9 diseases that can cause obesity

Dr. CKI Phan Thi Thuy Dung, Center for Weight Control and Obesity Treatment, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said obesity is a complex chronic disease with an increasing trend. Overweight and obese people often think this is a matter of eating, so they focus on losing weight by exercising and fasting. However, weight gain can also be related to metabolic, genetic, endocrine diseases…

Hypothalamic disorders (small area located between the pituitary gland and thalamus) often causes cravings due to the body’s resistance to the satiety hormone (leptin). Hypothalamic disorders can occur after head trauma or after radiation therapy that damages the hypothalamus. Patients after surgery for craniopharyngioma, inflammation due to sarcoidosis (granuloma) and tuberculosis, blood vessel damage, gene mutations… are also at high risk of hypothalamic disorders.

Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid – Hypothyroidism) is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones, slowing down metabolism, causing metabolic disorders that cause weight gain. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include intolerance to cold, dry skin, hair loss, sluggishness…

Cushing’s syndrome causes weight gain due to increased cortisol levels in the blood, increasing fat accumulation. Accompanying symptoms include easy bruising, facial swelling, stretch marks, fatigue, increased blood pressure, decreased sexual desire…

Polycystic ovary syndrome increases androgen hormones, menstrual disorders, increased insulin resistance, metabolic disorders… These conditions all lead to uncontrolled weight gain even though the patient eats little. Obese people with this syndrome often gain weight easily, have difficulty losing weight, have hirsutism, have irregular menstruation… If the disease is not treated early, there is a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes and infertility.

Male hypogonadism There is a complex, two-way relationship with obesity. Dr. Dung explained that people with hypogonadism and low testosterone often gain weight quickly. Conversely, obesity can cause hypogonadism due to decreased gonadotropin (gonadotropin hormone). Symptoms of hypogonadism in men include high voice, low hair, thin beard and hair growth, gynecomastia (uncommon), erectile dysfunction, decreased muscle mass, osteoporosis…

Postpartum or menopausal women Changes in female hormones, decreased estrogen, and metabolism can also make you gain weight more easily. If body weight is not controlled, the patient can become obese. Menopause symptoms are the absence of menstruation for 12 consecutive months.

Growth hormone (GH) deficiency Usually due to congenital or post-operative pituitary adenoma, contributing to obesity. Typical symptoms of growth hormone deficiency include fatigue, anxiety, depression, fat gain especially in the abdominal area, and osteoporosis.

Obesity is caused by genetics is a complex genetic disease. Genes related to fat mass and obesity are divided into polygenic obesity and monogenic obesity. The characteristic of genetic obesity is gaining weight from a young age, gaining weight even though you don’t eat much. For treatment, patients need to be tested for genetic decoding to determine the most appropriate treatment.

Mental illness like depression and obesity have a two-way relationship. Obese people are susceptible to depression and depressed people often have symptoms of eating more to relieve stress. Eating disorders and binge eating often occur in some patients with depression. If prolonged, it can cause overweight and obesity.

Some drugs commonly used to treat mental disorders and anti-epileptic drugs can also cause obesity. Dr. Dung said corticosteroids (pain relievers, inflammation reducers, asthma, sinusitis) and birth control pills can also cause endocrine disorders and weight gain.

Dr. Dung noted that being overweight and obese is not simply due to an unhealthy lifestyle but also has many other factors. Therefore, people who gain weight or are overweight for unknown reasons should go to a medical facility specializing in obesity treatment to check and prevent complications.