MORBID OBESITY

It’s no secret that Americans have an obesity problem. The Ada County Coroner's Office, on a weekly basis, investigates one or more deaths concerning persons that are more than 100 pounds over weight. Many of these persons are transported by Deputy Coroners to the Ada County Morgue for Forensic Examination or Autopsy. In the past few years, we have had to upgrade our transport cots to accomadate this trend of persons being obese - having a cot that can support the weight.

(photo) Traci Ulrey, Forensic Tech. - releases a body from the Ada County Morgue.

Defining obesity
Obesity is an excess of body fat that impairs one’s health. Obese patients are those people who have a Body Mass index (BMI) of 30.0 to 39.9. Morbid obesity is typically defined as being 100 pounds or more over ideal body weight or having a BMI of 40 or higher. Morbid Obesity is a serious disease process, in which the accumulation of excessive fatty tissue interferes with, or injures the bodily organs, causing life-threatening health problems. Recognized since 1985 as a chronic disease, obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death, exceeded only by cigarette smoking. Obesity affects 58 million people in the U.S. and its prevalence is increasing.

Obesity is related to a variety of other complications as well. Some of these are directly caused by obesity and others are indirectly related through mechanisms sharing a common cause such as poor diet or a sedentary lifestyle. The strength of the link between obesity and specific conditions varies. One of the strongest is the link with type 2 diabetes. Excess body fat is behind 64% of cases of diabetes in men and 77% of cases in women.

Metabolic syndrome is a combination of medical disorders that increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes. It affects one in five people, and prevalence increases with age. Some studies estimate the prevalence in the USA to be up to 25% of the population.
Diabetes mellitus type 2 or type 2 diabetes (formerly called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), or adult-onset diabetes) is a disorder that is characterized by high blood glucose in the context of insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency. While it is often initially managed by increasing exercise and dietary modification, medications are typically needed as the disease progresses. There are an estimated 23.6 million people in the U.S. (7.8% of the population) with diabetes with 17.9 million being diagnosed, 90% of whom are type 2. With prevalence rates doubling between 1990 and 2005, CDC has characterized the increase as an epidemic. Traditionally considered a disease of adults, type 2 diabetes is increasingly diagnosed in children in parallel to rising obesity rates.
Hypertension - The risk of hypertension is 5 times higher in the obese as compared to those of normal weight and up to two-thirds of cases can be attributed to excess weight. More than 85% of cases occur in those with a Body mass index greater than 25. A definitive link between obesity and hypertension has been found using animal and clinical studies, from these it has been realised that many mechanisms are potential causes of obesity induced hypertension.These mechanisms include the activation of the sympathetic nervous system as well as the activation of the renin–angiotensin-aldosterone system.
High Cholesterol - Being overweight is a definite risk factor for heart disease. It also tends to increase your cholesterol. Losing weight can help lower your LDL and total cholesterol levels, as well as raise your HDL and lower your triglyceride levels.
Cardiovascular disease or cardiovascular diseases refers to the class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels (arteries and veins). While the term technically refers to any disease that affects the cardiovascular system, it is usually used to refer to those related to atherosclerosis (arterial disease).
Atherosclerosis is a process that develops over decades and is often silent until an acute event (heart attack) develops in later life. Population based studies in the youth show that the precursors of heart disease start in adolescence. The process of atherosclerosis evolves over decades, and begins as early as childhood. The Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth Study demonstrated that intimal lesions appear in all the aortas and more than half of the right coronary arteries of youths aged 7-9 years. However, most adolescents are more concerned about other risks such as HIV, accidents, and cancer than cardiovascular disease. This is extremely important considering that 1 in 3 people will die from complications attributable to atherosclerosis. In order to stem the tide of cardiovascular disease, primary prevention is needed. Primary prevention starts with education and awareness that cardiovascular disease poses the greatest threat and measures to prevent or reverse this disease must be taken.

Other Health Risks of Obesity

Once you suffer from obesity you run an increased risk of developing a number of conditions. Here are some examples:

High blood pressure and stoke are twice as common in obese people.
Evidence is strong that obesity increases the risk of breast cancer (after menopause), womb cancer and kidney cancer.
Obesity may also increase the risk of colon cancer.
Gall bladder disease is three times as likely to occur in middle-aged obese women.

MORBID OBESITY

(photo) Traci Ulrey, Forensic Tech. - releases a body from the Ada County Morgue.

Metabolic syndrome is a combination of medical disorders that increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes. It affects one in five people, and prevalence increases with age. Some studies estimate the prevalence in the USA to be up to 25% of the population.
Diabetes mellitus type 2 or type 2 diabetes (formerly called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), or adult-onset diabetes) is a disorder that is characterized by high blood glucose in the context of insulin resistance and relative insulin deficiency. While it is often initially managed by increasing exercise and dietary modification, medications are typically needed as the disease progresses. There are an estimated 23.6 million people in the U.S. (7.8% of the population) with diabetes with 17.9 million being diagnosed, 90% of whom are type 2. With prevalence rates doubling between 1990 and 2005, CDC has characterized the increase as an epidemic. Traditionally considered a disease of adults, type 2 diabetes is increasingly diagnosed in children in parallel to rising obesity rates.
Hypertension - The risk of hypertension is 5 times higher in the obese as compared to those of normal weight and up to two-thirds of cases can be attributed to excess weight. More than 85% of cases occur in those with a Body mass index greater than 25. A definitive link between obesity and hypertension has been found using animal and clinical studies, from these it has been realised that many mechanisms are potential causes of obesity induced hypertension.These mechanisms include the activation of the sympathetic nervous system as well as the activation of the renin–angiotensin-aldosterone system.
High Cholesterol - Being overweight is a definite risk factor for heart disease. It also tends to increase your cholesterol. Losing weight can help lower your LDL and total cholesterol levels, as well as raise your HDL and lower your triglyceride levels.
Cardiovascular disease or cardiovascular diseases refers to the class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels (arteries and veins). While the term technically refers to any disease that affects the cardiovascular system, it is usually used to refer to those related to atherosclerosis (arterial disease).
Atherosclerosis is a process that develops over decades and is often silent until an acute event (heart attack) develops in later life. Population based studies in the youth show that the precursors of heart disease start in adolescence. The process of atherosclerosis evolves over decades, and begins as early as childhood. The Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth Study demonstrated that intimal lesions appear in all the aortas and more than half of the right coronary arteries of youths aged 7-9 years. However, most adolescents are more concerned about other risks such as HIV, accidents, and cancer than cardiovascular disease. This is extremely important considering that 1 in 3 people will die from complications attributable to atherosclerosis. In order to stem the tide of cardiovascular disease, primary prevention is needed. Primary prevention starts with education and awareness that cardiovascular disease poses the greatest threat and measures to prevent or reverse this disease must be taken.

Other Health Risks of Obesity

Once you suffer from obesity you run an increased risk of developing a number of conditions. Here are some examples:

High blood pressure and stoke are twice as common in obese people.
Evidence is strong that obesity increases the risk of breast cancer (after menopause), womb cancer and kidney cancer.
Obesity may also increase the risk of colon cancer.
Gall bladder disease is three times as likely to occur in middle-aged obese women.