Chapter 13: Obesity, Energy Balance, and Weight Management

Vocabulary flashcards covering key definitions, measurement techniques, physiological factors, hormones, and medical interventions related to obesity and weight management.

Overweight

A condition in which a person has extra body weight from bones, muscle, body fat, and/or body water.

Obesity

A condition characterized by excessive amounts of body fat.

Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS)

Formerly termed polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS); a hormonal disorder in females that can lead to infertility, characterized by irregular or absent menstrual periods, low estrogen and high testosterone levels, ovarian cysts, and insulin resistance.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

A health screening tool that considers height and weight but not body composition, calculated as: $\text{BMI} = \frac{\text{Weight (kg)}}{\text{Height (m)}^2}$

Subcutaneous Fat

Deposits of adipose cells located in the tissue under the skin that insulate against cold temperatures and protect muscles and bones from impact.

Visceral Fat

Deposits of adipose tissue that surround abdominal organs.

Underwater Weighing

A technique for estimating body composition based on the differences in density between fat mass and lean mass compared to water.

Air Displacement

A method of estimating body composition by determining body volume (often using a device like a Bod Pod).

Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA)

A highly accurate technique of estimating body composition that involves scanning the body with two low-energy x-rays.

Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA)

A technique of estimating body composition in which a device measures the conduction of a weak electrical current through body water.

Skinfold Thickness Measurements

An easy and inexpensive technique for estimating body composition where calipers are used to measure the thickness of skinfolds at multiple body sites.

Central-Body Obesity

The storage of excess body fat in the upper body or abdominal region, leading to an 'apple shape' and increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.

Adipokines

Hormones and other cell-signaling proteins secreted by adipose tissue.

Adiponectin

A hormone produced by adipose tissue that increases the use of fatty acids for energy by muscle cells.

Hunger

The physiological sensation of discomfort or weakness that drives a person to consume food.

Appetite

The psychological desire to eat appealing food.

Satiety

The physiological sense that enough food or beverages have been consumed to satisfy hunger.

Hypothalamus

The structure in the brain that controls hunger and satiety by responding to nervous and hormonal signals.

Ghrelin

A hormone secreted by the stomach and other tissues that stimulates eating.

Peptide YY

A protein hormone secreted by the intestines that signals the stomach to reduce ghrelin secretion, thereby inhibiting hunger.

Amylin

A hormone secreted by the pancreas that slows gastric emptying and reduces hunger.

Leptin

A hormone secreted by adipose tissue that reduces hunger and increases energy expenditure.

Leptin Resistance

A state of unresponsiveness to the appetite-suppressing effects of leptin, commonly observed in obesity.

Obesogenic Environment

External conditions that promote excessive weight gain, characterized by easy access to high-calorie foods, reduced physical activity, and elevated stress and anxiety.

Fad Diets

Popular weight-loss approaches that lack formal scientific testing documenting safety and effectiveness, often being nutritionally inadequate, unsustainable, and leading to weight regain.

Bariatric Medicine

The medical specialty that focuses on the surgical treatment of obesity.

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass

A bariatric surgical procedure that creates a small stomach pouch and bypasses part of the small intestine to drastically limit food intake and absorption.

Sleeve Gastrectomy

A bariatric surgical procedure in which a large portion of the stomach is removed, leaving a sleeve-shaped new stomach.

Laparoscopic Gastric Banding

A surgical approach to treating obesity that uses an adjustable band placed around the upper part of the stomach to create a small pouch.