Liposuction is a surgery that reduces fat pockets in multiple areas of the body. It’s not uncommon for these fat pockets to limit mobility. Once they’re removed with surgery, mobility is restored. Depending on their total weight, mobility can be restored in the knees, thighs, and hips. The increase in mobility can also lead to better posture.

How does obesity affect my body?

Obesity affects your body in many ways. Some are simply the mechanical effects of having more body fat. For example, you can draw a clear line between extra weight on your body and extra pressure on your skeleton and joints.

Other effects are more subtle, such as chemical changes in your blood that increase your risk for diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

Some effects are still not well understood. For example, there is an increased risk of certain cancers with obesity. We don’t know why, but it exists.

Statistically, obesity increases your risk of premature death from all causes. By the same token, studies show that you can significantly improve these risks by losing even a small amount of weight (5% to 10%).

Metabolic changes

Your metabolism is the process of converting calories into energy to fuel your body’s functions. When your body has more calories than it can use, it converts the extra calories into lipids and stores them in your adipose tissue (body fat). When you run out of tissue to store lipids in, the fat cells themselves become enlarged. Enlarged fat cells secrete hormones and other chemicals that produce an inflammatory response.

Chronic inflammation has many adverse health effects. One way that it affects your metabolism is by contributing to insulin resistance. This means your body can no longer use insulin to efficiently lower blood glucose and blood lipid levels (sugars and fats in your blood). High blood sugar and blood lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides) also contribute to high blood pressure.

Together, these combined risk factors are known as metabolic syndrome. They are grouped together because they all tend to reinforce each other. They also reinforce further weight gain and make it harder to lose weight and sustain weight loss.

How to prevent obesity?

Preventing obesity is easier than treating it once it has taken hold. Once your body has established a new high “set point,” it will consider that to be your new baseline weight. Your body works to modulate your hunger signals and energy expenditure to maintain the same body mass, in spite of your weight-loss intentions.

If you’ve noticed a pattern of recent weight gain in yourself or your child, or if you have a family history of obesity, you might want to take steps to intervene sooner rather than later. Examining your habits and making reasonable changes now can help you prevent future obesity and weight loss struggles.

For example:

Make a small sacrifice. Do you have a daily snack habit or “pick-me-up,” such as a sugary drink, that is high in calories? Consider replacing it. Just 150 extra calories a day can add up to 10 extra pounds in a year. That’s equal to a snack-size bag of potato chips, or just two double-stuffed Oreos.

Add a small activity. Alternatively, consider what you might do to spend an extra 150 calories in a day. For example, go for a hike or use an elliptical machine for 25 minutes, or take the dog for a brisk walk for 35 minutes.

Shop intentionally. Stock your home with healthy foods and save sweets and treats for special occasions when you go out. Whole foods are higher in fiber and lower in the glycemic index, so they don’t cause your blood sugar to spike and drop the way processed snacks and treats do.

Cultivate overall wellness. Reduce your screen time, go outside and go for a walk. Manage your stress and try to get adequate sleep to keep your hormone levels in check. Focus on positive changes and healthy activities rather than how your efforts affect your weight.