Abstract

A PHYSIOCLINICAL STUDY OF OBESITY-AN AYURVEDIC APPROACH

Dr. Smriti Pandey*, Dr. Brajesh Gupta and Prof. P. C. Saxena

Abstract

Ayurveda is one of the ancient sciences. It emphasizes on health, disease and management by its own principles. In Ayurveda Obesity has been described as Sthaulyata which shows that it is a problem since very early days. Obesity is described as among the eight most unwanted diseases (Astha nindita purusha). The term Meda is referred to as fat which is described as Baddha meda i.e. deposited fat and Abaddha meda i.e. circulatory fat. Obesity is the most common nutritional disorder of our day to day society. It is caused due to overeating and lack of exercise. 40 subjects fulfilling the inclusion and the exclusion criteria were selected and later assessed on the basis of questionnaire of symptoms mentioned in Charaka Samhita, B.M.I., Anthropometric measurements and laboratory investigations. The disorders of Meda dhatu in relation to lipid disorders and endocrinal abnormalities were assessed. It was seen that as the B.M.I was increased, the Triglycerides and Cholesterol levels in the blood also increases. The increasing B.M.I has also relationship with blood glucose and hormones like T3 and T4. This study showed relation of Meda with Obesity and further studies are suggested on various fragments of Medo dhatu and should be analysed in large scale of patients.

Keywords: Meda, Obesity, B.M.I., Sthaulyata, Triglycerides, Cholesterol.