How Obesity Reflects on Our Health

What causes obesity?

We are all well-acknowledged with the most common cause for obesity, and that is eating more calories than you actually burn throughout the day due to physical inactivity. Leading a sedentary life is what leads people to become obese and overweight in most cases. However, other factors such as hormonal changes, use of certain medications, genetics, pregnancy, certain medical conditions, etc. can quite easily lead to obesity.

The negative effects that obesity has on our health

You might think that weight loss and low self-confidence are the only and most important negative effects that obesity causes. But the truth is, the damage is far greater than that. Obesity is a condition that has negative effects on each and everybody organ – from your bones and muscles to your kidneys, liver, heart, brain and so on – there is nobody organ that is not affected by the negative effects of obesity. In the following, we will discuss the biggest health risks that come with obesity.

• High blood pressure – Since there is additional fat tissue being present in the body, a need for more oxygen to be delivered to this additional tissue is created in order for it to survive. This means that more blood needs to circulate on a daily level in order for all of the tissues in the body to live on. And since more blood is needed to circulate, the workload of the heart is increased. More blood being pumped creates additional pressure on the arterial walls, which on the other hand, increases the blood pressure which results in high blood pressure or hypertension. And high blood pressure it is a problem for itself, increasing the risk for numerous health risks.
• High cholesterol levels – A problem that most obese people suffer from is high cholesterol levels. The increase, of course, happens due to the unhealthy diet that has led to obesity in the first place. Once you pair high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure in our body, numerous dangerous effects are expected to occur.
• Heart disease and heart attack – One of the most common health risks that come with high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels due to obesity is the increased risk of heart disease and heart attack. It has been estimated that obesity increases the risk of heart disease by 81%. Atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, and heart attack are among the most common cardiovascular problems that develop due to obesity.
• Stroke – Increased risk of stroke and the many complications that follow afterward is yet another great negative effect that comes as you get closer and closer to being obese. The good news is of course that as soon as you start eating right exercising regularly and losing that extra weight, you are effectively reducing the risk.

• Diabetes – Diabetes, and obesity are so closely linked together that there is even a term that is being used to refer to both of these conditions. The term is known as “diabesity.” It has been estimated that 90% of the patients who have diabetes are overweight or obese.
• Metabolic syndrome – Metabolic syndrome is a term that is being used to refer to a cluster of six conditions in total – abdominal obesity, increased cholesterol levels, increased blood pressure, insulin resistance, inflammation, and elevation of certain clogging blood factors. Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of heart disease and heart attack as well as stroke.
• Cancer – Obesity is a known risk factor for prostate cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, uterus cancer, gallbladder cancer, etc. in both men and women. The risk is especially higher in individuals with a family history and other risk factors for any type of cancer, both benign and malignant.
• Joint problems – Gout, one of the most common types of arthritis, is most commonly caused by obesity due to the unhealthy diet and excessive drinking that had led to obesity in the first place. Osteoarthritis, another quite common type of arthritis, is as well commonly caused by obesity. The extra weight puts additional pressure on the joints, especially to the hips and knees. To make it even worse, knee replacement surgery, which is the most common treatment plan for people with joint problems, is not a recommended procedure for obese patients due to the possibility of the artificial joint becoming loose and causing further damage.
• Respiratory problems – High blood pressure, as well as the added weight to the chest wall that squeezes the lungs and restricts the normal breathing process due to obesity, is what leads to common respiratory problems. Sleep apnea is among the most dangerous ones, and unfortunately, it is commonly caused by high blood pressure due to obesity.

Conclusion

You can see for yourself that obesity exposes your body to major health risks that actually put your life in danger. Obesity is an illness of its own, and your body deserves for you to put up a good fight against this illness and fight your way to success. Eliminate the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, joint problems and much more by simply changing your lifestyle and choosing a diet plan and exercise routine that you are about to follow. Your body and mind will thank you for it! Do not let obesity take over your life.