Mariana Monteiro, endocrinologist from Hospital da Luz Arrábida, participated in the TV show “Consultório”, at Porto Canal channel, broadcasted on October 12, in the scope of the World Obesity Day. “Obesity is truly the 21st century epidemics and the first measure and attempt to reverse the situation is to recognize it as a disease”, stressed the specialist, who explained the causes, risk factors and possible therapeutics. The assessment of a patient’s eventual obesity should be made in any consultation: if the Body Mass Index is above 30, the patient is obese. “And even when the index is under that value, it doesn’t mean it is normal, as it may be a case of pre-obesity and some kind of intervention must be planned”, further explained Mariana Monteiro. It is estimated that 60% of the Portuguese population is obese or pre-obese – leading to other diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and even cancer –, lifestyle being the main cause. “Commonly, we make a caloric intake superior to our needs”, referred the endocrinologist, adding that food habits and lifestyle are at the first level of therapeutic intervention, that may afterwards evolve to drug treatment or even surgery, according to the severity of the situation.
