Obesity is a public health problem that increases the incidence of cardiovascular disorders. The total cost of medical care associated with the treatment of obesity exceeds $ 140 billion per year.
Researchers are studying the effects of obesity on a wide variety of aspects of life: from social interactions to mental disorders. Exercise reduces weight, improves well-being and helps cope with depression. However, it is still unknown whether obesity harms everyone without exception.
How do exercises affect the body?
The American Heart Association recommends reducing weight in patients with a BMI above 25 points. Weight loss reduces the risk of developing metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, diabetes, hypertension and other diseases.
Clinically significant weight loss (≥ 5% of initial body weight) has been shown to help prevent a heart attack.
Exercise reduces the feeling of fatigue, cholesterol and enhances the ability of blood to dissolve clots. During physical activity, the concentration of cortisol, the “stress hormone,” also decreases.
Exercise helps to slow down the aging process and has a positive effect on physiological, psychological and social life. If physical activity is carried out throughout life, the likelihood of various mental disorders is reduced.
How does physical activity affect the brain in obesity?
Regular exercise stimulates the formation of new nerve cells and cerebral circulation. In studies, it was found that walking and running improve the intellectual potential and performance of schoolchildren in children.
In experiments with mice, exercises develop spatial memory and increase concentration.
In a 2009 scientific review, scientists reliably found that constant exercise reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer's.
In patients with depression and obesity, mood improves and the risk of suicidal behavior is also reduced.
Obesity does not harm everyone?
The only group where the beneficial effects of weight loss have not been proven are people with established heart and vascular diseases.
Recent studies suggest that obese people with heart disease live much longer than thin people. French scientists have called the phenomenon "obesity paradox."
Most of the scientific evidence is epidemiological in nature, so inverse causation may be an important factor to consider. More research is needed to determine the extent to which the relationship is true.
Current literature suggests that overweight adults with cardiovascular disease should still exercise. However, further research into the paradox of obesity will help patients prolong their lives.
Are physical activities far from always beneficial?
There is a prejudice that the more physical exercises performed, the greater the health benefits. Do not overdo it, because it is not only useless, but also harms various organs. Exercise is often accompanied by complications, especially when they are performed inappropriately.
It is not recommended to play sports 2-4 hours before bedtime, since the release of stimulating hormones can interfere with falling asleep.
Despite the many positive effects of exercise, it is suggested that increased oxygen consumption leads to oxidative stress. There is no evidence that this affects short-term athletic performance. Exhausting workouts, however, increase the risk of heart disease, as Danish studies have shown.
Moderate exercise enhances antioxidant defense, which helps deal with free radicals released during stress.
Eating some vitamins helps prevent free radical damage to cells.
Exercise increases the lifespan of healthy people and prevents cardiovascular disease. However, the effect on some groups of patients is not well understood. Scientists have to figure out how true the "paradox of obesity" is and what to do with it.
