Five Diseases And Health Conditions for Obesity And Overweight

Obesity is a medical condition that occurs when an individual has an excessive amount of body fat and it begins to have adverse effects on their health. Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more or weighing 20% above the average weight for your age and height category. 

Five Diseases And Health Conditions for Obesity And Overweight:

Obesity also increases an individual's risk of developing many serious diseases and health conditions such as:

1. Metabolic Syndrome:

Obesity can cause metabolic syndrome which is a combination of health issues that include high blood pressure, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, diabetes, and high levels of triglycerides in the blood.   

2. Heart Disease:

Obesity puts individuals at high-risk for heart disease which is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. Obesity raises triglyceride and cholesterol levels which can lead to increased plaque buildup in artery walls, a condition known as atherosclerosis. Obesity is also one of the primary risk factors for heart disease, along with smoking, diabetes mellitus, family history of early-onset or coronary artery disease at age 60 or below, male sex, and being over 45 years old. Obesity also increases your chances of developing high blood pressure problems by putting added stress on your heart.

3. Type 2 Diabetes:

Obesity is a major factor in developing type 2 diabetes which often begins with insulin resistance that develops from being overweight or obese. Type 2 diabetes then impairs pancreatic beta cell functioning the same way it does in obesity and eventually leads to reduced insulin processing and glucose levels in the blood. Obesity is the leading cause of type 2 diabetes, which occurs when your body can't make enough insulin or can't process it properly. Obesity also causes other problems that increase the risk for developing type 2 diabetes such as high blood pressure; high cholesterol; and gallbladder disease. Fat cells produce a product similar to estrogen called leptin, which is important in maintaining normal reproductive function in both men and women and in regulating body weight, appetite, and metabolism. Obesity reduces male fertility by lowering sperm counts and increasing the number of inactive sperm produced in each ejaculation.

4. Cancer:

Obesity increases an individual's risk for cancer because excessive fat tissue produces hormones such as estrogen which may lead to uncontrolled cell growth. Obesity also causes a higher risk for developing cancer in men because it stimulates the production of testosterone which can cause prostate cancer. Obesity frequently leads to abnormal functioning of the cells lining various organs including those involved with hormone production, specifically from their being chronically inflamed from excessive oxidative stress and high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Obesity may also increase an individual's risk for developing many types of cancers such as colon, breast, endometrial, esophageal, gastric cardia (stomach), pancreatic, thyroid, and liver cancer.   

5. Osteoarthritis:

Obesity is a leading factor behind osteoarthritis which is a disorder that affects over 25 million Americans each year and causes persistent pain and inflammation of the joints. Obesity causes damage to bones and cartilage that form a joint, which can lead to bony lumps forming on the elbows, knees, fingers, and other areas around the body. Obesity also increases your risk for developing osteoarthritis because it puts added stress on joints which then leads to increased risk for developing degenerative arthritis along with many other health problems such as back pain; bone spurs; inflamed tendons; stiff or sore muscles; and spinal stenosis. Obesity makes getting osteoarthritis worse by increasing weight-bearing pressure on the affected joint(s) through extra pressure from fat tissue above and below the involved joint.

Obesity And Overweight one of five Major Medical Conditions:

Obesity is one of five major medical conditions that raise your risk of developing heart disease. Obesity is known to increase the levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood, both of which are risk factors involved in causing plaque buildup in artery walls that can lead to blockages or worse, a heart attack or stroke. Obesity also increases an individual's risk for developing hypertension because it causes extra stress on the heart which raises blood pressure levels. Obesity further increases the amount of stress placed on the heart by increasing blood volume and total body weight, thus increasing workload. Obesity is also one of the leading causes of type 2 diabetes with its complications involving damage to small blood vessels throughout the body including those found inside the eye, kidneys, nerves, etc…