Obesity and Health.
Obesity and health are inversely proportionate – meaning the greater the weight the more unhealthy you become. Being obese or fat, isn’t just a cosmetic problem. Obesity is highly dangerous to health and is labeled as a disease of epidemic proportions. Obesity statistics tell us that obesity is the second highest cause of preventable deaths in the US.
Obesity health risks are a reality and the effects of obesity do not just end with one health condition, but a variety of health disorders, each of which can be serious. Consequences of obesity on health spread across every medical specialty.
It is the central abdominal obesity where visceral fat deposits are present which poses the obesity health risks. This is the apple obesity and not the pear shaped obesity which has a dangerous obesity effect on health.
Effect of Obesity|Risks of Obesity.
The effects of obesity are wide ranging and cover not only health issues but mental problems as well. It is necessary for all of you obese people to know the consequences of obesity in their full form in order to be motivated to reduce weight. Do know that reduction of even 5% to !0% of your weight can substantially reduce your risks of obesity.
Image showing health effects of obesity.
Some complications of obesity require an extended explanation. You could follow the link alongside the effect, to know the how and why of that obesity risk.
1) Increased blood pressure. Do read obesity and blood pressure for details.
2) Diabetes. For brief details on this effect of obesity do read obesity and diabetes.
3) Obesity and Cholesterol.
Obesity tends to raise LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides and lower HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol). Due to high levels of cholesterol and fats in the blood of obese people, fatty deposits or plaques develop on the inner walls of the arteries. This is called atherosclerosis. This results in narrowing of the arteries and subsequently to less blood flow to various parts of the body, including the heart. Atherosclerosis is ten times more prevalent among obese people than people of normal weight
4) Obesity and Heart.
Cardiovascular diseases like angina, heart attack and congestive cardiac failure. For details, you could refer to obesity and heart.
5) Obesity and Deep Vein Thrombosis.
Obesity is associated to increased blood clots. The reason is yet to be established. Women with excess fat deposits around the hips while men with increased fat deposits around the waist are more prone to blood clots. Obese people are more prone to deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This is development of a thrombus in the deep veins of the leg which can travel and cause serious conditions such as pulmonary embolism. However, obesity alone may not be responsible is what research now says and more evidence is required. Other associated conditions such as age, illness, immobility and history play an important role too.
6) Stroke. Do read obesity and brain.
7) Sleep apnea. Do read obesity and sleep.
Obesity and Cancer.
This is a frightening effect of obesity enough to goad an obese person to start losing weight. Obese people are at a higher risk of getting cancer. Cancer of the endometrium (lining of the uterus), post menopausal breast cancer and cancer of the colon are the most common cancer complications of obesity. Other cancers which can also be caused due to obesity are cancer of the gall bladder, prostate and kidneys. For a little detailed report, you could read obesity and cancer.
9) Obesity and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
The effect of obesity on the wrist is carpal tunnel syndrome. This is compression of the median nerve in the wrist giving rise to pain and tingling and numbness in the hand. Carpal tunnel syndrome is four times more common in obese people than in people of normal weight.
10) Asthma. Do read obesity and asthma for details in brief.
11) Gallbladder stones. Do read obesity risk of gallstones.
12) Liver diseases like fatty liver and cirrhosis. Do read obesity and liver.
13) Obesity and Arthritis.
Obesity affects the joints as the joints have to bear the extra weight of the obese person. About 35% of obese adults suffer from arthritis which makes them immobile and incapable to exercise, thereby adding to the woes of the obese person who is eager to reduce his or her weight. Osteoarthritis of the knee is the most common among these complications of obesity but hip, back and hand may also be affected. Obesity also increases the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Every 2 pounds gained starts increasing the risk of osteoarthritis. However, losing weight up to 5 kgs could start reducing the symptoms
14) Obesity and Gout.
According to recent research, obesity is one of the primary causes of gout. About half the people who suffer from gout are overweight. Obesity puts a very high strain on the kidneys, which, as a result do not function to optimal levels. Excretion of uric acid is hampered and this leads to uric acid build up in the blood, leading to gout.
15) Obesity risk of chronic venous insufficiency.
Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is inability of the veins of the legs to return blood back to the heart against gravity. This is due to weak valves in these veins and lack of adequate pumping action by the leg muscles. Although obesity does not directly cause chronic venous insufficiency, other factors associated with obesity directly contribute to this condition. These factors are raised blood pressure, lack of physical activity and joint problems (arthritis) which makes the obese person sedentary. CVI can lead to varicose veins.
16) Obesity and Lowered Immunity.
How or why immunity drops because of obesity is still not known, but scientists do maintain that obese people show a higher tendency to catch infections. Obesity does harm the immune system and the immune cells do not show the same efficacy to fight infection as a person with normal weight.
17) Obesity and Kidney Failure.
Research indicates that due to obesity kidney failure risks are increased and this risk increases with increasing BMI. Men and women who are or were obese were 3 to 4 times more likely to develop renal failure than people of normal weight. This is possibly due to the fact that the kidneys are forced to constantly work harder in obese people. Obesity also increases the risk of kidney disease such as cancer of the kidney.
18) Obesity and Menstruation. Scanty or no periods in obese women. Do read obesity and menstruation.
19) Infertility. Do read obesity and infertility.
20) Increased risk during pregnancy, during labor and to the fetus. Do read obesity and pregnancy.
21) Obesity and GERD.
Studies do indicate that obesity does increase risk of GERD (gastro esophageal reflux) or heartburn. This risk can also be associated with erosive esophagitis and cancer of the esophagus. Studies also indicate rise of GERD symptoms with rise in BMI.
Researchers are not sure of the connection between obesity and GERD but theories do mention of compression of the stomach by visceral or abdominal fat leading to stomach contents getting refluxed into the esophagus. Another reason could be fatty and fried foods which form the mainstay of the fat person’s diet.
22) Obesity and Stress incontinence.
Urinary stress incontinence is involuntary passing of urine. It is more common in women after pregnancy and delivery. It results due to weakening of the urethra and the pelvic floor muscles. In obesity, especially morbid obesity, stress incontinence and urge incontinence is common especially among women.
Increased abdominal pressure due to abdominal fat and weakening of the urethral valve and pelvic floor muscles seem to be the cause.
23) Psychological and social problems. Do read obesity and mental health.
24) Obesity Risk of Premature Death.
A report from The Guardian. mentions that moderate obesity can shorten life by up to 3 years while severe obesity can shorten life by 10 years. The combination of the effects of obesity such as diabetes, hypertension and increased cholesterol seem to be responsible for these premature deaths.
25) Obesity and H1N1.
Extreme obesity is very susceptible to H1N1 pandemic influenza infection. Extreme obese people with a BMI of more than 40 were three times more like to die of H1N1 than people with normal weight. The death risk increases with higher BMI. A survey of 2009 showed that half of Californians above the age of 20 years who were admitted to the hospitals with H1N1 infection were obese. Obese people should see their doctor at the earliest if any symptoms of flu develop. Obese people with BMI of 40 or more should get themselves vaccinated for influenza annually.
26) Obesity and Metabolic syndrome.
Metabolic syndrome is necessarily a health disorder of the obese people. It is characterized by a big waist circumference, raised blood pressure, elevated triglycerides, reduced HDL cholesterol, diabetes, presence of insulin resistance and an increased risk of clotting.
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