Obesity is not just about being overweight; it’s a major risk factor for high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and diabetes, all of which are associated with a greater incidence of suffering from a heart attack or stroke.
Heart Disease and Stroke. Obesity has been long associated with heart disease, which is the leading cause of death.
A risk factor for coronary heart disease is high cholesterol. When too much LDL-cholesterol, commonly known as the bad cholesterol, is in the heart, this leads to a buildup of cholesterol in the arteries.
The buildup of fatty deposits can result in a block in the blood vessel. When this happens in the heart, it is known as a heart attack. The disrupted blood flow causes the death of heart muscles. Likewise, when this happens in the brain, it is known as a stroke. The disrupted blood flow causes damage to the brain cells.
Diabetes. Type 2 Diabetes and obesity have sometimes dubbed as ‘the twin disease’, due to the fact that approximately 80% of people suffering from diabetes are also obese.
If you are obese, statistics show that you are five times more likely to develop diabetes than a person with average weight.
Do note that hypertension, stroke and heart disease are also very closely linked to diabetes.
High Blood Pressure. High blood pressure stresses the heart because it has to pump more forcefully than normal to force blood into the arteries against the higher pressure.
A person with a BMI of 30 and above is two times more likely to have high blood pressure.
Cancer. Excess weight has been associated with an increased risk of certain types of cancers. These cancers include cancers of the colon, oesophagus and kidney, in both men and women.
In women, breast, ovarian, cervical and uterine cancer risk all increase with excess body weight. As for overweight postmenopausal women, they have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.
Liver Disease. Obesity is one of the culprits of creating a fatty liver. Too much fat in the liver can lead to inflammation of the liver problems such as cirrhosis and liver damage.
Gout. Gout is a form of arthritis characterized by a sharp pain and inflammation of a joint, especially the big toe, with swelling, warmth and redness around the affected area.
This is due to increased level of uric acid in the body. Gout is strongly associated with obesity.
Sleep Apnea. Many overweight people suffer from this condition, whereby breathing stops during sleep for 10 seconds or more, sometimes more than 300 times a night.
As this affects a person’s sleep quality, it can cause the person to experience sleepiness or fatigue during the day.
Read Effective Weight Loss Solutions to Manage Obesity.
