The Risk Factors of Obesity

In a world where media and societal mores hold beauty and fitness to high standards, an overweight person can feel depressed, left out, and suffer low self-worth. Television and fashion magazines bombard us with pictures of reed-thin models and actresses and athletes with washboard abs, glamorizing certain impossible ideals to a point that a normal person is destined to feel inadequate. One can imagine how an overweight or morbidly obese person must feel to be exposed to this environment.

Aside from emotional factors that come into play, obesity brings with it various health risks that must be addressed first.

Low Mortality Rate

The Center for Disease Control attributes 300,000 deaths in the US annually to obesity-related illnesses. People with a BMI of 30 or above suffer a 50-100% increased risk of premature death from illness as opposed to people at normal weight levels.

Arthritis

As a person gains weight, the pressure in the body to carry the extra load increases. As a result, overweight people suffer an increased risk of pain in the joints, in particular osteoarthritis – which affects the knees, hips and back.

Heart Disease

As high blood pressure is more common among overweight people than people at normal weight levels, so increases the risk for heart disease. Instances of high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol as found in obese patient can increase the chances for heart attack, angina, and congestive heart failure.

Deep Vein Thrombosis

Deep Vein Thrombosis, or DVT, is characterized by a clot in the leg veins that forms after a prolonged period of inactivity. While DVT is common among people confined to wheelchairs and business travelers who sit for long commerical flights, DVT can present a problem for the obese. Immobility plays a large factor.

Stroke

Obesity is often associated with inactivity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, the same conditions which may cause blood clots to form in the arteries. These clots in turn slow blood flow to the heart and cause strokes.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a condition where a person will stop breathing while asleep. As excess fat crowding air passageways leads to this condition, obese patients often suffer sleep apnea. Lack of blood flow to the body during sleep can contribute to drowsiness during the day, headaches, and a host of other problems.

Type 2 Diabetes

Commonly known as adult onset diabetes, Type-II diabetes is thought to be caused by the body’s gradual inability to use insulin. Prolonged inactivity, obesity, and age are common factors in the increasing risk of onset diabetes. As a person gains an inordinate amount of weight, blood sugar levels can fluctuate out of control and lead to serious imbalances.

Reduce the risks associated with obesity

It’s as simple as this: the more excess weight you lose, the better your risks of serious illness will decrease. An exceptional loss of weight can be the difference between having to have surgery for arthritis or dealing with minor physical therapy. First, though, you have to lose the weight. Consult with a physician with regards to the weight loss program that is right for you, and don’t feel frustrated about the length of time it takes to be well. Losing weight doesn’t happen overnight, and with steady determination you will see results.

Kathryn Lively (http://www.kathrynlively.com) writes for Compuslim (http://www.compuslim.com), a weight loss program individually tailored to different lifestyles.

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