Weight impacts people physically, socially and psychologically. The inspiration to lose weight develops from a variety of reasons. Motivation for weight loss often stems from a fear of premature death. Other people are motivated to lose weight to improve the quality of their lives. Losing weight can help people improve their mobility and energy. Other people worry about their appearance and hope that weight loss will improve their social lives.
Risk of Diseases
A concern about the damage that extra weight causes their bodies motivates people to live healthier lifestyles. Obesity leads to increased risk of many physical health conditions that can cause death. Obesity places people at a higher risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and heart disease. Weight loss sometimes decreases people's need to take medication for various conditions. Overweight women experience higher incidences of breast, colon, uterine and gallbladder cancers. Overweight men experience increased risk for prostate and colon cancer.
Improved Mobility
People's desire to participate in sports, play with their children or walk their dog can influence them to lose weight. Overweight people experience more joint pain and decreased mobility. Extra weight places increased stress on knees and hips and damages joints -- often leading to osteoarthritis. Obese people may not qualify for joint replacement surgery, as artificial joints are unable to withstand a lot of weight. Weight loss can lead to improved ability to climb stairs, walk and get up from a seated position.
Increased Energy and Sleep
Feeling tired spurs people to want to shed some extra pounds. Carrying around extra weight uses more energy throughout the day, leaving overweight people often feeling exhausted from their daily routine. Extra weight also leads to increased risk of sleep apnea, a sleeping disorder that impacts nighttime breathing and causes frequent waking. People with sleep apnea report increased fatigue throughout the day.
Social and Psychological Reasons
In a culture where a lot of emphasis is placed on physical attractiveness, people report discrimination due to being overweight. Some people report their weight impacts their self-confidence and desire to socialize. Depression sometimes motivates weight loss, because people want to feel better about themselves and believe they will feel happier if they lose weight. Parents often want to lose weight to model healthier habits for their children, as overweight children experience similar health problems as overweight adults.
References
- St. Louis Psychologists and Counseling Information and Referral; Weight Loss and Psychology; Paul Susic; December 2010
- Informed Health Online: Fact Sheet; Health Benefits of Losing Weight; February 2011
- Stanford Hospital and Clinics: Health Effects of Obesity
- FamilyDoctor.org; Childhood Obesity: Overview; January 2011
Member Comments