Many people tend to oversimplify obesity to "eating too much and exercising too little", and even label obese individuals as "lazy" and "lacking self-control".
Hou Zeling, a doctor from the Endocrinology Treatment Group at Hainan Chengmei Hospital, reminds us that obesity is not merely a lifestyle issue, but also an early warning signal of endocrine and metabolic disorders. The fundamental reason why many people "gain weight just by drinking water" lies in the imbalance of hormones in the body.
Obesity itself is a chronic metabolic disease, and it also carries the risk of multiple functional disorders such as thyroid dysfunction, insulin resistance, and sex hormone imbalance. To achieve scientific weight loss, it is necessary to start with endocrine regulation and intervention.
Obesity and Endocrinology: A Vicious Cycle of Mutual Causation
Hou Zeling explained that adipose tissue is not merely an "energy depot", but also an important endocrine organ that secretes various hormones such as leptin and adiponectin, participating in the regulation of systemic metabolism. Endocrine disorders can directly induce obesity, which in turn exacerbates hormone imbalances, forming a vicious cycle.
The most common clinical condition is insulin resistance: long-term high-sugar diet, staying up late, etc. can decrease insulin sensitivity, forcing the pancreas to secrete more insulin, which in turn strongly promotes fat accumulation, especially abdominal fat.
Next is hypothyroidism, where insufficient thyroid hormone slows down the metabolic rate, leading to reduced calorie consumption, subtle weight gain, and often accompanied by fatigue, cold intolerance, and constipation.
In addition, endocrine diseases such as polycystic ovary syndrome and Cushing's syndrome can also directly lead to pathological obesity. For women, these conditions may also be accompanied by menstrual disorders, hirsutism, and acne.
These "obesity signals" indicate that the endocrine system has been imbalanced
Hou Zeling reminded that weight loss through diet and exercise alone is often ineffective, and obesity accompanied by specific symptoms is often due to endocrine issues. It is important to promptly investigate the following signs:
Obesity-resistant type: Despite strict dietary control and regular exercise for over 3 months, there is no weight loss, and even a continuous increase in weight;
Abdominal obesity: The limbs are not fat, but only the belly is big. The waist circumference is ≥90cm for males and ≥85cm for females, which is a typical manifestation of insulin resistance;
Accompanying abnormal symptoms: obesity accompanied by fatigue, intolerance to cold, hair loss, and edema (hypothyroidism); menstrual disorders, acne, and hirsutism (polycystic ovary syndrome); darkening of skin folds (insulin resistance);
Sudden weight gain: Without any apparent cause, experiencing a sudden weight increase of more than 5 kilograms within half a year, excluding dietary and exercise factors.
Scientific weight control: starting from regulating endocrine, refusing blind weight loss
"Weight loss cannot solely rely on 'starving oneself'. Blind dieting will further disrupt hormones, leading to lower metabolism and faster rebound." Hou Zeling reminded that endocrine obesity requires hormone regulation before weight control, and gave the following advice:
First, perform endocrine screening: for obese individuals, prioritize tests for thyroid function, blood glucose, insulin, and six sex hormone levels to ascertain whether issues such as hypothyroidism and insulin resistance are present, and administer targeted medication for regulation;
Lifestyle precision intervention: reduce intake of milk tea and refined sugar in diet, increase consumption of high-quality protein and high-fiber foods to stabilize blood sugar and insulin levels; adhere to 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week, combined with strength training, to enhance metabolism; ensure 7-8 hours of sleep per day and avoid staying up late, which can interfere with hormone secretion;
Reject folk remedies and seek medical advice scientifically: Do not blindly take diet pills or meal replacements. For endocrine obesity, weight loss should be achieved through comprehensive plans such as hormone regulation and metabolic intervention under the guidance of a professional physician. In clinical practice, many patients have lost 5%-10% of their weight after treatment, and their metabolic indicators have significantly improved.
Obesity is never a synonym for "laziness", but rather an early warning signal from the body indicating endocrine imbalance. On World Obesity Day, we call on everyone to abandon prejudices and face up to the medical essence of obesity.
Hou Zeling reminds that especially for those with abdominal obesity and stubborn obesity, it is important to seek medical advice from the endocrinology department in a timely manner to screen for hormone issues. Only by doing so can they avoid weight loss pitfalls, scientifically return to a healthy weight, and stay away from metabolic complications such as diabetes and hypertension.
Expert Introduction
Hou Zeling, Attending Physician
Medical expertise: Specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes and related complications, as well as thyroid diseases such as hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and thyroiditis. Additionally, proficient in the diagnosis and treatment of common endocrine diseases including obesity, gouty arthritis, lipid metabolism disorders, electrolyte metabolism disorders, and primary aldosteronism.