Obesity and excess weight are defined according to the world health organization (WHO) as an excessive accumulation of fat that can be dangerous to your health.

Obesity has high prevalence in the USA and in México. It is projected to overpass tobacco as the most important modifiable economic risk in public health and disease.

It sounds as a paradox that malnourishment exists on a obese patient.

But it is documented and publications of studies were you identify that the deficiencies on micronutrients are more prevalent in children and adults with excess weight and obesity, especially on morbid obesity.

Obesity and excess weight are the result of the excessive intake of calories. Consuming excessive calories to what the body needs does not mean that the individual is eating lots of fruits or green leafy vegetables or legumes which are not processed foods.

The micronutrients function as cofactors in metabolic pathways for the use of insulin to protect us against diabetes and fat burning purposes.

Unfortunately food industry offers us, cheap, processed food. Rich in

transfat, poor in fiber, sodium and sugar rich and calorie dense food. That thus by itself is one of the reasons people become overweight anyway.

The micronutrients more commonly deficient in overweight and obese people vary from

vitamin D, Chromium, Biotin, Thiamin, and vitamin C. Studies with adults with extreme obesity that are undergoing bariatric surgery also suffer from Vitamin A and E deficiency.

The risk of these deficiencies in micronutrients is do mainly to a poor diet.

The "Journal of The American College of Nutrition" published a study by Donald Davis PhD.

The difference among

43 fruits y vegetables

between 1950 and 1999.

The statistics were significant in six nutrients :

proteín, Ca, Fe, riboflavine and

ascorbic acid.

What can you do ?

1) Eat fruits and vegetables daily, preferably organic.

2) Choose bright dark colors when choosing your produce.

3) Preferably eat your produce raw.

4) Pay attention if you are going to cook them, they lose nutrients if you boil the, prefer to just steam your veggies.

5) Keep your produce whole, when chopped they begin to lose nutrients, now a days its easy to buy chopped prepacked- apples, but keep in mind

that nutritional value will not be the same.

Here at the Obesity Control Center the importance of the micronutrients is explained to our patients, and we highly recommend the process of supplementation before a bariatric procedure.

Gabriella Miranda M.D

Michael Via. The Malnutrition of Obesity: Micronutrient Deficiencies That Promote Diabetes. ISRN Endocrinology Volume, page 1-8.

Stavra A. Xanthakos, MD, MS. Nutritional Deficiencies in Obesity and After Bariatric Surgery. Pediatri Clin North Am. 2009 October; 56 (5): 1105-1121.

Donald R Davis, PhD, FACN, Melvin D Eppp, PhD and Hugh D Riordan, MD Changes in USDA Food Composition Data for 43 Garden Crops, 1950 to 1999. Jpurnal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol 23, No 6. 669-682 (2004)

Gabriella Miranda Miranda

Office: Obesity Control Center

Leona Vicario 1510, 2nd Floor

Zona Rio Tijuana, Baja California, México.

ZIP: 22320

Phone (México): 011 52 (664) 6 849505

Email: drmiranda@obesitycontrolcenter.com