why it makes it sick and causes pain in those who suffer from it

Question: Due to financial and family problems I gained 18 kilos in weight. I am 68 years old and in addition to having to have knee surgery, my whole body hurts and I can barely move. My doctor says that fat causes pain. (Arturo Cuesta Riero. Córdoba Capital)

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines obesity and overweight as “an abnormal or excessive accumulation of fat that can be harmful to health.”

A simple way to measure it is with the Body Mass Index (BMI), which results from dividing the kilos by the squared height (kilos/height by height).

Normal is between 18.5 and 24.9; overweight between 25 to 29.9; grade 1 obesity when the BMI is between 30 to 34.9; grade 2 obesity between 35 to 39.9 and obesity 3 or extreme if it is equal to or greater than 40.

The obesity generates a harmful effect on the joints that support the weight of the bodyespecially in the lumbosacral spine, in the hip, knee and ankle joints, given that there is a limit to the weight, beyond which they can be injured or worn out excessively.

Almost 8 out of 10 obese people suffer from pain in the lumbar spine or the risk of knee osteoarthritis is 2.2 times higher than that of people of normal weight.

But pain is not only the result of a mechanical factorsince it has been found that obesity is also a factor that increases the frequency or intensity of migraines or worsens pain throughout the body in patients suffering from fibromyalgia, which is not linked to joint damage.

It is extremely important to know that adipose tissue is also an active hormone producer and that when there is excess fat secretes a series of substances that are inflammatory which are distributed throughout the body through the blood.

The most common are Tumor Necrosis Factor, Interleukin-6 and Interleukin-10, which cause a persistent process of low-intensity chronic inflammation that It produces diffuse and persistent muscle pain.

A no less important fact is that These inflammatory substances also affect the cardiovascular systemthe brain, pancreatic cells, liver, thyroid, bone density, among other repercussions.

It should also be taken into account that the effectiveness of common analgesics decreases when there is excess fatty tissue since binding to proteins that transport them in the blood is reducedwhich may make it necessary to either increase the dose or resort to more powerful analgesics that are different from the traditional ones.

The fact of persistently suffering pain generates a state of chronic stress that alters the regulation of satiety signals, which induces overeating, especially sweets or carbohydrateswhich generates a harmful vicious circle by producing greater weight gain.

Alterations in mood, depression and anxiety also negatively affect what is ingested since Eating things you like produces a fleeting feeling of relief and wellness.

Consequently, There is a close relationship between the increase in fatty tissue and the increase in painalong with worsening health in general, lower physical functionality and a torturous quality of life compared to those who have an adequate weight.

Therefore, Obesity is not just an aesthetic problem. It’s a medical problem which increases the risk of inducing various non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, increased cholesterol and triglycerides, liver disease, sleep apnea and certain types of cancer.