Do You Know Health Effects of Overweight and Obesity?

Obesity is a health concern but it poses several risks to your overall well-being. You must have heard a zillion times that obesity is a major risk factor for many illnesses but do you know exactly what are these problems? Let us give you a brief rundown of physical, emotional and psychological issues that overweight and obesity likely cause.

Health Effects of Overweight and Obesity

Type 2 diabetes

When blood glucose levels in your body becomes higher than the normal level(70 to 120 mg/dl). Obesity increases the risk of diabetes as it causes an increase in fatty acids that trigger insulin resistance. Over time, this can lead to diabetes.

How To Prevent- Consider losing 5-7% of your body weight and be physically active to reduce the risk of diabetes. Additionally, make sure to eat healthy and cut down sugar and carbs from your diet.

Also Read: Obesity and Diabetes Together Increases Risk of Kidney Diseases

High blood pressure or Hypertension

This condition arises when your blood pressure levels get high(140/90mmHg or higher) frequently. Obese people have high visceral and retroperitoneal fat accumulated at different parts of the body. These fats can compress the kidneys that increases load on your blood vessels causing blood flow with high force. This can even risk your kidney health.

How to prevent- Keep a check on your blood pressure levels. Eat a healthy diet to promote heart health.

Heart Disease

Obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular problems. Being overweight and obese increases the risk of heart diseases including irregular heartbeat, angina, heart failure, heart attack, and cardiac arrest. One of the reasons is your visceral fat that may get accumulated around your heart. Secondly, your overweight person requires more blood supply and in order to fulfill that, the blood flow increases causing high blood pressure that hampers heart functions.

How to prevent: Lose at least 5-10% of your body weight to promote heart health. Besides, monitor your blood pressure regularly and report any kind of chest pain or discomfort to your doctor.

Brain Stroke

Did you know overweight and obese people are at a greater risk of ischemic stroke? This condition arises when your brain doesn’t get sufficient blood supply either due to a blockage or bursting of blood vessels that affects blood supply. As mentioned earlier, obesity can hamper blood vessel functioning and obstruct blood supply that may lead to stroke condition. 

Also Read: What Is The Golden Hour For Stroke Patients? Read Its Significance and Tips

Osteoarthritis

Due to heavy body weight, your bone health may also get affected. Osteoarthritis condition is largely common in overweight and obese people. The problem starts with inflammation and pain in the joints that leads joint immobility. Overtime, you may get osteoarthritis if your weight continues to be high.

How to prevent- Lose some weight and keep yourself physically active. By exercising the joints, you can keep them healthy and safe from arthritis.

Sleep apnea

When you are overweight, your sleep is highly likely to get disrupted. Due to visceral fat, blood vessels may not be able to supply blood normally that causes breathing issues and discomfort during sleep. Poor sleep is the onset of sleep apnea.

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