RELEVANCE OF PREVENTION OF OBESITY CAUSED BY UNHEALTHY NUTRITION

Abstract

  Obesity is a multifactorial condition whose development involves, in addition to an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure, various neurohumoral mechanisms and environmental factors. A high-calorie diet and a sedentary lifestyle are among the most important causes of obesity. Obesity is currently considered a chronic, progressive disease characterized by excessive fat deposition in the body. The mechanisms underlying obesity are numerous and not fully understood. The most important factor in the development of the disease is excessive exogenous intake of easily oxidized lipids and their deposition in adipocytes. As the volume of metabolically active adipose tissue increases, the natural mechanisms regulating many physiological processes in the body are altered. Increased production of resistin, an insulin antagonist, inhibits insulin-dependent lipid breakdown. The sensitivity of the central nervous system to leptin, a hormone that regulates eating behavior, is significantly reduced. A vicious cycle of pathogenicity develops. Genetically determined changes in lipid metabolism, leading to their excessive accumulation, may also play a role. The combination of all these factors leads to the development of the disease. Nutrition plays a fundamental role in the system of medical and preventive measures aimed at strengthening and maintaining public health, as it determines the body's adaptive capacity and is the most physiological means of accelerating adaptation to adverse environmental factors. The epidemiology and incidence of many chronic diseases, including obesity, depend on racial and ethnic differences, as well as on the characteristics of geographic and socioeconomic conditions of life.  Today, there is a significant increase in the number of patients with obesity, especially among the working-age population, which is an important medical and social problem. Millions of people worldwide suffer from obesity. The global incidence of obesity allows us to talk about an obesity epidemic in the 21st century. Despite the significant influence of environmental factors, the role of the genetic component in the development of obesity cannot be underestimated. Through programs implemented in schools and workplaces, opportunities for physical activity in everyday life, such as active transportation, should be created and made accessible to the entire population. The diet should not interfere with the child's physical and mental development or interfere with physical activity, and the diet should provide sufficient satiety while being tasty and varied. Alimentary-constitutional obesity, especially its severe forms, is associated with a number of serious medical conditions.         To prevent obesity, it is necessary to maintain a balance between calories consumed and expended, follow healthy eating habits, and increase physical activity throughout the day. Thus, the high incidence rates, high risk of developing comorbidities, disability, and mortality among working-age patients, as well as among children and adolescents, underscores the medical and social significance of the obesity epidemic.