The Risks of Being Obese

This is what will happen if I do not loose weight. It's scary. I am hoping that by cutting and pasting this information into this post I will automatically start to loose weight. That's how it works right? Either way, this information is important for everyone to know.


1. Increased blood pressure (Hypertension)

50% of the people who have high blood pressure are obese. The most common accompanying disease of obesity is high blood pressure (hypertension). The NHANES-II study revealed that the occurrence of high blood pressure was three times higher in a group of 20-75 year olds with a BMI > 27 and six times higher with the 20-45 year old group. Other studies showed similar results. Weight loss usually leads to a decrease in the blood pressure values.



2. Type 2 Diabetes mellitus

80 % of diabetics are obese. There are numerous studies which reveal the connection between obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The risk of getting diabetes is already increased if your BMI is in the higher normal weight range. The risk of developing diabetes is higher for those with the "apple type" or upper body fat distribution than with the "pear type" or lower body fat distribution. In addition to this, the risk of developing diabetes increases with the duration of obesity.



3. Fat metabolic disorders such as hyperlipidaemia (too many lipids in the blood) and dyslipidemia (disorder of the blood lipids levels)

50 % of people with fat metabolism disorders are obese. Most obese patients generally have an increase in the triglyceride levels in the blood which leads to the lowering of the HDL-cholesterol level. The total cholesterol and the LDL-cholesterol do not increase as dramatically as the triglyceride levels. LDL-cholesterol can become particularly problematic with abdominally obese patients (patients with "apple shaped" obesity).



4. Coronary heart disease, heart failure

The risk of getting a heart attack or dying from a heart attack increases the higher the BMI. Heart failure is one of the more common problems with obese patients from which many die from. The risk of getting cardiovascular illnesses is dependant on how long the person has been overweight. The development of heart failure is increased if the patient is also suffering from high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes mellitus.



5. Stroke

The risk of getting a stroke likewise increases the higher the BMI. For women, the risk of getting a stroke is 75% higher with a BMI >27 and 137% higher with a BMI of >32 than women who have a BMI in the normal range.



6. Mortality (death rate)

A BMI > 25 increases the mortality rate. The increase in the death rate is not so significant up to a BMI of 30. However, a BMI > 30 increases the death rate considerably, regardless of the causes. People affected the most are those with cardiovascular illnesses. They have a 50-100% higher death rate than people with a BMI between 20 and 25.



7. Sleep apnoea syndrome (cessation of breathing during sleep)

One of the main risk factors of being overweight is the development of the sleep apnoea syndrome. About two-thirds of all sleep apnoea syndrome patients are obese.



8. Gout

An increasing body weight concurrently increases the risk of developing gout. Many studies have shown that there is an interaction between the weight and the uric acid production in the blood. The waist/hip circumference correlates more with the increase of the uric acid concentration in the serum, than it does with the weight.



9. Gall bladder disorder

One of the risk factors of obesity is the increased risk of developing gall stones.



10. Orthopaedic complications

Obesity promotes arthritis and back pain as a result of the excessive strain on the spine and the lower extremities (thigh, leg, foot and knee cap).



11. Psychosocial complications

Psychosocial complications are usually caused by the negative societal opinions towards being overweight. As a result of the youth and fitness orientation in the last few decades the view towards obese people has gotten worse. The consequence was that discrimination towards overweight people increased. People who are overweight often do not fit into social circles; they are regarded as unfriendly and less attractive. It has been proven that weight also has an impact on the average income and career opportunities. Overweight people are usually described as "weak-minded", clumsy" and "ugly".