Obesity is serious because it is associated with poorer mental health outcomes and lower quality of life.
Obesity
is also associated with leading causes of death in the United States and the world, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers. In some people, obesity may be due to a medical cause, such as Prader-Willi syndrome, Cushing's syndrome and other conditions. Medical problems, such as arthritis, can also lead to decreased activity, which can result in weight gain.Type 2 diabetes is a disease that occurs when blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. About 8 out of 10 people with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese, 8 Over time, high blood glucose leads to problems such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, eye problems, nerve damage and other health problems. If you are at risk for type 2 diabetes, losing 5 to 7 percent of your body weight and getting regular physical activity can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. Losing 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can reduce your risk factors for developing heart disease.
If you weigh 200 pounds, this means losing as little as 10 pounds. Weight loss can improve blood pressure, cholesterol levels and blood flow. Sleep apnoea is a common disorder in which you do not breathe regularly during sleep. You may stop breathing completely for short periods of time.
Untreated sleep apnoea can increase the risk of other health problems, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions that put you at risk for heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Fatty liver disease is a condition in which fat accumulates in the liver. Fatty liver diseases include non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
Fatty liver disease can lead to severe liver damage, cirrhosis or even liver failure. Osteoarthritis is a common and long-lasting health problem that causes pain, swelling and reduced movement in the joints. Being overweight or obese can increase the risk of osteoarthritis by putting extra stress on joints and cartilage. Kidney disease means that your kidneys are damaged and cannot filter blood as they should.
Obesity increases your risk of diabetes and high blood pressure, which are the most common causes of kidney disease. Even if you do not have diabetes or high blood pressure, obesity can promote kidney disease and accelerate its progression. Obesity occurs when your body weight is higher than normal. Obesity is a disease that can cause a lot of damage to the body.
People with severe obesity are more prone to other diseases. These include type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, sleep apnoea and many more. Combined with obesity, these diseases can lead to poor health. In some cases, they can lead to poor quality of life, disability or premature death.
Excess weight, especially obesity, decreases almost every aspect of health, from reproductive and respiratory function to memory and mood. Obesity increases the risk of a number of debilitating and deadly diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. It does so through a number of pathways, some as simple as the mechanical stress of carrying the extra pounds and others involving complex changes in hormones and metabolism. Obesity decreases the quality and length of life, and increases individual, national and global health costs.
However, the good news is that weight loss can reduce some obesity-related risks. Losing as little as 5-10 per cent of body weight offers significant health benefits for obese people, even if they never reach their "ideal weight, and even if they only begin to lose weight later in life. Obesity harms virtually every aspect of health, from shortening lifespan and contributing to chronic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease to interfering with sexual function, breathing, mood and social interactions. Obesity is not necessarily a permanent condition.
Diet, exercise, medication and even surgery can lead to weight loss. However, it is much more difficult to lose weight than to gain it. Preventing obesity, starting at an early age and extending throughout life, could greatly improve individual and public health, reduce suffering and save billions of dollars each year in healthcare costs. Overweight and obesity develop over time when more calories are taken in than are used, or when more energy is taken in than is used.
When these patients develop certain obesity-related complications, they may be eligible for the following surgeries. Learn about the following ways the NHLBI continues to translate research and science into improved health for people who are overweight or obese. Cancers of the colon, breast (after menopause), endometrium (the lining of the uterus), kidney and oesophagus are linked to obesity. Being overweight and obese can increase the risk of gallbladder disease, such as gallstones and cholecystitis.
Inflammation can make the body less responsive to insulin and change the way the body metabolises fats and carbohydrates, leading to higher blood sugar levels and ultimately diabetes and its many complications. Although a biological link between obesity and depression has not yet been definitively identified, possible mechanisms include activation of inflammation, changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, insulin resistance and social or cultural factors. In a meta-analysis of seven prospective studies involving 333,000 subjects, obesity increased the risk of developing asthma in both men and women by 50 per cent. Children and adults should be screened at least once a year for an elevated or increasing body mass index (BMI), allowing doctors to recommend healthy lifestyle changes to prevent overweight and obesity.
People with obesity may eat more calories before they feel full, feel hungry earlier, or eat more because of stress or anxiety.
