Most people know that obesity brings with it a lot of health issues, including increased risk factors for type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer. But new research indicates that there are four subtypes of obesity, making it even more difficult to treat with one single approach.
New research on obesity
Analyzing data from 2,458 people who had bariatric surgery for obesity, the researchers looked at things like weigh history, hormone levels and eating patterns, among other variables.
The scientists divided the participants up into four groups:
Group 1:
This group had elevated blood glucose and low levels of “good” cholesterol before surgery. Up to 98% of the people in this group had some form of diabetes.
Group 2:
This group had disordered eating behaviors, including 37% engaged in binge eating; 61% felt a lack of control over snacking; 92% ate when they weren’t hungry.
Group 3:
The main criteria that separated this group from the others is that only 7% said they ate when they weren’t hungry.
Group 4:
This group was made up of people who had obesity since childhood. They had a BMI of 32 by age 18, on average. (The other groups had a collective average of 25 by age 18.) Of all the groups, this one had the highest average BMI (58) right before surgery. The other groups had an average BMI of 45 right before surgery.
Post-surgery follow-up
Three years after the surgery, the researchers found that men had lost an average 25% of their weight and women had lost 30%.
Groups two and three benefitted the most from surgery, with men losing 28.5% of their weight and women losing 33.3%.
Participants had undergone gastric banding surgery or gastric bypass.
The results of this study were published in the journal Obesity.
