Overweight and obesity in the last decade have grown as an epidemic global health problem, affecting tens of millions of people living worldwide. It is not what looks physically visible in terms of extra fat deposits that occupies so much attention but rather the health hazards this condition brings along with it are much more vital. These health hazards affect nearly every region of the body and can considerably reduce quality and life expectancy. For this reason, knowing these risks comes first before prevention and adaptation of a healthier lifestyle in tackling the roots of being overweight.
What is Overweight?
But before the health risks can be discussed, it is proper to first define what “overweight” is. One common tool for classifying weight in relation to height is called Body Mass Index. Based on WHO:
A BMI from 18.5 to 24.9 falls into the normal weight category.
A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight.
A BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese.
Whereas BMI is a good overall guide, it does not, for instance, account for muscle mass or fat distribution; therefore, other methods such as waist to hip measurements or percent of body fat also may be measured for the assessment of health risk.
1. Cardiovascular Disease
Overweight individuals are at increased risk for the development of CVD, which includes heart disease, stroke, and hypertension. Abdominal fat is a greater risk factor for high cholesterol and blood pressure compared to fat stored in the hips or thighs; visceral fat is more biologically active, in that the accumulation of abdominal fat can result in metabolic changes that may interfere with the functioning of the heart and its vessels, leading to disorders such as:
Coronary artery disease: deposition of plaque in the arteries
Heart failure-when the heart is unable to pump blood effectively,
Stroke-caused by an interrupted blood flow to the brain.
The risk of developing CVD increases due to the fact that being overweight often leads to a situation usually referred to as “metabolic syndrome,” a cluster of high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high triglycerides, and low HDL (good) cholesterol.
2. Type 2 Diabetes
One of the major risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes is being overweight. In case the body starts to get overweight, it may ultimately lead to resistance to insulin in a way that cellular tissues in the body do not respond appropriately to insulin-a hormone controlling blood sugar levels. This consequently leads to an increase in blood sugar levels and hence the development of diabetes. Approximately 90% of people suffering from type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese.
Overweight individuals may also develop prediabetes, a condition wherein your blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough to classify as diabetes. It is common for these pre-diabetic conditions to progress into full type 2 diabetes when nothing in lifestyle habits has changed.
3. Joint Problems and Osteoarthritis
The excess weight applies additional stress to the supporting joints, mainly the knees, hips, and lower back. Being overweight can facilitate the wearing away of cartilage that cushions the joints and can eventually lead to osteoarthritis, which is the most common degenerative joint disorder, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness that impairs mobility and quality of life. The more one weighs, the greater one’s stress on supporting joints, thus accelerating breakdown.
In fact, for every pound of body weight, it exerts a pressure on the knees fourfold while walking. Therefore, this only aggravates or enhances the possibility of degeneration of joints in overweight individuals.
4. Sleep Apnea and Respiratory Problems
Sleep apnea, or partial obstruction of the airway during sleep in which an individual is unable to breathe during brief instances, is highly interrelated with obesity. More precisely, the condition prevails in individuals who have surplus body fat, mainly in the neck and throat. Due to inappropriate oxygenation of the body at night, during daytime, fatigue, lack of concentration, and risk factors of high blood pressure, heart diseases, and stroke become prevalent symptoms.
Asthma and shortness of breath are other respiratory problems that might also be exacerbated because the excess weight of obesity may hinder the lungs from fully expanding and also pressurize normal breathing patterns.
5. Cancer Risks
Several studies have reported the relation between overweight and obesity with an increased risk in many cancers. Adipose tissue secretes hormones such as estrogen and insulin, which may lead to the growth of some cancers. Commonest type of cancers related to excess weight include:
Breast cancer, mainly after menopause;
Colorectal cancer;
Cancer of the lining of the uterus, or endometrial cancer;
Esophageal cancer;
Kidney and liver cancer.
Excess fat is also known to create chronic low-grade inflammation in the body, one of the causes leading to cancer.
6. Mental Health Problems
Overweight is highly associated with the mind. Generally, obesity carries a social stigma that provides the feelings of shame and poor self-esteem, usually linked to poor body images. Such a mind situation could lead to vulnerability or opening to the emergence of depression and anxiety disorders. The psychological load in the regulation of weight and social pressures results in emotional eating or possibly other unhealthy coping mechanisms.
Besides this, studies have found that obesity even affects brain chemistry that can influence mood and cognitive ability. Overweight individuals are prone to cognitive decline and illnesses such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
7. Fatty Liver Disease
Other serious risks of overweight are the accumulation of fat in the liver, and summarized as NAFLD or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. During the disease, a build-up of fat occurs in the cells of the liver without alcohol consumption that leads to inflammation, scarring, and cirrhosis, that may further deteriorate and lead to liver failure if left untreated. NAFLD is highly connected with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
8. Reproductive Health Issues
Being overweight and obese can affect the cycles of reproduction in women and men. In women, the problems may be in regard to irregular menstrual flow, infertility issues, or even an increased risk of potential complications from pregnancy, including diabetes, preeclampsia, and stillbirth. In men, being overweight is reflected by poor sperm quality and very low levels of testosterone, thus damaging fertility.
