Journal of Nutrition & Weight Loss

Editorial Note on Obesity Related Respiratory Disorders

Sirisha Gawaji^* Department of Food and Nutrition, Andhra University, India
^*Correspondence: Sirisha Gawaji, Department of Food and Nutrition, Andhra University, India,

Received: 14-Mar-2021 Published: 30-Mar-2021, DOI: 10.35248/2593-9793.21.6.e131

Editorial

Obesity is one of the major causes of several chronic disorders and health conditions including heart disease, diabetes, liver disease and some cancers. A person is referred to be obese when one’s Body Mass Index (BMI) is more than 30 kg/m².

The balance between calorie intake and energy expenditure determines the weight of a body. If the intake of calories is more than the expenditure, the condition may lead to obesity. Thus, the most common causes of obesity are excess intake of food and physical inactivity. However, in some cases obesity may be due to genetics, certain health conditions, medications, physiological factors etc.

Causes of obesity related respiratory disorders

With the rise in weight and BMI the volume of lungs decreases which may lead to more restricted air entry. In such condition, there is lowered:-

• Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)

• Forced vital capacity (FVC)

• Functional residual capacity (FRC)

• Expiratory reserve volume (ERV)

• Residual volume (RV)

• Total lung capacity (TLC)

Obesity and the respiratory system diseases

• Exertional dyspnea – This is basically severe breathlessness caused due to minor exertions which is a common feature among obese individuals.

• Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome – In this condition, due to closing or narrowing of the airways during sleep, snoring, repeated waking and lack of adequate and restful sleep may occur.

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – This is a chronic inflammatory lung disease which causes obstructed airflow from the lungs.

• Asthma – Excess weight around the chest and abdomen might constrict the lungs and make it harder to breathe. Fat tissue may produce inflammatory substances which could alter the lung function and may lead to asthma.

• Obesity hypoventilation syndrome – In this condition, due to poor breathing, oxygen levels are lowered and carbon dioxide levels are elevated in the blood. This may lead to hypoxia or low oxygenation of the body.