Beware! Obesity can lead to severe brain pressure disorder

This disorder is caused due to high pressure in the brain. The major factor which leads to this disorder is a sudden increase in the amount of fluid found around the brain.

By: Satata Karmakar | | Published: January 26, 2021 10:46 am

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The brain is one of the most important organs of the human body. This organ is responsible for controlling and coordinating the actions and reactions. The brain is the vital organ of the human body which enables the thinking process, helps in creating memories and emotions – everything that together makes us a human. Also Read - Obesity, alcohol consumption can lower effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccines

But, there is so much more to it, this vital organ of the body is also very delicate and susceptible to various diseases and injuries. One of the most important out of everything is the brain pressure disorder. In this article, we will find out what factors can lead to this disorder and what can be done to prevent it. Also Read - Sedative drugs, curb on family visits may increase risk of acute brain dysfunction in Covid-19 ICU patients

What Is Brain Pressure Disorder?

A brain pressure disorder called idiopathic intracranial hypertension is on the rise, and the increase corresponds with rising obesity rates, a new study suggests. So, what is this disorder? Also Read - Brown fat may protect you against cardiac, metabolic conditions: How is it different from white fat?

This particular disorder is caused due to extremely high pressure in the brain. The major factor which leads to this disorder is a sudden increase in the amount of fluid that is found around the brain.

What Are The Warning Symptoms?

Idiopathic intracranial hypertension is when the pressure in the fluid surrounding the brain rises. It can mimic the symptoms of a brain tumour, causing chronic, disabling headaches, vision problems, and in rare cases, vision loss. It is most often diagnosed in women of childbearing age. Treatment is often weight loss and in some cases, surgery may be required.

Some of the other symptoms may include:

1. Increase in blood pressure

2. Confusions

3. Loss of consciousness, and

4. Loss of mental abilities

Obesity And Brain Pressure Disorder

“The considerable increase in idiopathic intracranial hypertension we found may be due to many factors but likely mostly due to rising obesity rates,” said researcher William Owen Pickrell from Swansea University in the UK.

For the study which was published in the journal Neurology, the researchers used a national healthcare database to analyze 35 million patient-years of data over a 15-year period, between 2003 and 2017 in Wales.

The researchers identified 1,765 people with idiopathic intracranial hypertension during that time. Of the group, 85 per cent were women.

Body Mass Index Played A Major Role

According to the reports, the research team recorded body mass index measurements for study participants. What is body mass index? how is it calculated?

Body mass index is calculated by dividing weight by height. For every one person with the disorder, researchers compared three people without it who were matched for gender, age, and socioeconomic status.

The socioeconomic status of each person with the disorder was determined by where they live, using a national scoring system that considers factors like income, employment, health, education, and access to services.

People in the study were then divided into five groups ranging from those with the fewest socioeconomic advantages to those with the most.

Steep Rise In The Numbers Of Cases Of This Disorder

Overall, researchers found a six-fold increase in the number of cases of the disorder over the course of the study. In 2003, for every 100,000 people, 12 were living with the disorder, compared to 76 people in 2017. Also, in 2013, for every 100,000 people, two were diagnosed during that year, compared to eight people in 2017.

The team found that the increasing number of people living with the disorder corresponded to rising obesity rates during the study, with 29 per cent of the population being obese in 2003 compared to 40 per cent in 2017.

Published : January 26, 2021 10:46 am

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