Compiled by: PRADEEP K TIMALSINAObesity is the accumulation of extra fat caused by excessive eating and a less active life style .It is considered more damaging than smoking and alcohol abuse. According to WHO more than one billion people worldwide are overweight.
Obesity kills slowly, causing damage in nearly every part of the body with lasting side effects and consequences. Fat cells are plastic bags that hold a drop of fat – the cell increase or decrease in size depending on how much fat they store. But even losing weight won’t decrease the number of fat cells that you have – that number is determined by late adolescence, so children who are over weight will always have a higher number of fat cells than healthy.
LUNGS; obesity increase the risk of asthma. Fat deposits in the chest wall can push against the lungs and diaphragm, making it harder to breath. Obesity is a major cause of sleep apnoea including snoring and stopping breathing for short periods while sleep. Sleep apnoea itself increases the risk of high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease.
LIVER; Fat causes the liver to enlarge and is linked to scaring of the liver, cirrhosis, cancer of the liver and liver failure, potentially requiring transplant. Fatty liver diseases can cause abdominal pain, infection and fatigue.
HEART; Obesity significantly increases the risk of heart attack, congestive heart failure, angina and abdominal heart rhythm. Excess weight expands the total blood volume in the body, forcing the heart to work harder to pump out blood. In time, the heart muscle thickens making pumping more difficult. Obesity is responsible to cause cardiovascular disease as well.
GALL BLADDER; Gall stones are solid clusters of cholesterol that form in the gall bladder. Obesity affects the gall bladder’s metabolism, increasing the amount of cholesterol in the liquid bile and this makes it difficult to digest fats. Gall stones can cause pain, vomiting, inflammation and infection. Obesity is also a risk factor for cancer of the gall bladder.
ARTHRITIS; Obesity has been recognized as a risk factor for various forms of arthritis, for example osteoarthritis of the knee. However the impact of being overweight on arthritis is not clear .The risk of developing arthritis is increased with every kilogram that you increase in weight.
PANCREASE; Obesity is a major cause of Type2 diabetes. Insulin is made in the pancreas and helps bring glucose or energy into the cells in the body. People who are insulin resistant have to make more and more insulin and eventually cannot make enough to meet the demands of their body causing Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes damages the blood vessels and significantly decreases your life expectancy- once you get Type 2 diabetes, you typically have a maximum of 20 years life remaining.
BLOOD PRESSURE; Hypertension or high blood pressure is the most common health condition related to obesity and is the main risk factor for stroke. Obese adults are more than twice as likely to have high blood pressure as normal weight adults.
Apart from all of these medical consequences, obesity and physical inactivity are associated with cancers including breast, colon, endometrial, esophageal and kidney cancers.
Obesity kills slowly, causing damage in nearly every part of the body with lasting side effects and consequences. Fat cells are plastic bags that hold a drop of fat – the cell increase or decrease in size depending on how much fat they store. But even losing weight won’t decrease the number of fat cells that you have – that number is determined by late adolescence, so children who are over weight will always have a higher number of fat cells than healthy.
LUNGS; obesity increase the risk of asthma. Fat deposits in the chest wall can push against the lungs and diaphragm, making it harder to breath. Obesity is a major cause of sleep apnoea including snoring and stopping breathing for short periods while sleep. Sleep apnoea itself increases the risk of high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease.
LIVER; Fat causes the liver to enlarge and is linked to scaring of the liver, cirrhosis, cancer of the liver and liver failure, potentially requiring transplant. Fatty liver diseases can cause abdominal pain, infection and fatigue.
HEART; Obesity significantly increases the risk of heart attack, congestive heart failure, angina and abdominal heart rhythm. Excess weight expands the total blood volume in the body, forcing the heart to work harder to pump out blood. In time, the heart muscle thickens making pumping more difficult. Obesity is responsible to cause cardiovascular disease as well.
GALL BLADDER; Gall stones are solid clusters of cholesterol that form in the gall bladder. Obesity affects the gall bladder’s metabolism, increasing the amount of cholesterol in the liquid bile and this makes it difficult to digest fats. Gall stones can cause pain, vomiting, inflammation and infection. Obesity is also a risk factor for cancer of the gall bladder.
ARTHRITIS; Obesity has been recognized as a risk factor for various forms of arthritis, for example osteoarthritis of the knee. However the impact of being overweight on arthritis is not clear .The risk of developing arthritis is increased with every kilogram that you increase in weight.
PANCREASE; Obesity is a major cause of Type2 diabetes. Insulin is made in the pancreas and helps bring glucose or energy into the cells in the body. People who are insulin resistant have to make more and more insulin and eventually cannot make enough to meet the demands of their body causing Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes damages the blood vessels and significantly decreases your life expectancy- once you get Type 2 diabetes, you typically have a maximum of 20 years life remaining.
BLOOD PRESSURE; Hypertension or high blood pressure is the most common health condition related to obesity and is the main risk factor for stroke. Obese adults are more than twice as likely to have high blood pressure as normal weight adults.
Apart from all of these medical consequences, obesity and physical inactivity are associated with cancers including breast, colon, endometrial, esophageal and kidney cancers.
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