[의학산책] Obesity recognized through AI – Mael Newspaper

The increase in the obese population is becoming a major issue worldwide. Even in Korea, the obese population is increasing dramatically and the age group is getting younger.

We estimated the increase in the obese population using artificial intelligence (AI), known as a ‘trend analysis expert’ these days. Currently, statistical data is available until 2021, and we asked AI for data from 2022 to the present day. AI estimated that the obese population has increased by more than 1% annually.

As of 2020, the obese population in Korea has increased, especially as physical activity has decreased due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, the obesity rate among men was 48%, a significant increase from 41.8% in 2019, while the obesity rate among women also increased to 27.7%. As of 2021, approximately 32.5% of adults were classified as obese, with approximately 40.2% of men and 22.1% of women obese. It is estimated that AI has increased by about 1% for men and women in 2022 and 2023, which is not expected to be very different from reality.

Obesity does not just mean being fat. Obesity refers to a condition where excess body fat has accumulated in the body, and the degree of obesity can usually be measured using body mass index (BMI). BMI is calculated by dividing weight (kg) by the square of height (m), and if it is 25 or higher, it is classified as obesity.

As many people already know, the main causes of obesity are overeating, lack of exercise, genetic factors, stress, and changes in eating habits and lifestyles.

Obesity not only causes chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, and cardiovascular disease, but also increases the incidence of cancer such as colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, kidney cancer, and cancer endometrial. In addition, it is associated with diseases such as sleep apnea, which narrows the airway and makes it difficult to breathe during sleep, and which may cause co-morbidities. joint such as arthritis caused by putting pressure on joints such as knees, ankles and hips. It also affects mental health. The risk of developing mental illnesses such as stress, depression, and anxiety disorders increases, and psychological problems such as low self-esteem and interpersonal relationship problems may also appear. At this point, you may realize that obesity is a serious disease.

However, many people try to lose weight easily, and the weight they lose easily is also easily gained. As a doctor, I would like to emphasize that we must recognize that obesity is a disease. Even if you lose weight for a short time, you often gain it back because the factors that cause obesity, such as eating habits and lack of exercise, work continuously and in a complex manner. Therefore, in order to treat obesity, it must be recognized as a disease that needs to be actively treated, not a temporary diet. way to treat obesity.

Recently, the news that a treatment for obesity has been released is hot. However, the academic opinion is that there is a high possibility that the yo-yo effect will occur if the medication has to be expensive or taken for a long time and the medication is stopped. Since each person’s health condition and breast diseases are different, it is recommended that obesity be treated medically, such as prescriptions and existing treatments, with the help of experts such as specialists, nutritionists, and exercise prescriptions, rather than ready remedies.

Kim Seong-ho, Director of the Obesity Center, Segang Hospital, Ilmin Medical Foundation