Globally, obesity is a bigger problem than starvation

Thursday, 27. January 2022 – 16:41

Too much belly fat is dangerous

“We often think: a few kilos more, it doesn’t matter that much. But being overweight is a serious problem and too much belly fat can have major consequences. In addition to the well-known overweight-related diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, it can also cause sadness, cancer and infertility,” says Van Rossum. We also saw the consequences in the corona pandemic.

“The coronavirus crisis is an acute viral pandemic, but obesity is a chronic pandemic. Obesity contributed to the impact of corona on society because being overweight increases the risk of a serious course. Eighty percent of people with corona in the ICU are overweight. Obesity is really a disease, in which especially the hormonally active belly fat starts to dysfunction, and that’s how we should look at it. We often only start treatment when someone has already had a heart attack, a new knee or has become depressed. All things that are often related to being overweight. At the same time, healthcare is becoming unaffordable.”

According to the internist, the solution is already there: prevention and treatment. “Why don’t we invest more in that? Why don’t we guide patients better? Everyone has to do with food. And with combustion, stress, sleep. All kinds of factors that influence each other and that all play a part. ‘Going on a diet’ is not an obesity treatment. As scientists, we know how complex it is and it is our job to make this knowledge more accessible and to discuss it. Moreover, research is also done with government subsidies, so it is only natural to give this back to society. That’s what we do it for.”

Van Rossum: successful scientist

Liesbeth van Rossum was named European leader in obesity research in 2020 and was named Rotterdam Woman of the Year in 2021. She was also chair of the Young Erasmus Academy, a selection of young top scientists whose aim, among other things, is to make science accessible to a wide audience. Van Rossum herself was the first to give her inaugural lecture ‘Fat is not for fun’ in a new style. This inaugural lecture was broadcast live on YouTube in 2017, has more than 150,000 views and can still be viewed.

VET important, an international bestseller

Together with fellow doctor and scientist Mariëtte Boon, Van Rossum wrote the book ‘VET important’. A book that is now available in 11 languages ​​and has won several audience awards. “I often told the same story during my consultation hours. I wanted to make this information more accessible to a wider audience. It’s just not fair to keep scientific knowledge just for science. This knowledge can concretely contribute to solutions for social issues. We have written the book as accessible as possible. And of course we looked for ways not to write it dry, but in a fun way how you can influence your appetite and weight in surprising ways, and we were pleasantly surprised by all the enthusiastic reviews.”

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