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The unusual case that recalls the problems of overweight
Recently, a news story was echoed that reported an unusual case that recalls the problems of being overweight. A 44-year-old man, Kyle Hippchen, lost the opportunity of a lifetime.
The native of the state of Florida was selected to enjoy a particular price. However, due to his excess body mass index, he was unable to fulfill one of his dreams.
Kyle Hippchen: the man who could not go to space due to being overweight
Hippchen, 44, is a pilot captain for Endeavor Air. After participating in a course sponsored by Space X for a trip to space, he surprisingly won. However, at the end of January it became known that he could not attend.
Recalling, Space X is the name of the company run by Elon Musk related to the technological and aerospace field. In 2021, they promoted a contest whose entry ticket was donations contributed by the community in general.
The winning premise was a tourist trip to space, and luckily, Hippchen won. After donating an approximate amount of $600 USD, he was contacted by the company's servers.
Almost a year later, Hippchen himself announced that unfortunately his weight exceeded the allowed limit. At this tirade, he donated his Dragon Space X entrance pass to one of his closest friends.
"It hurts too much to hear about something like this. I'm dealing with what happened, but sadly it is what it is. I needed to lose over 80 pounds in 6 months, which isn't impossible, but it's not the healthiest thing to do." - Hippchen commented.
The Space X team determined, after a medical checkup, that the captain weighed around 330 pounds. An excessive condition that was not compatible with the minimum allowed per seat: 250 pounds maximum.
With his hands tied and not to miss the opportunity, he handed the ticket to Chris Sembrowski. A former roommate at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with over 30 years of friendly relationship.
Overweight and obesity: counterproductive conditions for health
The anecdote of this aviation captain is not the only one that is experienced or commented on every year. You would be surprised to know the number of similar cases in which obesity limits the quality of life of people.
For some time now, both terms refer to an excessive accumulation of adipose (fat) tissue in the body. In the medium term, if bad lifestyle habits are not changed or the triggering factors are not nipped in the bud is detrimental to health.
According to the World Health Organization, the Body Mass Index (BMI) is a scale for the diagnosis of such disorders. In this sense, it is known that:
A Body Mass Index greater than a score of 25 to 30 is considered overweight.
When the digit obtained exceeds 30 or the upper limit, then you suffer from obesity.
It should be noted that, beyond being defined as disorders, it is important to remember that they are chronic diseases. Its impact on metabolism and complications in the body of multifactorial etiology are currently widely studied.
On the other hand, the data released by the WHO designate overweight and obesity as a silent pandemic. In short, it is a public health problem that has left millions of patients and millions of deaths. Compared to COVID-19, it can't even be matched.
How much do you know about the complications of obesity?
Exposing the complications of obesity is enough information for a separate topic. However, they can be summarized in those of rapid appearance and depending on the systems it affects:
Cardiovascular system
The excessive accumulation of adipose tissue is not only evident on the outside. It also has an internal component that is staged in the large blood vessels.
As the fat grows in its deposits, the excess sticks to the walls of the arteries. In a matter of time, their elasticity decreases, causing them to narrow as well.
In conclusion, chronic diseases such as high blood pressure do not take long to appear. Subsequently, the individual is prone to life-threatening events such as coronary heart disease, stroke and heart attack.
Endocrine system
In addition to arterial hypertension, the consolidation of diabetes is another complication of obesity. With its manifestation, the endocrine system (regulator of the metabolism of the individual) is totally affected.
Not only will there be a deficit in the metabolism of fatty acids, but also in glucose and proteins metabolism. Eventually, it will also be a bomb that brings with it neurological, visual, heart, intestinal, kidney problems and more.
Diabetes is a disease that, if not treated properly, describes its own complications. From the need for dialysis due to chronic kidney failure, to traumatic amputations due to diabetic foot syndrome.
Muscular and skeletal system
The overweight and obese body is subjected to high stress loads. The joints of the spine, pelvis, knee and ankle are the main affected. At the same time, the chronicity of this fact allows the development of underlying pathologies such as arthritis or osteoarthritis.
For their part, these individuals are more prone to fractures or muscle tears. Bone weakness or stiffness in the tendons are aspects that contribute to these structures deteriorating. In the end, it translates into an uncertain panorama of dependence and immobility.
Immune system
Finally, the immune system, the one in charge of the body's defenses, is depressed. Poor nutrition, as well as little access to essential nutrients and vitamins, limits this condition.
A diet high in fatty acids leaves out macronutrients such as protein. They are essential for the enzymatic processes that modulate the correct immune response.
As an additive, vitamins allow normal cell function, fortifying their metabolic and biochemical processes. Therefore, it is logical to think or conclude that, without its daily required contribution, its intrinsic properties are blocked.
It is for this reason that being overweight and obese is also predisposing to infectious diseases. Increases resistance to medical therapy, raising the risk of serious sequelae.
