Self-diagnosis methods for obesity: Scientifically calculate ideal weight and health risks
How to Self-Diagnose Obesity?
The increasing number of obese individuals has attracted widespread social attention. In October 1987, my country held its first National Academic Conference on the Research of Obesity Using Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine. The conference established the following diagnostic criteria for obesity, which you can refer to: Adult Standard Weight = (Height - 100) × 0.9
Children's Standard Weight = Age × 2 + 8
What are some simple methods to detect cardiovascular disease in obese individuals?
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and disability. What are some simple methods to estimate the likelihood of developing this disease?
Recently, according to *Medical World*, experts at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden have used a simple method—measuring waist circumference—to estimate the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease.
These experts believe that a waist-to-hip ratio greater than 1.0 for men and greater than 0.8 for women carries a risk of cardiovascular disease. Using ultrasound technology, they studied the fat distribution in nearly a thousand obese individuals, finding that men primarily had fat distributed in the abdomen, while women primarily had it in the periphery. Under the same degree of obesity, those with abdominal obesity had a 3-5 times higher risk of myocardial infarction and stroke. Some women with similar fat distribution to men also undoubtedly have a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Why does lipoprotein help in the differential diagnosis of obesity?
Lipoprotein is an important discovery in recent obesity research. Spiegelman et al. at the Dana Faber Cancer Institute in Boston discovered this substance while studying the transformation between mouse epithelial cells and adipocytes. Research shows that lipoprotein is the only protein produced by adipocytes that can directly enter the bloodstream. It can travel through the bloodstream to brain tissue, thereby affecting appetite and reducing metabolism; furthermore, it can directly affect the metabolism of cells in other parts of the body. Studies have also found that lipoprotein exists not only in animals but also in humans. Recent studies have shown that lipoprotein has a similar structure to complement C₄, a protein in the immune system, and also possesses the functions of C₄.
The discovery of lipoprotein will aid in the differential diagnosis of obesity. Patients with hereditary and metabolic obesity have lower lipoprotein levels, while normal-weight individuals and those obese due to overeating have higher levels. Animal studies suggest that the lipoprotein content in these individuals is 100 to 200 times higher than that in patients with hereditary and metabolic obesity. Currently, a company in California has begun testing lipoprotein levels in individuals of normal weight and those with familial acquired obesity.