The United States is quickly becoming an obese nation. In 2008, 32 states reported that 25 percent or more of residents were obese — a bad sign for the nation's health. Obesity increases your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and many other health problems. Fortunately, you can prevent or reverse many of these conditions by losing weight.
Heart Disease
Morbid obesity increases your chances for two major, life-threatening circulatory-system defects: stroke and heart attack. Obesity is a risk factor for high blood pressure, high levels of bad, or HDL, cholesterol, and low levels of good, or LDL, cholesterol, the American Heart Association warns. High cholesterol leads to hardening of the arteries, which makes your heart work faster to push blood through smaller, harder arteries. Blood clots easily in these arteries, causing stroke or heart attack. Obese individuals who lose as little as 10 percent of their total body weight decrease their risk of stroke or heart attack. That risk continues to decrease as the pounds come off.
Cancer
Obesity is associated with certain types of cancer, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). In fact, the ACS notes a study, published in 2003 in the "New England Journal of Medicine," that found that 90,000 cancer deaths per year are associated with obesity. According to the ACS, obesity increases your risk of developing kidney, esophageal, gallbladder, and colon cancer. Extra weight effects the female hormonal system, making women more prone to hormone sensitive cancers like uterine and breast cancer. Losing weight dramatically reduces cancer risk, the organization adds.
Diabetes
Obesity contributes to type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA). The ADA points out that diabetes not only contributes to early death, but also limits the quality of life for obese persons. Diabetics must follow a rigorous testing and medication schedule to maintain safe blood glucose levels. Obese persons with diabetes reported having lower quality of life than people with diabetes at a healthy weight. Most people who lose weight can reduce or eliminate the amount of diabetes medication they need to take. In some people, weight loss causes complete remission of diabetes.
Infertility
Obesity may make it more difficult for women to become pregnant, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports. Excess weight interferes with the body's hormonal production and causes irregular menstrual periods. Many obese women develop a condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS. PCOS, which interferes with ovulation and normal hormone function, iis associated with diabetic or non-diabetic insulin resistance, which makes it easier for women to gain weight and harder to lose it.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Overweight and Obesity: Health Consequences
- American Heart Association: Obesity and Overweight
- American Cancer Society: Excess Weight Linked to 90,000 Cancer Deaths Annually
- WomensHealth.gov: Obesity May Affect Fertility in Young Women
- American Diabetes Association: Obesity Lowers Quality of Life for Those with Diabetes and Heart Disease
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