Medical Risks of Obesity
What are the risks to my health from being
overweight?
Weighing too much may increase your risk for developing many health
problems. If you are overweight or obese on a body mass index (BMI) chart
you may be at risk for:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Heart disease and stroke
- Cancer
- Sleep apnea
- Osteoarthritis
- Gallbladder disease
- Fatty liver disease.
You can lower your health risks by losing as little as 10 to 20 pounds.
Type 2 diabetes
What is it?
Type 2 diabetes used to be called adult-onset diabetes or noninsulindependent
diabetes. It is the most common type of diabetes in the U.S.
Type 2 diabetes is a disease in which blood sugar levels are above normal.
High blood sugar is a major cause of early death, heart disease, kidney
disease, stroke, and blindness.
How is it linked to overweight?
More than 80 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight. It is
not known exactly why people who are overweight are more likely to
suffer from this disease. It may be that being overweight causes cells to
change, making them less effective at using sugar
from the blood. This then puts stress on the cells that
produce insulin (a hormone that carries sugar from
the blood to cells) and makes them gradually fail.
What can weight loss do?
You can lower your risk for developing type 2
diabetes by losing weight and increasing the amount
of physical activity you do. If you have type 2
diabetes, losing weight and becoming more
physically active can help you control your blood
sugar levels. Losing weight and exercising more may
also allow you to reduce the amount of diabetes
medication you take.
Heart disease and stroke
What is it?
Heart disease means that the heart and circulation
(blood flow) are not functioning normally. If you
have heart disease, you may suffer from a heart
attack, congestive heart failure, sudden cardiac
death, angina (chest pain), or abnormal heart
rhythm. During a stroke, blood and oxygen do not
flow normally to the brain, possibly causing paralysis
or death. Heart disease is the leading cause of death
in the U.S., and stroke is the third leading cause.
How is it linked to overweight?
People who are overweight are more likely to suffer
from high blood pressure, high levels of triglycerides
(blood fats) and LDL cholesterol (a fat-like substance
often called the "bad cholesterol"), and low levels of
HDL cholesterol (the "good cholesterol"). These are all
risk factors for heart disease and stroke. In addition,
people with more body fat have higher blood levels
of substances that cause inflammation.
Inflammation in blood vessels and throughout the
body may raise heart disease risk.
What can weight loss do?
Losing 5 to 15 percent of your weight can lower your
chances for developing heart disease or having a
stroke. If you weigh 200 pounds, this means losing as
little as 10 pounds. Weight loss may improve your
blood pressure, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels;
improve how your heart works and your blood flows;
and decrease inflammation throughout your body.
Cancer
What is it?
Cancer occurs when cells in one part of the body,
such as the colon, grow abnormally or out of control
and possibly spread to other parts of the body, such
as the liver. Cancer is the second leading cause of
death in the U.S.
How is it linked to overweight?
Being overweight may increase the risk of developing
several types of cancer, including cancers of the
colon, esophagus, and kidney. Overweight is also
linked with uterine and postmenopausal breast
cancer in women. Gaining weight during adult life
increases the risk for several of these cancers. Being
overweight also may increase the risk of dying from
some cancers. It is not known exactly how being
overweight increases cancer risk. It may be that fat
cells make hormones that affect cell growth and lead
to cancer. Also, eating or physical activity habits that
may lead to being overweight may also contribute to
cancer risk.
What can weight loss do?
Avoiding weight gain may prevent a rise in cancer
risk. Weight loss, and healthy eating and physical
activity habits, may lower cancer risk.
Sleep Apnea
What is it?
Sleep apnea is a condition in which a person stops
breathing for short periods during the night. A
person who has sleep apnea may suffer from daytime
sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, and even heart
failure.
How is it linked to overweight?
The risk for sleep apnea is higher for people who are
overweight. A person who is overweight may have
more fat stored around his or her neck. This may
make the airway smaller. A smaller airway can make
breathing difficult, loud (snoring), or stop altogether.
In addition, fat stored in the neck and throughout
the body can produce substances that cause
inflammation. Inflammation in the neck may be a
risk factor for sleep apnea.
What can weight loss do?
Weight loss usually improves sleep apnea. Weight
loss may help to decrease neck size and lessen
inflammation.
Osteoarthritis
What is it?
Osteoarthritis is a common joint disorder. With
osteoarthritis, the joint bone and cartilage (tissue
that protects joints) wear away. Osteoarthritis most
often affects the joints of the knees, hips, and lower
back.
How is it linked to overweight?
Extra weight may place extra pressure on joints and
cartilage, causing them to wear away. In addition,
people with more body fat may have higher blood
levels of substances that cause inflammation.
Inflammation at the joints may raise the risk for
osteoarthritis.
What can weight loss do?
Weight loss can decrease stress on your knees, hips,
and lower back, and lessen inflammation in your
body. If you have osteoarthritis, losing weight may
help improve your symptoms.
Gallbladder Disease
What is it?
Gallstones are clusters of solid material that form in
the gallbladder. They are made mostly of cholesterol
and can sometimes cause abdominal or back pain.
How is it linked to overweight?
People who are overweight have a higher risk for
developing gallbladder disease and gallstones. They
may produce more cholesterol, a risk factor for
gallstones. Also, people who are overweight may
have an enlarged gallbladder, which may not work
properly.
What can weight loss do?
Weight loss - especially fast weight loss (more than 3
pounds per week) or loss of a large amount of
weight - can actually increase your chance of
developing gallstones. Modest, slow weight loss of
about 1/2 to 2 pounds a week is less likely to cause
gallstones.
Fatty Liver Disease
What is it?
Fatty liver disease occurs when fat builds up in the
liver cells and causes injury and inflammation in the
liver. It can sometimes lead to severe liver damage,
cirrhosis (build-up of scar tissue that blocks proper
blood flow in the liver), or even liver failure. Fatty
liver disease is like alcoholic liver damage, but it is
not caused by alcohol and can occur in people who
drink little or no alcohol.
The National Digestive
How is it linked to overweight?
People who have diabetes or 'pre-diabetes' (when
blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not
yet in the diabetic range) are more likely to have
fatty liver disease than people without these
conditions. And people who are overweight are more
likely to have diabetes (see Type 2 diabetes above). It
is not known why some people who are overweight
or diabetic get fatty liver and others do not.
What can weight loss do?
Losing weight can help you control your blood sugar
levels. It can also reduce the build-up of fat in your
liver and prevent further injury. People with fatty
liver disease should avoid drinking alcohol.
How can I lower my health risks?
If you are overweight, losing as little as 5 percent of
your body weight may lower your risk for several
diseases, including heart disease and diabetes. If you
weigh 200 pounds, this means losing 10 pounds. Slow
and steady weight loss of 1/2 to 2 pounds per week,
and not more than 3 pounds per week, is the safest
way to lose weight.
To lose weight and keep it off over time, try to make
long-term changes in your eating and physical
activity habits. Choose healthy foods, such as
vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat meat
and dairy products, more often and eat just enough
food to satisfy you. Try to do at least 30 minutes of
moderate-intensity physical activity - like walking -
on most days of the week, preferably every day. To
lose weight, or to maintain weight loss, you may
need to do more than 30 minutes of moderate
physical activity daily.