Obesity comes with serious health risks. Aside from dealing with things like finding clothes that fit or fitting into an airplane seat or just being unhappy with the way you look, being obese puts your life at risk. Obesity puts you at a higher risk of diseases that can kill - like heart attack and stroke.
If you weigh above your average ideal weight by 40 to 75 pounds you are under the category of being obese. Weigh above your ideal weight by 100 pounds then you are considered morbidly obese.
Obesity gives your body an undue amount of stress and pressure - affecting bones, muscles and joints. That's because you are constantly lugging around too much extra weight. Imagine if you had to carry around an 80 pound sack of potatoes the entire day?
The joints are what carries the brunt of all this extra weight. And these happen to be the most delicate parts of our frames. Hips and ankles are at risk, but most especially the knees. The knee joints have to support majority of our body weight.
Joints are naturally our bodies weakest spots because it is here where separate bone pieces come together. The knees are at particular risk for an obese person. The knee is a very complex joint that faces wear and tear with every single step we take.
Just think that each step can put twice, triple, sometimes four times the normal pressure on those joints. This causes the joints to wear out earlier than usual. This is why pain and abnormal knee conditions often accompany obesity.
Hips joints and ankles are also at risk, But usually pain and injuries among the obese start manifesting on the knees. Not surprising, since the knees carry a big part of our body weight throughout our walking and standing.
Aside from the extra weight on the frame and joints, all that extra weight puts pressure on the bodys systems too. First of all, large amounts of body fat dont just show up on the outside. Fat tissue can form internally around organs.
Too much body fat can affect internal organs by putting pressure against them. This pressure can cause the organs to start working inefficiently, and can interfere with body functions.
Because the extra weight requires more work for the body to keep going, blood pressure is often elevated and the heart abnormally strained. This can be a factor in heart disease, heart attacks and strokes.
Obesity also reflects a poor diet that is high on calories from unhealthy foods. Consuming too much sugar and processed foods can lead to diabetes. And the diabetes can lead to damaging blood vessels, nerves and eyes.
In some cases, people may lose their eyesight or a foot or leg to diabetes because of poor circulation.
The good news is that once an obese person starts losing weight, diabetes and other conditions can be reversed.
Many have succeeded by sheer dedication and commitment to a sensible diet and exercise plan. You can overcome obesity too!
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