What Are Some of the Medical Complications of Obesity?
Obesity complications are numerous and some of them can shorten your lifespan.
Obesity leads to several complications that affect many body systems. It focuses mainly on the cardiovascular complications, which include coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and stroke, and congestive heart failure. Obesity is at present one of the most chronic ailments that our country is facing. It is estimated that by 2030, obesity will be the major cause of co-morbidity, causing mortality and health complications.
Obesity and Associated Health Issues:
Hypertension
One of the most common complications of obesity is hypertension or high blood pressure. Around 30% of individuals who are at least 30 lbs. Overweight have at least mildly elevated blood pressure.
Sleep Apnea
Sleep Apnea is a major health issue caused due to being overweight. It includes breathing difficulties along with snoring. This can also increase the risk of suffering from a heart attack. The common signs associated with sleep apnea also include daytime fatigue and sleepiness. Chronic fatigue weakens the immune system and increasing health risks.
Cancer
Obesity is one of the highest and most preventable risk factors for certain cancers. People battling obesity are more susceptible to a variety of cancers. Women are three times as likely to develop breast, uterine, ovarian and cervical cancer. Men are at higher risk for prostate and colon cancer.
Depression
Depression is not just feeling blue for a day, but is the result of actual chemical changes that take place in the brain, causing profound episodes of sadness, crying, and loss of energy. Depression is a medical condition that requires medical treatment. There are effective non-addicting medications available if depression is complicating obesity.
Diabetes
Obesity is one of the major reasons causing Type 2 Diabetes. Women are more susceptible to suffer from Type 2 diabetes. The intake of highly processed food and sugar laden items can make your body insensitive towards the insulin that is being processed by the body. This leads to glucose in the urine as the same is not being processed by the body. Unmanaged diabetes can lead to cardiac issues, shock, eye complications and kidney damage.
Obesity has been linked to a number of health complications, some of which are life-threatening:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Certain cancers (breast, colon, and endometrial)
- Stroke
- Gallbladder disease
- Fatty liver disease
- High cholesterol
- Sleep apnea and other breathing problems
- Arthritis
- Infertility
What to do?
If you have been detected with any of the above mentioned ailments, it is best advised that you start working on your weight issues. Maintaining a healthy body weight can make huge difference to your lifestyle and can reduce the health risks majorly. Consult an endocrinologist – diabetes specialist and a nutritionist for your diet. Do not self medicate and starve yourself to lose weight the unhealthy way. Please note that fasting can impact your body adversely.
