"Weight Set Point Fixed at 116kg"... Professor Jang Hyeong-woo Explains the Cycle of Severe Obesity

Professor Jang Hyeong-woo of the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, who has experience losing weight from 118kg to 38kg, explained the physical mechanisms that severe obesity patients face and the difficulties of the weight loss process.

"The body tries to return to its original weight"... The principle of the weight set point

In the video, Professor Jang Hyeong-woo cited the concept of the 'weight set point' as the reason why it is difficult for severe obesity patients to maintain weight loss. Professor Jang explained, "The endocrine metabolic system is set to a specific weight (e.g., 116kg)," adding, "Just as a boiler thermostat is fixed at a certain temperature, the body tries to maintain that weight, so no matter how much you press it, it tries to return to its original state like a spring."

He added that the body creates a strong recoil the further it moves away from the set point in a state of severe obesity. Professor Jang stated, "The further you move from the set point, you can feel physical reactions such as your hands trembling," noting that this is a signal from the body indicating that it is not in a normal state.

From the Danish Diet to the Emperor Diet, a personal history of weight loss

Professor Jang shared his personal experiences of various diet methods he attempted in the past and their limitations. He shared that through the 'Danish Diet,' which he started at the suggestion of his mother at the time of his marriage, he lost 16kg, but subsequently returned to a weight in the 100kg range due to the heavy workload of his internship. He expressed the difficulty of maintaining a diet, mentioning an anecdote of quenching his thirst by drinking cola in the duty room at that time.

He also shared specific reflections on other methods he attempted afterward. He said that the 'Emperor Diet,' where one eats meat to their heart's content, was ineffective due to failure in controlling meat intake; 'Intermittent Fasting' had minimal effect because of overeating due to a compensation mentality during the permitted hours; and 'Low Carb High Fat' also showed limitations by plateauing at a certain level after weight loss for a certain period.

Precautions when using obesity medications and the attitude 'after weight loss'

Regarding recently widely used obesity medications, he emphasized medical precautions. While Professor Jang mentioned that obesity medications can help neutralize the weight set point, he warned, "Side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation commonly appear." He added that in particular, if the rule of increasing the dosage step-by-step is violated, there are cases where patients must be hospitalized for fluid therapy due to severe vomiting and diarrhea.

Furthermore, he specified that medication is strictly prohibited if certain diseases are present. He advised that those with a history of chronic pancreatitis, patients with medullary thyroid cancer, and pregnant women or women planning to become pregnant should avoid using the medication.

Finally, Professor Jang emphasized that weight loss through medication or surgery should be used as an 'opportunity to start exercising.' He suggested that it is important to combine exercise and diet management to maintain the lost weight, stating, "Once weight is lost, you will be able to exercise better than before."