Mainz/Wiesbaden: Obesity with many causes
Endocrinologist informs about possible causes of obesity, also known as adiposity
MAINZ/WIESBADEN/FRANKFURT AM MAIN. Obesity has long since become a widespread global disease. It is estimated that around a quarter of the population in Germany alone is morbidly obese. Diabetes, cancer and heart disease can be the direct result of obesity. ‘It has long been known that obesity can have several causes. Obesity is not just a question of diet. More and more frequently, the question arises in individual cases as to what role genes and hormones play and whether personal circumstances and the socio-cultural environment can also be the cause of obesity,’ says endocrinologist Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Christian Wüster, who treats patients from the Rhine-Main region around the cities of Wiesbaden and Frankfurt am Main in particular at his Hormone and Metabolism Centre in the state capital of Mainz.
Endocrinologist looks after patients from the Rhine-Main region around the cities of Wiesbaden and Frankfurt
Sport and a healthy diet are not always the right answers to obesity. The body mass index (BMI) also does not provide any information about whether a person is healthy or unhealthy. “There are healthy obese people. The ability to store fat is, first and foremost, a sensible feature of Mother Nature. Unfortunately, many people store too many fat reserves.
Obesity has many faces. There are factors that those affected cannot influence through their behaviour. Endocrinologists should also be involved in determining the cause. In fact, weight regulation is heavily dependent on hormones. Put simply, hormones in our body are responsible for communication. For example, every time we eat food, insulin is released by the pancreas,’ says endocrinologist Prof Dr Dr h. c. Christian Wüster.
Obesity: sport and a healthy diet are not a panacea for every patient
According to Professor Wüster, the hormone ensures that the energy gained is transported into the interior of our cells. “Excess energy is stored. The mobilization hormone glucagon is responsible for this. In addition, there is the hormone leptin, which primarily informs the brain about the current nutritional status,” explains the Mainz endocrinologist.
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