Obesity and health
Obesity increases a person's risk of illness and death due to diabetes, stroke, coronary artery disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, and kidney and gallbladder disorders. Obesity may increase the risk for some types of cancer. It is also a risk factor for the development of osteoarthritis and sleep apnea.
The association of weight to many chronic and acute medical and emotional problems is very impressive and is often under appreciated in the public sector. If the time is taken to review these associations or relationships to obesity, people would have to stop and pay attention to the weight problems that exist today in our society. These problems truly affect even those who are not overweight.
Many diseases are associated with overweight and obesity. People who are morbidly obese are even at greater risks.
Overweight and obese individuals (BMI of 25 and above) are at increased risk for physical ailments such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, high blood lipid levels, type 2 non-insulin diabetes, insulin resistance with elevated insulin blood levels, glucose intolerance, coronary heart disease, chest pain (angina pectoris), congestive heart failure, stroke, gallbladder disease with gallstone, and gallbladder infections, osteoarthritis, obstructive sleep apnea and or other respiratory problems, gout, skin rashes and diseases (heat rash and intertrigo etc.), orthopedic problems (limb and joint stress etc.), some types of cancer (such as endometrial, breast, prostate, and colon), complications of pregnancy, poor female reproductive health (such as menstrual irregularities, infertility, irregular ovulation), bladder control problems (such as stress incontinence), Uric acid nephrolithiasis, psychological disorders (such as depression, eating disorders, distorted body image, and low self esteem).
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