The disease of 2026! Hundreds of complications and no treatment
The DGP article emphasizes that obesity is a multi-cause disease related, among others, to: with biological and genetic conditions, but also strongly dependent on the environment. Prof. Lucyna Ostrowska points out that it is not a matter of appearance, but a real health threat, carrying consequences for patients and huge costs for the system.
The problem does not affect individual people, but grows. According to the data from the World Health Organization, today 890 million adults worldwide are obese, and over 2.5 billion people are overweight. If the trend continues, half of the world’s adult population may be overweight or obese by 2030, and the fastest increase can be seen among children and adolescents. In Europe, more than half of adults have excess body weight, and Poland is indicated as one of the countries where the number of patients is growing the fastest.
DGP also quotes the latest data from the NIZP PZH report: more than every second adult Pole struggles with overweight or obesity. At the same time, National Health Fund forecasts show that in 2035 over 35% of people will be obese. adult Poles and over 25 percent adult Polish women. This means that without real prevention and treatment, the scale of the problem will grow.
. The material of “Gazeta Prawna” reminds that obesity can lead to about 200 health complications, including: cardiovascular problems, type 2 diabetes or mental disorders. It is a chain of consequences that can gradually take away your fitness over years and shorten your life.
In addition, there is stigmatization, which often closes patients off. A representative of the FLO Foundation points out that obesity is a “disease written on the body”, and patients often encounter harmful comments also in doctor’s offices. The material also mentions a strong number: as much as 75%. Obese patients declare experience of discrimination in contact with health care. The effects can also be seen in the economy. The cost of obesity for the Polish economy reaches PLN 36 billion per year, and most of it are indirect costs, such as sickness absence, pensions, early retirement and loss of productivity. This is a price we all pay, even if the disease does not directly affect us. Gazeta Prawna
Why is obesity dangerous?
Obesity doesn’t just come from a “lack of willpower.” It is a complex chronic disease in which positive energy balance (more calories supplied than consumed), environmental and psychosocial factors and genetic predispositions usually overlap. WHO emphasizes that in most cases obesity is multifactorial, and in some cases a specific dominant cause can be identified, e.g. certain medications, diseases, immobilization or rare genetic syndromes.
In practice, the everyday environment plays a huge role: easy access to high-calorie, energy-dense food, and at the same time, less and less exercise both at and outside of work. WHO points out that in recent decades, the consumption of products rich in fat and free sugars has increased, and physical activity has decreased, among others. by changing the nature of work, greater access to transport and urbanization.
The risk of developing obesity also includes factors that are less often mentioned directly: chronic stress, sleep deficiency, hormonal and metabolic disorders, as well as comorbidities and medications. The CDC describes obesity as a chronic disease that depends on many elements at the same time, such as health behaviors, stress, medical conditions and pharmacotherapy, genes and the living environment.
The dangers of obesity are wide-ranging and do not end with one diagnosis. The material of “Gazeta Prawna” reminds that obesity can lead to approximately 200 health complications. Gazeta Prawna The list of the most frequently mentioned consequences includes, among others: heart and vascular diseases (including strokes), type 2 diabetes, hypertension, fatty liver disease, problems with joints and the musculoskeletal system, and sleep disorders.
Obesity also increases the risk of certain cancers and respiratory problems, including sleep apnea, which, if left untreated, may additionally increase the risk of further diseases, including: cardiovascular. This is why experts emphasize that obesity requires treatment like any other chronic disease, not just a “temporary diet”
