{"id":6337,"date":"2025-06-11T09:24:12","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T09:24:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/news\/obesity-is-a-disease-today-we-can-treat-it-effectively-and-safely\/"},"modified":"2025-09-29T14:08:24","modified_gmt":"2025-09-29T14:08:24","slug":"obesity-is-a-disease-today-we-can-treat-it-effectively-and-safely","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/en\/news\/obesity-effective-safe-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"Obesity is a disease \u2013 today, we can treat It effectively and safely"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Obesity and heart health \u2013 Associate Professor Aleksandar Kibel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Croatians<\/strong> are the most overweight population<\/strong> in Europe, with 65%<\/strong> of citizens being overweight. We share this unenviable first place with Malta, followed by the Czech Republic <\/strong>and Hungary<\/strong>, each with 60% of the population classified as overweight, according to the latest Eurostat data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With 35%<\/strong> of children overweight or obese, based on 2022 data from the World Health Organization<\/a>, Croatia ranks fifth in the WHO European Region.<\/strong> The study covered 33 countries<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experts<\/strong> have long been warning that obesity<\/a> is a major public health issue in Croatia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Doctor<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Impact of Eating Habits and Social Change on Obesity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Humans evolved in scarcity, as gatherers and hunters, and whether they would find food depended on both their skills and external factors they couldn’t control. In essence, we evolved<\/strong> relatively hungry, with limited calorie intake. With civilization<\/strong> came agricultural production and an abundance of calories. Our bodies, still adapted to scarcity, are genetically predisposed to extract and store<\/strong> high amounts of calories from fats or carbohydrates. Of course, evolution is only part of the story. A wide range of factors influence obesity genetics, psychological, sociological, and economic reasons, as well as dietary habits, including<\/strong> the types of food we eat and how we prepare them, explains Assoc. Prof. Aleksandar Kibel<\/strong><\/a>, specialist in internal medicine and subspecialist in cardiology at the International Medical Center Priora<\/a> <\/strong>in \u010cepin near Osijek.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we look<\/strong> at photographs of our citizens between<\/strong> the two World Wars, it’s rare to spot anyone overweight. Even during the 1980s, summer beach scenes were striking for the absence of excess weight. So, did the economic transition of the 1990s in Croatia bring extra kilos?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In lower-income, transitional, or developing countries, a tendency toward weight gain is common, as people often lack access to healthier foods\u2014which are more expensive\u2014and instead rely on highly processed, calorie-dense foods such as fried items and those rich in oils, trans fats, and starch. These economic conditions<\/strong> contribute to obesity. At the same time, a cultural shift has occurred compared to decades or even a century ago, altering not only eating habits but also food availability \u2013 explains Dr. Kibel.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Childhood Obesity: Long-Term Consequences and Treatment Challenges<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Childhood obesity is especially concerning. Who\u2019s responsible parents or the system?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Likely, many actors play a role. As already mentioned, it involves genetics, eating habits, availability of high calorie foods<\/strong>, fast food<\/strong>, and education<\/strong>, where parents have a key influence over their children’s eating behaviors. In childhood obesity, not only does the size of fat cells (hypertrophy<\/strong>) increase, but the number of fat cells (hyperplasia<\/strong>) grows as well. Once that number increases in childhood, it doesn\u2019t easily decrease in adulthood. Therefore, those who become obese as children find it harder to lose weight later because they have more fat cells \u2013 Kibel explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diseases Linked to Obesity and the Importance of Timely Intervention<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A wide range of diseases is associated with obesity<\/strong>, from diabetes<\/strong> to various cardiovascular conditions<\/strong>, such as atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease which can lead to heart attack<\/strong> cerebrovascular disease which can result in stroke<\/strong> and peripheral arterial disease<\/strong>, which may lead to gangrene<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obesity is also linked to fatty liver degeneration, liver cirrhosis, gastroesophageal reflux disease<\/strong><\/a>, and a wide range of musculoskeletal problems caused by strain on the spine, joints, and hips not to mention sleep apnea. In short, obesity has numerous significant consequences for the body. However, it has been proven that substantial weight loss reduces the risk of developing these diseases and even lowers overall mortality, emphasizes Professor Kibel<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A