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Obesity & Health

In the UK, approximately 30-40% of men and women are either overweight or obese. Obesity is defined as a body mass index over 30 kg/m2 (see page on BMI). Having excess body fat, particularly around the waist dramatically increases your risk of various diseases. The good news is that this health risk significantly decreases when you start to lose the weight. Below are a few medical conditions and diseases associated with obesity.

Heart Disease and Stroke

Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death and disability for both men and women in the Western World. Obese people are much more likely to have high blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, than people who are not overweight. Very high blood levels of cholesterol and triglycerides (blood fats) can also lead to heart disease and often are linked to obesity. Being overweight also contributes to angina (chest pain caused by decreased oxygen to the heart) and sudden death from heart disease or stroke without any signs or symptoms.

The good news is that losing a small amount of weight can reduce your chances of developing heart disease or a stroke. Reducing your weight by 10 percent can decrease your risk of developing heart disease by improving how your heart works, reducing your blood pressure, and reducing the levels of blood cholesterol and triglycerides.

Diabetes

Noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type 2 diabetes) is the most common type of diabetes in the Western World. Type 2 diabetes reduces your body's ability to control blood sugar. It is a major cause of early death, heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, and blindness. Statistically, overweight people are twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes as people who are not overweight.

You can reduce your risk of developing this type of diabetes by both losing weight and by increasing your physical activity.

Furthermore, if you have type 2 diabetes, losing weight and becoming more physically active can help control your blood sugar levels. If you use medicine to control your blood sugar, weight loss and physical activity may make it possible for your family doctor to decrease the amount of medication you need.

Cancer

Several types of cancer are associated with obesity. In women, these include cancer of the uterus, gallbladder, cervix, ovary, breast, and colon. Overweight men are at greater risk of developing cancer of the colon, rectum, and prostate.

For some types of cancer, such as colon or breast, it is not clear whether the increased risk is due to the extra weight or to a high-fat and high-calorie diet, this, of course, being strongly associated with weight problems as a consequence.

Sleep Apnoea

Sleep apnoea is a serious condition that is closely associated with being overweight. The apnoea can cause a person to stop breathing for short periods during sleep and to snore heavily. As a further consequence, there may be daytime sleepiness and in extreme cases the onset of symptoms of heart failure. The risk for sleep apnoea increases with higher body weights. Yet again, weight loss ultimately reverses this risk.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a common joint disorder that most often affects the joints in your knees, hips, and lower back.

Extra weight appears to increase the risk of osteoarthritis by placing extra pressure on these joints and wearing away the cartilage (tissue that cushions the joints) that normally protects them. Weight loss can decrease stress on the knees, hips, and lower back and may improve the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

Gout

Gout is a joint disease caused by high levels of uric acid in the blood. Uric acid sometimes forms into solid stone or crystal masses that become deposited in the joints. Gout is more common in overweight people and the risk of developing the disorder increases in parallel with higher body weights.

Gallbladder Disease

Gallbladder disease and gallstones are more common if you are overweight, and your risk of the disease increases as your weight increases. It is not clear how being overweight may cause gallbladder disease but the association may be a consequence of changes in fat and cholesterol handling by the body leading to supersaturation of bile.

Lowering Your Health Risks

If you are overweight, losing as little as 5 to 10 percent of your body weight may improve many of the problems linked to being overweight, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. For example, if you weigh 100kg (approximately 15 and a half stone) and are considered overweight or obese based on your BMI you would need to lose 5-10 kg (1to 1and a half stone). Even a small weight loss can improve your health.