Understanding The Health Risks Of Being Overweight Or Obese
Excess pounds do not only contribute to your weight gain, but also increase your health risks. Overweight or obese individuals are liable to heart diseases, diabetes, cancer, stoke, stress and depression. However, weight loss can reduce these risks.
This article will enumerate the relationship which exists between weight and other health problems.
Pregnant women who are overweight will experience short and long term health problems, both for the mother and the unborn baby. With this fact, you agree there is a relationship between excess weight and many health conditions. This write up will also enumerate how attaining normal weight helps you stay healthy and live longer.
There are various types of health problems which are related to overweight and obesity, some of which are type 2 diabetes, pregnancy problems, high blood pressure, kidney disease, heart disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, certain type of cancer, sleep apnea, etc.
OVERWEIGHT AND YOUR HEALTH
A carrier of large extra pounds risks numerous different health problems such as the ones mentioned above as well as less common ailments like gall stones and gout. In fact, there exists a strong relationship between overweight as depression as this emotional disorder can negatively impart a person’s daily life. The risk of diabetes is increased twenty times in obese persons. In addition, obesity highly contributes to other health related problems in people. It is a fact that the higher the Body Mass Index (BMI) among obese people, the higher the likelihood of such people to contact these diseases. In summary, overweight or obesity results in many health problems.
OVERWEIGHT AND DEPRESSION
Research has shown that many people gain due to depression and alternatively, a lot of people become depressed due to overweight.
Below are some reasons why obesity may lead to depression:
- Both conditions may be a response to stress and alteration in brain chemistry.
- Physiological factors such as lower self esteem.
- Eating disorders, physical discomfort of the condition as well as odd eating patterns.
In order words, depression may result in obesity due to:
- Increased level of stress hormones which alter body cells by causing accumulation of fat in the belly.
- Lack of zeal to engage in regular exercises which result in weight gain.
- Some depression relief medications which are prone to weight gain.
OVERWEIGHT, HEART DISEASE AND STROKE
Individuals with excess weight encounters common health problems mainly heart disease and stroke. Studies have revealed that obese or overweight people are six times liable to high blood pressure than lean individuals. Besides, research revealed that being overweight boosted heart disease risk by 32% while obesity boosted the risk by 81%.research further shows that overweight individuals encounter 22% higher risk of stroke when compared to individuals with normal weight. However, for obese individuals, that risk increases to 64%.
Weight loss can help reduce heart disease by improving blood pressure, blood flow and cholesterol levels. It also helps to reduce stroke by keeping the blood pressure under control, reduce blood sugar and improve your cholesterol.
OVERWEIGHT AND DIABETES
There is a strong link between overweight or obesity and diabetes. In fact, experts have termed this “diabesity.” According to research, around 90% of type 2 diabetes patients are overweight or obese. One of the symptoms of metabolic syndrome is an elevated blood sugar. This is a characteristic of diabetes. Left unattended, diabetes can result in many life threatening health products like blindness, kidney failure and leg or foot amputation. Do you know that the dreaded diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States?
Weight loss and increased physical activity can help prevent the onset of diabetes by controlling your blood sugar level.
OVERWEIGHT AND CANCER
According to experts, obesity is the second leading causes of cancer deaths after smoking. According to American cancer society, there is a relationship between overweight and varieties of cancer. According to research,
- Obesity and overweight account for 40% of cancer deaths in men and 20% in women.
- Higher BMI is linked with an increased risk of death from cancer of colon, rectum, gall bladder, liver, kidney and pancreas.
- Overweight and obesity in men also increased the risk of death from stomach or prostate cancer.
- Women with high BMI risk death arising from breast cancer, cervix, uterus or ovary.
Weight loss prevents a rise in the risk of cancer. This health problem can be lowered through healthy eating and regular physical activity.
OVERWEIGHT AND HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
There are many ways in which high blood pressure is linked to overweight. A large body increases blood pressure since the heart requires additional energy for pumping harder to supply blood to the cells. Besides, excessive can destroy the kidneys and prevent them from regulating blood pressure. Weight loss helps to lower your blood pressure, however, it is essential you quit smoking, reduce salt intake, and embark on regular physical activity.
OVERWEIGHT AND KIDNEY DISEASE
One of the most common causes of chronic kidney disease is the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure. This risk is increased by obesity. Research has shown that without these risks, obesity alone can trigger chronic kidney disease and accelerate it.
Weight loss can help by slowing down the disease and ensure your kidneys are healthier. Besides, you should consider diets with less salt; control your blood pressure and blood glucose.
OVERWEIGHT AND LIFESPAN
Excess weight contributes to numerous common and deadly diseases, hence, overweight and obesity can cut years off a person’s life. Medical research has shown that death rate increase between 20 to 40 per cent among overweight people at mid life.
LOSS WEIGHT AND ENJOY HEALTH
There are numerous health benefits associated with weight loss. Shedding excess pounds makes you feel healthy, both physically and emotionally. Besides, you have low mortality rate, live longer and enjoy quality healthier life.
An important point here is that you do not require a great amount of weight loss to become healthier. In fact, between 5% to 10% weight loss can bring tremendous health benefits. For instance, weight loss is so potent to the extent that a lot of people who are hypertensive can stop high blood pressure or medication upon losing weight. Besides, a study has revealed that among patients who suffered type 2 diabetes, those who lost as low as 7% of their weight coupled with daily half hour exercise cut their diabetes risk by 60%.
