BAGUIO CITY — There are many reasons why people become obese, but for some, genetics plays a major role, with a 40-70 percent chance of this occurring, the Philippine Association for the Study of Overweight and Obesity (PASOO) said Thursday.
Obese people are often thought to have poor eating habits and lead an unhealthy lifestyle, but PASOO President Dr. Nemesio Nicodemus Jr. explained that obesity can develop from internal as well as external factors.
Intrinsic etiologies include physiological and hormonal abnormalities, as well as genetic predisposition and family history, he said.
“At tateimo kung ang nanay, parehon may be obese, tiansa kung magcaloon may be obese,” Nicodemus said at a press conference, adding that “studies show that obesity in magcaloons comes from their parents with up to 70 percent probability.”
(If both your mother and father are obese, you are likely to be obese too. Studies show that up to 70% of your chances of becoming obese come from your parents).
“Unfortunately, we cannot choose our parents, which means we are born into families that already have a genetic predisposition to diabetes and even higher blood pressure,” he added.
The doctor urged the public not to judge obese people when they see them, as the causes of obesity vary from person to person.
“Don't think that the only reason you're obese is because you eat too much. It's not. It's already inside you. You have your genes, you have your hormones, so some of these things are out of your control,” Nikodemus said.
Extrinsic factors, on the other hand, are controllable, he says, and include food and drink intake, smoking, physical activity, lifestyle, chronic stress and the amount of sleep you get.
“Research has shown that sleeping less than six hours a day increases your risk of becoming obese. Sleeping more than 10 hours a day also increases your risk of becoming obese,” he said.
In May, the Philippine Department of Science and Technology Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) reported that the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Filipino youth increased significantly from 11.6 percent in 2018 to 13 percent in 2021.
DOST-FNRI warned that consumption of high-energy foods with poor nutritional value, excessive intake of added sugars and fats, and inadequate intake of micronutrients can lead to nutrition-related problems during adolescence.
To address the issue of overweight and obesity, April Joy David, technical expert at the World Health Organization (WHO) Philippines, stressed that physical activity, which can be done through any form of physical movement such as sports, walking or active recreation, is important for health and well-being.
According to David, physical activity can help prevent or manage coronary heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, and can help reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer, such as breast and colon cancer.
She adds that physical activity not only reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety, but also boosts brain health, including cognitive function and academic performance.
— LA, GMA Integrated News
