Obesity and being overweight considerably increases the risk of many health problems. There are plenty of effects of obesity, including diabetes, cancers and most heart diseases.
Pregnant women who are obese may have a negative long term and short term health effects on both the mother and the child.
Basically, excess weight is linked to a number of health conditions, which is why it is essential to maintain a standard weight to help one grow along with their loved ones.
What is Obesity?
Obesity is a severe and chronic disease that affects the body negatively. Obese or overweight people are at a much higher risk of developing severe health conditions like heart disease, bone and joint disease, diabetes, etc.
Health Effects of Obesity
Obesity is extremely harmful to human health. Each year, obesity leads to a number of deaths and a huge cost to the individual. The health effects of obesity are if not controlled deadly, some of the major health effects of obesity include.
High Blood Pressure-
Obesity means additional fat tissue in the body, which, in turn, needs more oxygen and nutrients. In order to survive, the nutrients need the blood vessels to circulate more blood to the fat tissue. This procedure increases the workload on the heart as it needs to pump more blood through the additional blood vessels. Moreover, with an increase in the blood circulation, the pressure on the artery walls increases considerably, which thereby increases the blood pressure. In short, heart health is considerably compromised and can lead to a number of complications.
Heart Disease-
A heart disease, atherosclerosis, hardening of the arteries is ten times more likely to be present in people suffering from obesity than compared to those who are not. Moreover, obesity may also trigger the coronary artery disease as the fatty deposits build up in the arteries supplying blood to the heart. Besides, it may lead to narrow arteries and reduced blood flow to the heart that can cause angina (chest pain) or even heart attack.
Diabetes-
Obesity is among the leading causes of type 2 diabetes. Usually seen in adulthood, the disease is making an appearance in children as well. Obesity leads to insulin resistance due to which blood sugar levels elevate.
Psychological Effects-
Overweight and obese people may undergo a number of emotionally traumatising experiences on a daily basis. Teasing, lower incomes, no romantic relationships, discrimination, and torment are just some of the things an overweight person may have to go through. This may be particularly stressful for the person who is obese.
Joint Problems (Osteoarthritis)-
Obesity may pose a negative threat for the joints as well due to the extra weight in the knees and the hips. Moreover, even joint replacement surgery might not be a favourable option for a person suffering from obesity. Because it is believed that the artificial joint has a higher risk of causing further damage.
Sleep Apnea and other respiratory problems-
Sleep apnea is a condition which stops breathing for brief periods of time. Also, it interrupts the sleep throughout the night and causes sleepiness during the day. The major reason behind respiratory problems due to obesity is the added weight in the walls of the chest. It squeezes the lungs causing restrictive breathing.
Metabolic Syndrome-
It is a major risk factor leading to cardiovascular disease. It consists of major components indicating inflammation, the elevation of clotting facts in the blood.
May 31, 2019
May 30, 2018