We are living through multiple crises. Not only are we going through the COVID-19 pandemic, but there is also a hidden epidemic going on. Over the years, people have become more obese. In 2013, only 34% of our population was within a healthy BMI range, and this statistic is falling exponentially over the years. We need to take action now because obesity is not about how you look — it's about real health consequences.
Dr Katherine Sowden joins us in this episode to talk about women's and public health. She explains how obesity changes our bodies and causes various diseases and cancers. She shares that it’s often not even people’s fault. There’s a range of factors that encourage this epidemic. Exacerbating the socioeconomic and cultural factors is the food industry. Dr Katherine emphasises that we need to start educating ourselves on our health. Only then can we make better choices to prevent these diseases.
If you want to know more about taking preventive measures against cancer and other diseases, this episode is for you.
Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode: Learn about the current state of public health and how to be a proactive patient. Discover the ways obesity can lead to an increased risk of cancer, particularly in women. Know how you can make better health choices to avoid developing cancer.
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Episode Highlights [04:06] The Current State of Women’s Health One of the most significant issues in women's health is the normalisation of obesity. This situation comes from a lack of understanding of the importance of nutrition and movement to our health. Endometrial cancer is a progressive order that is caused by having too much estrogen. One of its leading causes is obesity. Obesity can also decrease fertility since it affects the ovulatory cycle by affecting the production of progesterone. Before, we used to see endometrial cancer affecting women over 40, but now there are cases as young as under 20. [07:59] Effects of Obesity Women’s relative risk for endometrial cancer is one if they have a normal BMI. However, when they’re in the range of 30-35 and over 40, this is raised to 2.5 and 7.1 respectively. There are now many obese young women who are in this constant state of a hyper estrogenic environment. The definitive treatment of this cancer is hysterectomy, making a huge impact on women’s choice for reproduction. In addition, obesity can increase the risk of breast cancer too. [10:43] What Changes Does Obesity Make? Obesity leads to an abnormally high aromatase gene expression, which is in charge of estrogen production. With obesity, the body converts more of the androgen peripheral tissue into estrogen too. This problem does not apply only to women. Obese men also have hormone issues and tend to have feminine features. [14:04] How the Food Industry Affects Our Health One of the main drivers of the obesity epidemic is the wide availability of obesogenic food. Lower-income families tend to consume more of these foods since they are cheaper than healthier options. We can remove taxes on fruits and vegetables to help address the problems in the food industry — as other countries have done. Even if junk foods seem cheap, these are costing the country more. Public health will collapse as more young people develop diseases. Obesity doesn't just cause cancer — it can also lead to diabetes and heart disease. [16:19] What Needs to Change? The market needs to change to make healthy foods more accessible. The food industry also needs to assess the way they use additives and preservatives. It's not totally our fault that we're obese. This epidemic is driven by socioeconomic and cultural factors, in addition to the food industry. Widespread normalisation of a high BMI is also harmful since people don’t understand its consequences. While doctors can help treat your diseases with pills and surgeries, it will always come with risks. It’s your responsibility to prevent hospitalisation. Medication should not be your first and only option. [23:19] Start with Educating Yourself Preventing disease progression starts at an early stage. Some medical interventions may not be the cure to fix your health. There is a need for a holistic approach to health. In public health settings, most doctors only have 20 minutes to get to know a patient. This amount of time does not give them a complete picture of what the patient needs. Personalised health care starts with self-education. Do your research so you can ask specific questions to your doctor within the limited timeframe given to you. Dr Katherine shares that not only does obesity have compounding effects on health, it can also affect surgeries! Learn more about this in the complete episode. [31:13] How Obesity has Risen Over the Years Even if our lifespans have increased because of medicine, people are also dying earlier because of diseases. A study in New Zealand found that the standardised incidence of endometrial cancer used to be 1.9 per 100,000 population in 1996. This rate increased to 24.2 in 2012, with the Pacific Islanders' at 46.06. In 2013, around 34% of the population were within the range of a healthy BMI. This percentage has decreased sharply over the years. Preventing cancers, such as endometrial cancers, starts with losing weight and changing lifestyles. [37:05] Start Early It’s more difficult to reverse cancers and diseases than taking preventive measures. Diseases and cancers don’t happen overnight. It’s the result of malignant states developing over time. Not all cancers are preventable, but we can decrease our chances of developing them, especially with estrogen-dependent cancers. [40:20] Stop the Vicious Cycle Nowadays, it's commonly seen as politically incorrect to discuss obesity. Remember that our physical states impact our health, whether we like to hear them or not. Understand the consequences of obesity. These include the increased likelihood of infertility, cancer risk, diabetes, dementia, heart disease, and many more illnesses. Start with adopting lifestyle changes in terms of nutrition and movement. Eating unhealthy foods can cause a vicious cycle of degrading health, both physically and mentally. You can also seek more personalised healthcare from health coaches and other allied health professionals.
7 Powerful Quotes
‘We tax cigarettes, we take alcohol. Why aren't we taxing some of this junk food? It is of no benefit to people whatsoever.’
‘We need to do something and even if it is unpopular. So for example, taxing sugary food and drinks. It's got to be worthwhile.’
‘We can do operations that do amazing things, and really cure people of cancer, and improve their quality of life, but equally it shouldn't be the first option.’
‘But I think we've always got to look at the patient as a whole person. The least invasive cure, the better.’
'The more people we can keep out of the hospital, the better because it means we can deliver quality personalised health care.'
‘The more you can educate yourself, the better. So that when you get that 20 minutes in the public system, you've got the questions to ask, you know what you're going in for.’
‘It's also seen as politically incorrect to discuss obesity. But it's not politically incorrect. That's factual and it's a crisis. We need to stop pussyfooting around it.’
About Katherine
Dr Katherine Sowden is a highly respected gynaecologist and has been the Clinical Lead in Counties Manukau Health since 2014. She is also a Consultant Gynaecologist in Auckland Women's Gynaecology and Ormiston Specialist Centre.
Dr Katherine is a fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. She is currently the departmental lead for non-tertiary gynaecological oncology and focuses on the management of premalignant gynaecological conditions.
She provides a wide range of gynaecology services. You can find out more about her practice in Auckland Women's Gynae and Ormiston Specialists.
You can also reach Katherine by email.
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Lisa
The information contained in this show is not medical advice it is for educational purposes only and the opinions of guests are not the views of the show. Please seed your own medical advice from a registered medical professional.
