Awareness of Normal Weight, Overweight and Obese Patients About Complications, Risk Factors and Prevention of Obesity

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to determine the awareness of obese, overweight and normal-weight patients about the complications, causes and prevention of obesity.
METHODS: Patients who were admitted to our clinic during a four months period were included. Demographical features, familial histories of obesity, smoking, alcohol use, chronic diseases, medications, medical nutrition therapy and exercise habits were questioned. Patients were divided into groups as normal, overweight and obese according to the WHO criteria.
RESULTS: The median age of 352 patients was 45 (18-88), Of all, 282 (80.11%) were female, and 70 (19.89%) were male. Fifty-one patients (14.49%) were normal weight, 72 (20.45%) were overweight, and 229 (65.06%) were obese. The level of education was lower in obese patients, and the family history of obesity was higher (p<0.001). The percentage of patients who agreed that obesity was a risk factor for insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, dyslipidemia, fatty liver, sleep apnea, asthma, gastrointestinal problems, depression and other mental problems, and death was changing between 65% and 92. Awareness of obesity risk factors was similar between groups. The rate of those who knew that eating 4-6 meals a day and not missing snacks was important for a healthy diet was highest in the obese group (p=0.043).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Although awareness of some obesity-related complications was high in our study, awareness of risks such as cholelithiasis, pancreatitis and cancer development was low. For the prevention and effective treatment of obesity, it is necessary to increase the level of awareness of the disease.

Normal Kilolu, Fazla Kilolu ve Obez Bireylerin Obezitenin Önlenmesi, Risk Faktörleri ve Komplikasyonlarý Hakkýnda Farkýndalýk Düzeyi

GÝRÝÞ ve AMAÇ: Bu çalýþmada obez, fazla kilolu ve normal kilolu hastalarýn obezitenin önlenmesi, risk faktörleri ve komplikasyonlarý hakkýndaki farkýndalýk düzeylerinin deðerlendirilmesi amaçlanmýþtýr.
YÖNTEM ve GEREÇLER: Dört aylýk süre içerisinde kliniðimize baþvuran 18 yaþ üzeri hastalar beden kitle indeksine (BKÝ) göre normal (<25 kg/m2), fazla kilolu (25-30 kg/m2) ve obez (>30 kg/m2) olarak sýnýflandýrýldý. Hastalara obezite tanýmý, sonuçlarý, risk faktörleri ve önlenmesi ile ilgili 40 sorudan oluþan bir anket uygulandý.
BULGULAR: Çalýþmaya alýnan 282 (%80,11) kadýn, 70’i (%19,89) erkek toplam 352 hastanýn yaþ ortancasý 45,00 (18-88); 51’i (%14,49) normal kilolu, 72’si (%20,45) fazla kilolu ve 229’u (%65,06) obez grubundaydý. Obezlerde eðitim düzeyi daha düþük, ailede obezite öyküsü daha yüksekti (p<0,001). Obezitenin insülin direnci, tip 2 diyabet, kardiyovasküler hastalýk, hipertansiyon, dislipidemi, yaðlý karaciðer, uyku apnesi, astým, gastrointestinal sorunlar, depresyon ve diðer ruhsal sorunlar, hareket kýsýtlýlýðý ve ölüm için risk faktörü olduðuna katýlma oraný %69,60 ile %92,61 arasýndaydý. Obezite risk faktörleri açýsýndan farkýndalýk gruplar arasýnda benzerdi. Günde 4-6 öðün yemenin ve ara öðünleri kaçýrmamanýn saðlýklý beslenme için önemli olduðunu bilenlerin oraný obez grupta en yüksekti (p=0.043).
TARTIÞMA ve SONUÇ: Çalýþmamýzda obezite iliþkili bazý komplikasyonlar hakkýnda farkýndalýk yüksek olsa da kolelitiasis, pankreatit ve kanser geliþimi gibi riskler hakkýnda farkýndalýk düþüktü. Obezitenin önlenmesi ve etkin tedavisi için hem obezitesi olan hem de olmayan hastalarda farkýndalýk düzeyinin arttýrýlmasý gereklidir.