How does being overweight or obese affect a person’s health?
Obesity is not just a cosmetic consideration; it is a dire health condition directly harmful to one’s health. Large number of deaths all over the world, per year, are directly related to obesity, and more than 80% of these deaths are in patients with a BMI over 30. Obesity also increases the risk of developing a number of chronic diseases including: • INSULIN RESISTANCE (IR)- Insulin is necessary for the transport of blood sugar into the cells of muscle and fat (which is then used for energy). By transporting glucose into cells, insulin keeps the blood glucose levels in the normal range. Insulin resistance (IR) is the condition whereby the effectiveness of insulin in transporting glucose (sugar) into cells is diminished. Fat cells are more insulin resistant than muscle cells; therefore, one important cause of IR is obesity. The pancreas initially responds to IR by producing more insulin. As long as the pancreas can produce enough insulin to overcome this resistance, blood glucose level
When people are or overweight or obese, they are more likely to develop health problems such as the following: Hypertension Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides) Type 2 diabetes Coronary heart disease Stroke Gallbladder disease Osteoarthritis Sleep apnea and respiratory problems Some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon) The more overweight a person is, the more likely that person is to have health problems. Among people who are overweight and obese, weight loss can help reduce the chances of developing these health problems. Studies show that if a person is overweight or obese, reducing body weight by 5 percent to 10 percent can improve one’s health.
