Types of Obesity

Types of obesity and classifications:

There are different definitions or types of obesity allowing medical doctors to categorize and treat obesity, depending on the type.

Type-1 and Type-2 Obesity

Type-1 obesity is caused by excessive eating habits in combination with a lack of exercise. Type-1 obesity occurs when a person over eats, has a poor diet and is physically inactive. A Type-1 obesity is not caused from other conditions or diseases. Since Type-1 obesity is mainly due to over-consumption and lack of exercise, it can be treated with diet and exercise. If morbid obesity is an issue, then other treatments may include surgery as an option. On the contrary, Type-2 or “Secondary” obesity accounts for less than 1% of obesity cases and is caused by disease; hence, abnormal weight gain occurs with type-2 obesity despite diet and caloric intake. A person with Type-2 obesity may consume very little and still experience excessive weight gain due to disease, another physical condition or systemic disorder. The main focus for A Type-2 obesity is to treat the disease first – and the obesity second. Typically if the disease responds to treatment, the patient will automatically lose weight.

Child-type and Adult-type Obesity

Our bodies increase the number of fat cells produced every year after we are born. So, from birth, we should expect the number of fat cells to increase. Based upon that physical consequence, obesity would most likely occur with age. Child obesity occurs when there is an over-production of fat cells from birth or at a very young age.

People who have Child-type obesity have 3-4 times more fat cells than people who became obese as adults. Child-type obesity is the most dangerous, because the fat cells increase from such a young age and it is harder on the system over time. In addition, it is harder to treat, because once the fat cells are produced by the body, it is extremely difficult to reduce the number of fat cells already manufactured. With Adult-type obesity, the number of fat cells produced at a younger age is close to normal, but the body increases the number of fat cells produced as it ages. This happens mostly after middle age.

Treatment is much more effective for adult-type obesity, where it is more a matter of balancing out fat cell production with intake and exercise, and getting the body back to a normal rate of fat cell production through treatment plans.

60% of Americans are overweight.

Obesity is also classified, depending on whether the weight is distributed in certain areas of the body or if the excess weight is evenly distributed all over the body, as in general obesity. In rare cases, obesity can be caused from a malfunction of the pituitary gland, in the brain.