Cardiological Approach to Treating Obesity: Dr. Kibel’s Perspective<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Aleksandar Kibel<\/strong> is an associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine in Osijek<\/strong> and the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health. He worked at the Department of Internal Medicine<\/strong> at the University Hospital Center Osijek from 2011 to 2024, mainly in the Department of Cardiovascular Diseases<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I focused on obesity<\/strong> treatment primarily because, as a cardiologist, it\u2019s fascinating that by significantly reducing body weight, we can greatly reduce adverse cardiovascular<\/strong> outcomes, including strokes and heart attacks, coronary artery disease, and peripheral artery disease. We can thus significantly improve patients’ cardiovascular<\/strong> health and reduce mortality. Secondly, many of our cardiology<\/strong> patients are obese. And third, we finally have access to effective<\/strong> and safe medications<\/strong> for treating obesity that also positively impact cardiovascular outcomes. Some of these medications have been included in international cardiology guidelines for treating specific heart conditions,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modern Pharmacotherapy: New Medications for Treating Obesity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Previous medications<\/strong> were not very effective and had many side effects. Some were even misused\u2014like amphetamines, which were not medically advised<\/strong> or included herbal remedies without scientific proof. Today, we have medications that are effective and have a favorable safety profile, with few adverse effects and several beneficial impacts, especially on cardiovascular health \u2013 he adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three modern drugs<\/strong> are approved in Croatia for obesity treatment. They are administered via subcutaneous injections and are \u201cbarely felt by the patient.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ideally, the medication<\/strong> should be used long-term <\/strong>because discontinuation can lead to weight regain, and cardiovascular benefits are greatest with long-term use. However, due to cost<\/strong>, many patients can’t afford prolonged treatment, so we tailor the duration individually based on their goals and financial capacity \u2013 says Dr. Kibel.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Why Early Intervention is Key in Obesity Treatment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Treatment starts with low doses that are gradually increased,<\/strong> depending on how much weight the patient wants to lose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not gurus for treating obesity<\/strong> we approach it medically. As an internist and cardiologist, I emphasize pharmacology, along with dietary counseling,\u201d he underlines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ideally, obesity should be addressed<\/strong> in its early stages, when the BMI is around 30, to better prevent cardiovascular disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Changing Perspectives: From \u2018Healthy and Fat\u2019 to Recognizing Obesity as a Disease<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Changing Perspectives: From \u2018Healthy and Fat\u2019 to Recognizing Obesity as a Disease<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Slimness used to be considered a sign of illness, an unhealthy body type\u2014rooted in historical circumstances. For instance, during the Victorian era,<\/strong> tuberculosis patients often had very low BMI. Malnutrition was common throughout history, which likely gave rise to the idea that a bit more body weight was a sign of health. Today, numerous studies<\/strong> show that overweight individuals tend to have a shorter life expectancy and are more prone to heart disease. Obesity is a disease<\/strong>, with a classification code in the international disease registry. It\u2019s essential to raise awareness about this\u2014not just among patients but even among some healthcare professionals \u2013 concludes Prof. Dr. Aleksandar Kibel<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Croatian Parliament declared March 16th as the \u201cCroatian Obesity Awareness Day\u201d<\/strong> in 2017, a day dedicated to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of obesity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Two<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Obesity and heart health \u2013 Associate Professor Aleksandar Kibel Croatians are the most overweight population in Europe, with 65% of citizens being overweight. We share this unenviable first place with Malta, followed by the Czech Republic and Hungary, each with 60% of the population classified as overweight, according to the latest Eurostat data. With 35% […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":5010,"template":"","news-category":[20],"class_list":["post-6337","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-category-for-patients"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/6337","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5010"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6337"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"news-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.priora.eu\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-category?post=6337"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}