BMI of 25, they may not look fat and are less likely to develop diseases. However, Asian women do not have the same leeway. For example, a woman who is 160 cm tall and weighs 65 kg already has a BMI over 25. She may appear only slightly plump, but due to differences in race, genes, or physique, even a "little bit of weight gain" can pose serious health threats to Asian women.
Lai Chengzhi said that the more severe the obesity, the greater the impact on health. The most obvious is the increased incidence of metabolic syndrome such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia. The risks of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, arthritis, polycystic ovary syndrome, and infertility also rise, and even life expectancy may be shortened.
According to U.S. research, obese individuals at the age of 50 have a risk of premature death increased by about two to three times; overall, overweight individuals have a risk of premature death increased by about 20% to 40%.
Liu Canhong, director of the Obesity Prevention Center at Wanfang Hospital, reported a case at the conference involving a family history of diabetes. A 33-year-old woman, 162 cm tall, had been overweight since childhood and was inactive, with her weight peaking at 88.5 kg. She already had diabetes when she sought medical help. The hospital used dietary control, exercise, and weight-loss medication, reducing her weight from 66.6 kg to 57.7 kg within six months, achieving a normal BMI of 22. Her blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides all returned to normal.
Hu Lijuan, a physician at the weight-loss clinic of Keelung City Hospital, suggested that dietary control and lifestyle adjustments are very important in the weight loss process. However, it usually requires the combination of exercise and medication; otherwise, it is difficult to sustain and easy to regain weight. She recommended that people develop the habit of weighing themselves daily or at least once a week. When weight slightly increases, immediate control is necessary to prevent it from becoming too difficult to lose later.
◆ Slight Overweight Also Increases Cancer Risk
Zhang Cuifen / Taipei Report, China Times, 2008.06.09
Medical research has found that obesity increases the risk of various cancers, including pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, kidney cancer, and endometrial cancer, all of which are related to being overweight. Experts suggest that the most direct way to prevent cancer is to start by preventing weight gain.
Pan Xiangru, a physician in the Family Medicine Department at Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, pointed out that several large-scale studies abroad in recent years have found a clear correlation between obesity and cancer.Using Body Mass Index (BMI) as a benchmark for cancer risk, if BMI is within the normal range, the risk of developing all types of cancer is set at one. When BMI rises to 30, the cancer risk increases to 1.1 times; at BMI 40, the risk increases to 1.5 times, indicating that the heavier one is, the higher the risk.
Obese men are particularly prone to liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, and blood-related tumors. Obese women, on the other hand, are more likely to develop breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and kidney cancer.
Why does obesity increase the risk of cancer? Pan Xiangru explains that the accumulation of a large amount of fat in the body secretes cells that cause inflammatory reactions, attracting carcinogenic factors, reducing the body's antioxidant capacity, and weakening the ability to inhibit cancer, thereby increasing the risk of cancer.
The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) conducted a study on the correlation between diet and cancer and found that even slight overweight increases the risk of common cancers such as breast cancer, colon cancer, and pancreatic cancer. To avoid cancer, it is best to reduce the intake of red meat and alcohol.
Pan Xiangru suggests that for non-smokers looking to prevent cancer, a more practical approach is to "control weight effectively." The current standard for normal weight is a BMI between 18 and 24. If one exceeds this standard, they should start losing weight through adjustments in diet, exercise, and lifestyle, or with the help of medication. For those with a BMI over 35, relying solely on diet and exercise may have limited effects, and surgical methods might be considered to achieve an ideal weight.
Source: http:/ / only- perception. blogs……/ 2008/ 03/ blog- post_4354. html