Most people know that obesity is harmful to their health, but recent observations show that many people are not aware of the extent to which some of the harmful effects of obesity are widespread.
Overweight not only increases the risk of heart disease and diabetes (which are considered to be some of the most serious problems associated with overweight) but also causes many other diseases that are easy to prevent.
Depression - Overweight people usually suffer from depression. It is difficult to determine whether depression is the cause of over-eating or whether obesity leads to clinical depression, but one research team has found that it can be a two-way process where factors influence each other. Biologically, both obesity and depression are associated with inflammatory processes. Depression can affect weight, negatively affecting the endocrine system.
Weakness - Obesity can increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease by as much as 80%, as a study published in the May 2008 issue of Obesity Reviews showed. In this paper, American scientists evaluated the results of 10 international studies, which involved more than 37,000 people in five countries and found that overweight significantly increases the risk of dementia due to reduced blood flow to the brain. Fortunately, good nutrition and exercise can reduce this risk.
Eye Health - Obesity is associated with age-related cataracts, glaucoma, age-related maculopathy, and diabetic retinopathy. For example, the Nurse's Health Study found that women with BMI 23 or more had to resort to cataract surgery more often than women with lower levels of cataract, even if adjusted for factors such as age. Cortical (the most common form of senile cataract) and PSC (Posterior Subcapsular Cataract) are most commonly associated with obesity among this type of disease.
High blood pressure - Hypertension affects the heart, vessels, kidneys and other parts of the body. Stroke, which is a complication of high blood pressure, is also more common in those who are overweight.
Asthma - Obesity increases the risk of respiratory illness and related complications. Problems can also arise with asthma treatment - one study has shown that overweight patients sometimes do not tolerate medication well. As a result, when a person falls ill with respiratory disease - influenza, for example - and needs to be controlled, overweight may become a hindrance, making drugs less effective.
Oral hygiene - Various studies have shown that people who are overweight are more likely to experience oral hygiene problems than people of normal weight. Thicker patients tend to suffer more from tooth decay and periodontal disease. Unfortunately, obesity is an obstacle to many people's access to the dentist because of ergonomic problems (e.g., dental chairs are too small). Poor nutrition (sweets and soft drinks), heartburn and poor oral hygiene exacerbate the problem.
Gallstones - Overweight increases the likelihood of gallstones, and children are no exception. Overweight children are six times more likely to be stoned than healthy young people. For moderately overweight people, this risk factor is four.
Male infertility - Women are not the only ones who have difficulty conceiving a child because they are overweight. Men who are overweight or obese have lower levels of spermatozoa than men whose BMI is ideal.
Fat liver - Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NFLD) is a reversible process in which fat accumulates in the liver cells of overweight people. It is believed that as many as 75% of overweight people are suffering from SGDB. Patients with this set of illnesses are five times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes mellitus. A sedentary lifestyle increases this risk.
Arthritis / Painful conditions (including fibromyalgia) - About 15 percent of respondents were aware that obesity can contribute to arthritis. This causal relationship forms a vicious circle, as joint pains make training difficult and, as a result, slow down weight loss.
Awareness of the extent to which obesity has a negative impact on health can be a good motive to be more active in life and more food-savvy on the road to a full-blown victory over the disease. Hopefully, this extensive list of complications associated with obesity will be enough to consult a physician on which diet to choose and how to plan your workouts to be healthy and in good physical shape.