Obesity is now a serious public health problem that is the major risk factor for civilization diseases and can be manifested in a number of life-threatening conditions, emphasized Rector Dr. Béla Merkely in his introductory speech at the event. One of the main aims of the World Obesity Day event held in the Semmelweis Salon was to call attention to the fact that this was a multifaceted disease linked to genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors, which required complex and interdisciplinary treatment and support.
There is a clear link between obesity and cardiovascular diseases, as well as the mortality related to them. Every increase in BMI (body mass index) by 5 raises the risk of cardiovascular diseases by about 30 percent; it leads to high blood pressure, shifts in blood fat levels that cause an accumulation of unhealthy fats which create plaque build-up in the vascular system of the heart and body, increase the risk of coronary heart disease, heart failure, or chronic kidney disease, and contribute to the development of type 2 diabetes.
– Dr. Béla Merkely
He stressed that cardiovascular disease was responsible for 1.8 million deaths in European Union countries every year, and that civilization diseases related to pathological obesity reduced life expectancy by an average of 5-7 years. The rector added that the event was attended by representatives of all the medical professions involved in the fight against civilization diseases.
Dr. Róbert J. Bedros, internist and obesity specialist, Director General of Szent Imre University Teaching Hospital, and founding President of the Hungarian Society for Obesitology and Physical Therapy (MOMOT), approached the topic from the historical perspective of obesitology, saying that the World Health Organization (WHO) declared obesity a chronic disease in 1998, and today there were 200 groups of diseases known to be associated with it. He added that a special national center had been set up to treat obesity, and that specialists could obtain a licensing examination in obesitology.
In his presentation, Dr. István Takács called attention to the importance of clarifying some common conceptions and misunderstandings in connection with obesity. The director of the Department of Internal Medicine and Oncology at Semmelweis University listed some of the pathologies in the context of obesity: Cushing’s syndrome, caused by an overproduction of the adrenocortical glucocorticoid hormone; hypothyroidism, which affects 4 in 1000 of the total population, with a prevalence of 4-6 percent in the over-60 age group; polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which affects around 6-10 percent of women; and growth hormone deficiency, which is considered a rare disease. He stressed that although these were endocrine disorders, they were rarely the cause of obesity, only a few percent of the time. Much rather, it is overweight that often leads to hormonal imbalance through organ dysfunctional lesions.
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Dr. Magdolna Dank, Director General of the National Institute of Oncology (OOI), focused her presentation on the links between obesity and malignant tumors. The professor of oncology at Semmelweis University pointed out that 4-8 percent of all tumors were caused by obesity. Obesity has been shown to be associated with 13 different types of malignant lesions. These include stomach, liver, and kidney cancers, and several diseases that specifically affect women, such as postmenopausal breast cancer or ovarian cancer. She stressed that the benefits of losing excess weight were scientifically proven, and education on this had to start at school age.
Dr. Hajnalka Vágó, cardiologist and sports medicine specialist, gave a presentation on the importance and health benefits of exercise. As the head of the Department of Sports Medicine at Semmelweis University’s Városmajor Heart and Vascular Center stressed, “exercise is a therapy that anyone can do at practically any time, can start at any time, which has very few side effects, and can be a significant source of pleasure in our everyday lives.” She explained that according to international recommendations, adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 70 minutes of high-intensity exercise per week. It is a telling statistic that 45-60 percent of the adult population in Hungary do not exercise regularly at all, and practically only 4 percent of them do sports regularly. Yet the literature shows that regular physical activity has beneficial effects on all organ systems, and for patients who are already overweight or obese, these benefits are equally evident.
In the second part of the program, the speakers talked about current issues related to obesity prevention and treatment in a round-table discussion, with the participation of an obesity patient who had been treated and recovered, and who, based on personal experience, was able to engage in the dialogue on therapies and quality of life changes.
Róbert Tasnádi
Translation: Dr. Balázs Csizmadia
Photos by Bálint Barta – Semmelweis University
