What Are the Health Risks of Overweight and
Obesity?
Being overweight or obese isnt a cosmetic
problem. It greatly raises the risk in adults for many diseases and
conditions.
Overweight and Obesity-Related Health Problems in
Adults
Heart Disease
This condition occurs when a fatty material called
plaque (plak) builds up on the inside walls of the coronary arteries (the
arteries that supply blood and oxygen to your heart). Plaque narrows the
coronary arteries, which reduces blood flow to your heart. Your chances for
having
heart
disease and a
heart
attack get higher as your body mass index (BMI) increases. Obesity also can
lead to
congestive
heart failure, a serious condition in which the heart cant pump
enough blood to meet your bodys needs.
High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
This condition occurs when the force of the blood
pushing against the walls of the arteries is too high. Your chances for having
high
blood pressure are greater if youre overweight or obese.
Stroke
Being overweight or obese can lead to a buildup of
fatty deposits in your arteries that form a blood clot. If the clot is close to
your brain, it can block the flow of blood and oxygen and cause a stroke. The
risk of having a stroke rises as BMI increases.
Type 2 Diabetes
This is a disease in which blood sugar (glucose)
levels are too high. Normally, the body makes insulin to move the blood sugar
into cells where its used. In type 2 diabetes, the cells dont
respond enough to the insulin thats made. Diabetes is a leading cause of
early death, heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, and blindness. More than 80
percent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight.
Abnormal Blood Fats
If youre overweight or obese, you have a
greater chance of having abnormal levels of blood fats. These include high
amounts of triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
cholesterol
(a fat-like substance often called bad cholesterol), and low
high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (often called good
cholesterol). Abnormal levels of these blood fats are a risk for heart
disease.
Metabolic Syndrome
This is the name for a group of risk factors linked
to overweight and obesity that raise your chance for heart disease and other
health problems such as diabetes and stroke. A person can develop any one of
these risk factors by itself, but they tend to occur together.
Metabolic
syndrome occurs when a person has at least three of these heart disease
risk factors:
- A large waistline. This is also called abdominal
obesity or having an apple shape. Having extra fat in the waist
area is a greater risk factor for heart disease than having extra fat in other
parts of the body, such as on the hips.
- Abnormal blood fat levels, including high
triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol.
- Higher than normal blood pressure.
- Higher than normal fasting blood sugar
levels.
Cancer
Being overweight or obese raises the risk for colon,
breast, endometrial, and gallbladder cancers.
Osteoarthritis
This is a common joint problem of the knees, hips,
and lower back. It occurs when the tissue that protects the joints wears away.
Extra weight can put more pressure and wear on joints, causing pain.
Sleep Apnea
This condition causes a person to stop breathing for
short periods during sleep. A person with
sleep
apnea may have more fat stored around the neck. This can make the breathing
airway smaller so that its hard to breathe.
Reproductive Problems
Obesity can cause menstrual irregularity and
infertility in women.
Gallstones
These are hard pieces of stone-like material that
form in the gallbladder. Theyre mostly made of cholesterol and can cause
abdominal or back pain. People who are overweight or obese have a greater
chance of having gallstones. Also, being overweight may result in an enlarged
gallbladder that may not work properly.
Overweight and Obesity-Related Health Problems in
Children and Teens
Overweight and obesity also increase the health
risks for children and teens. Type 2 diabetes was once rare in American
children. Now it accounts for 8 to 45 percent of newly diagnosed diabetes
cases. Also, overweight children are more likely to become overweight or obese
as adults, with the same risks for disease. |