The most common endocrine dysfunction of women – affects 10-20% of women.
A life-long disease with enormous medical, emotional and financial consequences.
High risk for diabetes and metabolic syndrome & 80% are overweight/obese.
PCOS is the result of hyperinsulinemia * The effects of insulin on the ovary Theca cells results in release of testosterone * The resulting manifestations have devastating effects (obesity, facial hair, acne, and emotional disorders) on teenage girls * Many cases have been reversed with lifestyle changes that act to lower insulin * IGF plays a role but addressing hyperinsulinemia can reverse the condition and its manifestations.
Theca cells endocrine cells in the ovary made up of connective tissue surrounding the follicle. The theca cells are responsible for the production of androstenedione.
Androstenedione is a precursor of testosterone and other androgens, as well as of estrogens like estrone.
Androstenedione has weak androgenic activity.
FSH induces the granulosa cells to make aromatase that converts the androgens made by the theca internal into estradiol.
Sugar has been vilified over the years with claims of its disastrous effects on our health. Are these claims true? Does taken a soda a day guarantee one ill health? What of the effects of excess sugar on obesity? In this article, we will explore these claims and determine whether indeed excessive sugar intake leads to obesity.
1. What is obesity?
Obesity rates have skyrocketed over the past century. In 1962, 46 percent of adults in the U.S. were considered overweight or obese. By 2010,that figure had jumped to 75 percent.
So, what exactly is obesity……
Obesity is a complex disease involving an excessive amount of body fat. Obesity isn’t just a cosmetic concern. It is a medical problem that increases your risk of other diseases and health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and certain cancers.
Obesity is diagnosed when your body mass index (BMI) is 30 or higher. To determine your body mass index, divide your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared and multiply by 703. Or divide your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared.
| BMI | Weight status |
| Below 18.5 | Underweight |
| 18.5-24.9 | Normal |
| 25.0-29.9 | Overweight |
| 30.0 and higher | Obesity |
For most people, BMI provides a reasonable estimate of body fat. However, BMI doesn’t directly measure body fat, so some people, such as muscular athletes, may have a BMI in the obesity category even though they don’t have excess body fat.
2. Sugar and obesity
Obesity is a complex problem with multiple causes. But among the likely suspects, sugar is a top favorite. As sugar consumption has increased, so too has the size of our waistlines.
Added sugars are a controversial and hotly debated topic. Consumption of added sugars has been implicated in increased risk of a variety of chronic diseases including obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) as well as cognitive decline and even some cancers. Support for these putative associations has been challenged, however, on a variety of fronts.
The sugars in your diet can be eithernaturally occurring or added. Naturally occurring sugars are found naturally in foods such as fruit (fructose) and milk (lactose). Added sugars are sugars and syrups put in foods during preparation or processing, or added at the table.
Numerous dietary and lifestyle habits can lead to weight gain and cause you to put on excess body fat.Consuming a diet high in added sugars, such as those found in sweetened beverages, candy, baked goods, and sugary cereals, is a contributing factor in weight gain and chronic health conditions, including obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.
Many people consume more sugar than they realize. It’s important to be aware of how much sugar you consume because our bodies don’t need sugar to function properly. Added sugars contribute zero nutrients but many added calories, which can lead to extra pounds or even obesity, thereby reducing impacting our health.
The ways in which added sugar intake leads to weight gain and increased body fat are complex and involve many factors.
3. Some ways why added sugar is fattening….
- It is high in empty calories
Added sugars are sweeteners added to foods and beverages to improve taste. Common types of added sugar include fructose, corn syrup, cane sugar, and agave.Excess sugar may cause you to pack on weight because it’s high in calories while offering few other nutrients.Though using small amounts of added sugar is unlikely to cause weight gain, regularly indulging in foods high in added sugars may cause you to gain excess body fat quicker and more drastically.- Impacts blood sugar and hormone levels
It’s well known that eating sugary foods significantly raises your blood sugar levels.Though enjoying a sweet food infrequently isn’t likely to harm health, daily consumption of large amounts of added sugar can lead to chronically elevated blood sugar levels.
