Health Risks Of Being Overweight

Overweight people often worry about how those extra pounds affect their appearance, but the consequences of obesity can be far more dire than struggling with tight clothing or poor body image. Being overweight puts you at risk for developing a variety of serious health issues and chronic diseases. Losing excess weight can reduce your chances of developing health problems or even eliminate certain risks completely.

Heart Disease

People who are overweight often have higher levels of triglycerides and LDL, or bad cholesterol, along with lower levels of HDL, or good cholesterol. When this occurs, a fatty substance, known as plaque, builds up in your arteries and reduces the blood flow to the heart. Once the arteries become too narrow, you may experience chest pain, an erratic heart rate and in the most severe cases, a heart attack which might prove fatal. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, reducing your weight by 5 to 10 percent can lower the levels of triglycerides and LDL cholesterol in your blood and improve blood flow and heart function.

Diabetes

The risk of developing Type 2 diabetes increases when you are overweight. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes in the United States and is often associated with obesity and inactivity. In Type 2 diabetes, the cells in the body don't use insulin efficiently. At first they make too much insulin, but eventually, they don't make enough to maintain proper blood sugar levels. Type 2 diabetes can lead to stroke, heart disease, loss of limbs, kidney disease, blindness and death. Losing as little as 5 to 7 percent of your body weight and exercising 30 minutes a day can reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. For those already diagnosed with the disease, losing weight can help reduce the amount of medication they must take.

Sleep Disorders

Overweight people often experience sleep apnea, a disorder that can cause you to stop breathing for short periods while you are sleeping. In many cases, those who suffer from sleep apnea aren't aware they have the condition. Sleep apnea occurs in overweight people when excess fat deposits stored in the neck make the airway passage smaller. Signs of sleep apnea include loud snorts and choking sounds, snoring and sleep disruption, which can cause daytime tiredness and poor concentration. In the most severe cases, sleep apnea may lead to heart failure. Losing weight improves most cases of sleep apnea.

Other Complications

Obesity can increase the chance of developing cancers of the colon, the esophagus, the breast and the liver. Being overweight also puts you at risk for osteoarthritis, a joint disorder that occurs in the knees, hips and lower back. Overweight people are more susceptible to gallbladder disease and gallstones and liver problems, as well as high blood pressure and stroke. Women who are overweight can experience irregular menstruation and infertility. If they do become pregnant, overweight women are at higher risk for developing gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia during their pregnancy.