2011 • NYS Psychologist - New York State Psychological Association

Women and Obesity: Biological / Psychological Factors and
Bariatric Evaluations
Artemis Pipinelli, PhD
The Technical Career Institutes
Abstract: This article will review Biological/ Psychological Factors
on obesity for women and men and cover relevant health and
medical conditions and bariatric evaluations. Obesity is one of the
nation’s fastest growing and most troubling health problems according
to world health organization. During the past 20 years
there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States
that has detrimental effects in the health both females and males.
According to a million women study and other studies studying the
relationship between obesity and health related factors, It was
found that the is an association between obesity and diabetes 2
mellitus, cancer, pregnancy complications, osteoarthritis, asthma,
musculoskeletal pains and other health related problems.
Keywords: Obesity, Bariatric Evaluations, Biological and Psychological
Factors
Introduction
According to the world health organization the prevalence of
world obesity has doubled since 1980. In 2008 the estimation of
people being overweight increased to 1.5 billion adults and among
them there were 300 million obese women and 200 million obese
men (World Health Organization, 2011). Also, among nonpregnant
women ages 20- 39, twenty-six percent were overweight
and 29% were obese (WHO, 2011).
Women and Obesity
When women and men are obese it means that they have
high proportion of body fat, however overweight refers to the body
weight; it does not mean body fat. Obesity is a condition in which
the natural energy reserve, stored in the fatty tissue of humans
and other mammals, is increased to a point where it is associated
with certain health conditions or increased mortality (O’Brien et
al., 2005).
Health professionals use Body Mass Index (BMI), a mass
measure, to classify a person’s weight as healthy, overweight, or
obese. Body Mass index (BMI) describes body weight relative to
height and is correlated with total body fat content in most adults.
Metabolic syndrome (Grahovac et al., 2011; Grundy et al., 2005;
Lakka & Laaksonen, 2007; Lichtenstein et al., 2006) is a group of
risk factors that can result in different health problems: stroke,
type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease. Women with excess
body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol and sugar
level, are increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease and type
diabetes 2 mellitus. The Metabolic Syndrome has implications on
abnormal glucose, metabolism, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and increased
blood pressure all increased the risk of having heart disease
and stroke (Kulie, Slattengren, Redmer, Counts, Eglash and
Schrager, 2011; Banks et al., 1999).
The US Centers for Disease Control estimated that there
were 112,000 excess deaths in the year 2000 from obesity-related
diseases. Using Centers for Disease Control data, have predicted
that female and male teens entering adulthood with a BMI more
than 40 have their life expectancy reduced by up to 8 years for
females and 13 years for males (O’Brien et al., 2005).
Obesity is one of the nation’s fastest –growing and most troubling
health problems. During the past 20 years there has been a
dramatic increase in obesity in the United States. Persons with a
BMI more than 40 may be eligible for bariatric (weight loss) surgery.
Banks et al., (1999) in the million women study the largest
study of its kind that took place in Great Britain, tracked a million
women between 50-64 years of age for five years. The study
found that a high body mass was an indicator of all types of cancers.
The risk of cancer was three fold with a 10 point increase in
the body mass index. According to investigators 6000 women
between 50 and 60 are diagnosed with cancer each year. Nearly
50% of the cases pertaining to cancer of the womb and throat
were found to be associated with obesity. The risk of ovarian cancer,
kidney cancer, cancer of the pancreas, multiple myeloma and
leukemia, increased with being obese, 45,037 new cancers were
diagnosed and 17,203 women succumbed to the cancer during
the period, the study revealed. In particular having excess abdominal
fat, both intraperitoneal, intra-abdominal, as well as subcutaneous
abdominal fat is associated with a metabolic constellation
of abnormalities, which has been called the metabolic syndrome
(WHO, 2011). Kulie, Slattengren, Redmer, Counts, Eglash
and Schrager (2011) reported that the relationship between obesity
and related health factors such as diabetes 2 mellitus, pregnancy
complications, osteoarthritis, asthma, skeletomuscular pains
and cancer in women. Obese women with endometrial, ovarian,
cervical and breast cancer have decrease survival because of
later screening and lesser response to treatment (Kulie et al,
2011). A recent investigation that was presented at the 79 th European
Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) Congress shows obesity as
an inflammatory biomarker and cause of heart disease. The results
of this study show that with every 8.8 pound increase in BMI
there was 52 percent increase in having ischemic heart disease
(Nordestgaard, 2011). Other related conditions that effect women’s
health related to obesity are low back pain and osteoarthritis,
infertility; including polycystic ovary syndrome relating to multiple
endocrine mechanisms meaning increase in the circulating insulin
levels (Kulie at al, 2011). Also, among obese pregnant women
there is the risk of Cesarean section, length of stay after delivery
and use of services, fetal abnormalities increases as BMI increases.
Maternal obesity is associated to shorter time in breastfeeding
(Kulie et al, 2011).
Etiology of Obesity
Genetic predisposition plays a role in gaining weight faster than
other people. Weight gain and loss relates to the metabolic Rate,
the rate that our body burns calories while at rest. When the metabolic
rate of an individual is slow she/he gains weight easily. The
pathogenesis of the metabolic syndrome involves the combination
of genetic and environmental factors. The degree of genetic and
environmental influences on the workings of the metabolic syn
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Dr. Artemis Pipinelli, PhD, a Walden University graduate 2005, is an adjunct
assistant professor for The Technical Career Institutes, College of
New York teaching at the Human Services department. Prior she was
teaching at Lehman College, Hunter and the CUNY system. She is an
active member of NYSPA, past president of the Independent Practice
Division, and member of APA serving in the Div 52 aging, membership
and mentorship committee. She has presented numerous papers and
presentations nationally and internationally.
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Vol. XXIII No. 2 • Fall 2011 • NYS Psychologist