Prolonged elevated blood sugar — known as hyperglycemia — can cause serious harm to your body, by causing insulin resistance and resulting including weight gain.
- May lead to overeating
Foods high in added sugars tend to be less filling. Eating foods rich in carbs — particularly refined carbs high in added sugars — yet low in protein can negatively impact fullness and may lead to weight gain by causing you to eat more at subsequent meals throughout the day or overeat at any one particular seating.
Animal studies indicate that fructose impacts signaling systems in your hypothalamus, increasing levels of hunger-stimulating neuropeptides — molecules that communicate with one another, influencing brain activity — while decreasing fullness signals. Additionally, your body is predisposed to crave sweetness. In fact, research shows that sugar consumption is driven by the pleasure derived from the sweet taste of sugary drinks and foods.
- Linked to obesity and chronic disease
Numerous studies have linked high intake of added sugars to weight gain and chronic conditions, such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.This effect has been observed both in adults and in children. Recently, a review of 30 studies in more than 242,000 adults and children found a significant link between sugar-sweetened beverages and obesity.
4. What are some of the health problems associated with obesity?
People with obesity are more likely to develop a number of potentially serious health problems, including:
- Heart disease and strokes. Obesity makes you more likely to have high blood pressure and abnormal cholesterol levels, which are risk factors for heart disease and strokes.
- Type 2 diabetes. Obesity can affect the way your body uses insulin to control blood sugar levels. This raises your risk of insulin resistance and diabetes.
- Certain cancers. Obesity may increase your risk of cancer of the uterus, cervix, endometrium, ovary, breast, colon, rectum, esophagus, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, kidney and prostate.
- Digestive problems. Obesity increases the likelihood that you’ll develop heartburn, gallbladder disease and liver problems.
- Gynecological and sexual problems. Obesity may cause infertility and irregular periods in women. Obesity also can cause erectile dysfunction in men.
- Sleep apnea. People with obesity are more likely to have sleep apnea, a potentially serious disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep.
- Osteoarthritis. Obesity increases the stress placed on weight-bearing joints, in addition to promoting inflammation within the body. These factors may lead to complications such as osteoarthritis.
5. How can obesity affect your quality of life?
People who are obese often find themselves struggling with some issues that might diminish their overall quality of life. Some of these issues might include:
- Depression
- Disability
- Sexual problems
- Shame and guilt
- Social isolation
- Lower work achievement
6. How can you keep yourself from getting obese?
Whether you’re at risk of obesity, currently overweight or at a healthy weight, you can take steps to prevent unhealthy weight gain and related health problems.
- Exercise regularly. You need to get 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week to prevent weight gain. Moderately intense physical activities include fast walking and swimming.
- Follow a healthy-eating plan. Focus on low-calorie, nutrient-dense foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Avoid saturated fat and limit sweets and alcohol. Eat three regular meals a day with limited snacking. You can still enjoy small amounts of high-fat, high-calorie foods as an infrequent treat.
- Know and avoid the food traps that cause you to eat. Identify situations that trigger out-of-control eating. Try keeping a journal and write down what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, how you’re feeling and how hungry you are, stay in control of your eating behaviors.
- Monitor your weight regularly. People who weigh themselves at least once a week are more successful in keeping off excess pounds.
- Be consistent. Sticking to your healthy-weight plan all the time
7. So, is sugar friend or foe?
Interfering with your hormones, increasing hunger, and displacing healthy foods are just a few of the ways that added sugars can lead to weight gain.Aside from causing you to put on excess body fat, eating too much added sugar can significantly increase your risk of chronic conditions, such as obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. It is thus wise to consume added sugars with caution because a stitch in time save nine.
