What are the Health Implications of Obesity?
Obesity has been established as a major risk factor for diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and some cancers in both men and women. Other co morbid conditions include sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, infertility, idiopathic intracranial hypertension, lower extremity venous stasis disease, gastro-esophageal reflux and urinary stress incontinence. Obesity-related medical conditions contribute to 300,000 deaths each year, second only to smoking as a cause of preventable death.
Obesity has been established as a major risk factor for diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and some cancers in both men and women. Other comorbid conditions include sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, infertility, idiopathic intracranial hypertension, lower extremity venous stasis disease, gastro-esophageal reflux and urinary stress incontinence.
Obesity has been established as a major risk factor for diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and some cancers in both men and women. Other comorbid conditions include sleep apnea, osteoarthritis, infertility, idiopathic intracranial hypertension, lower extremity venous stasis disease, gastro-esophageal reflux and urinary stress incontinence. Obesity-related medical conditions contribute to 300,000 deaths each year, second only to smoking as a cause of preventable death. (JAMA, 1996; 276:1907-1915) The estimated number of annual deaths attributable to obesity among US adults is approximately 280,000 based on relative hazard ratio from all subjects and 325,000 based on hazard ratio from only non-smokers and never-smokers. (JAMA, 1999; 282: 1530-1538) One-third of all cases of high blood pressure are associated with obesity, and obese individuals are 50% more likely to have elevated blood cholesterol levels. (American Family Physician 1997; 55(2): 551-558) Adult onset diabetes (