References
- Endocrineweb(2018):Insulin Resistance Causes and Symptoms, Retrieved from
https://www.endocrineweb.com/conditions/type-2-diabetes/insulin-resistance-causes-symptoms
- Healthline (2019):6 Ways Added Sugar Is Fattening. Retrieved from
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/does-sugar-make-you-fat#section1
- American Heart Association (2018): Added Sugars. Retrieved from
https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/added-sugars
- NCBI (2016): Relationship between Added Sugars Consumption and Chronic Disease Risk Factors: Current Understanding. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5133084/
- John Hopkins Medicine (2019): Obesity, Sugar and Heart Health. Retrieved from
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/obesity-sugar-and-heart-health
- Mayo Clinic: Retrieved from
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obesity/symptoms-causes/syc-20375742
Overweight or obese physicians were less likely to discuss weight loss with heavy patients: only 18% of these doctors discussed losing weight with their patients while 30% of normal weight physicians did.
More interestingly, 93% of doctors diagnosed obesity in their patients only if they believed their own weight was equal to or less than that of their patients; only 7% of doctors believed their weight exceeded that of their patients diagnosed obesity.
You certainly wouldn’t go to a dentist with horrible teeth or a hairdresser with horrible hair, and you should avoid advice from an overweight healthcare provider.
Obesity is a threat to U.S. national security, obesity is the leading medical reason why applicants fail to qualify for military service:
27% of young people aged 17 to 24 are too obese to serve in the armed forces.
Over the last 10 years, the number of states with 40 percent of young adults considered by the CDC to be overweight or obese has risen from one state to 39.
Sensory-specific satiety: the relationship between perceived taste and quantity consumed of food.
As individuals consume more of a food item, they experience diminishing marginal taste perception, which means their level of perceived taste from additional consumption tends to decline (additional consumption becomes less pleasurable). The first bite of chocolate is better than the 10th.
In this study, researchers found that ratings went down after each piece of chocolate consumed with no significant difference in taste perceptions between normal and overweight participants reported. However, participants with obesity had higher levels of initial taste perception, rated subsequent pieces higher than their counterparts without obesity, and their ratings declined at a more gradual rate compared to participants with normal weight and those with obesity.
There is no significant difference in the actual taste perceptions, between those of normal weight and those who are overweight. However, participants with obesity have a greater initial satisfaction from food, which then decreases more gradually. To me, this suggests a significant pleasure or hedonic component to food, consistent with an addiction model of obesity.
Variations in Marginal Taste Perception by Body Mass Index Classification: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2019.
The experts in processed food addiction in Big Food often manipulate sensory-specific satiety to increase product sales.
It’s the explanation for the phenomenon of “I’m too stuffed to eat another bite. What’s for dessert?” or the 1960’s Lay’s advert “Betcha can’t eat just one!” in which you would eat the whole can of chips.
Do you think smoking or obesity would have a higher hazard ratio? When looked at in context, the answer might surprise you. Hazard ratio (HR) is the ratio of the hazard rates corresponding to the conditions described by two levels of an explanatory variable. The HR has also been defined as the ratio of (risk of outcome in one group)/(risk of outcome in another group), occurring at a given interval of time. In the situation where the hazard for an outcome is exactly twice in Group A than in Group B, the value of the hazard ratio would be 2.0.
If I told you that a completely man-made and preventable plague was spreading across the United States and would affect 75% of the population within twenty years, causing countless deaths and cost over $215 billion per year, you might pay attention. Like most epidemics, obesity is accelerating and now affects 17% of all children and adolescents in the United States — triple the rate from just one generation ago.
Obese children are more likely to become obese adults and carry a significantly higher negative lifetime economic and medical burden. If you are overweight or obese, there is a 90% chance you will develop type 2 diabetes; yet, if you smoke for 30-40 years, you have a 10-17% chance of developing lung cancer.
If asked which they were most afraid of, being overweight or smoking, most people would likely think smoking is more deadly. (This is not intended to suggest smoking is beneficial; it’s intended to frame the issue in context.)
In the not-too-distant future, I predict that vegetable oils, refined carbohydrates, and grain-based products will be viewed with the same disdain as cigarette smoking is.