Obesity & Its Consequences

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Obesity & Its Consequences

Weight & Related Health Risk

Obesity has numerous ill effects, including risk of heart diseases, diabetics, hypertension, and stroke. It can cause joint pain, sleep apnea, and certain cancers. Mental health is also impacted, with higher rates of depression and anxiety. Overall, obesity significantly reduces quality of life and life expectancy.

Fat Facts

World Health Organisation (WHO) has defined obesity as the most preventable non-communicable disease. It has already become the second largest killer disease after cancer. The alarming facts about obesity are:

  • More than 1 in 3 adults were overweight.
  • More than 2 in 3 adults were overweight or have obesity.
  • More than 1 in 3 adults were considered to have obesity.
  • About 1 in 13 adults were considered to have extreme obesity.
  • About 1 in 6 children and adolescents are considered to have obesity.

Obesity has a direct impact on several organs of our body including heart, liver, reproductive organs, joints and above all the mental health. Aside from the obvious dangers to health, obesity is incredibly costly in a financial sense.

Consequences / Comorbidities

Co-morbidities are the diseases that are caused as a result of consequences of obesity. These diseases may be directly related to obesity in most of the cases or will be related to obesity in some way or the other and may develop untoward complications if untreated. Some common comorbidities of morbid obesity are as follows :

The shoot up of blood glucose levels or blood sugar levels is termed as diabetes. The glucose found in blood is generated from the foods consumed. It is converted to energy by a hormone called insulin. The absence of insulin or non-utilization of insulin drains energy from the body and the sugar levels stay intact without breaking down paving way for illness.

There are two types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type. In this medical condition body not only refrains from producing adequate insulin but also fails to utilize it if provided externally. Higher levels of BMI increase the risk of being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Food habits and physical activity has a direct impact on the blood cholesterol levels of an individual. Obesity increases the bad fat accumulation and creates health problems. It can lead to blockade of small vessels, especial those supplying the heart. Along with high sugar and high BP, can lead to earlier attack of heart diseases.
A medical condition which is characterized by the degeneration of cartilage and bones. Obese people have a greater risk of osteoarthritis since the excess weight puts a lot of pressure on the bones and joints causing health hazards. This may lead individuals towards knee replacement surgery due to wear & tear of the joints which couldn’t manage the excess weight. Reducing weight to ideal weight will avoid knee replacements in affected individuals by 70%.
PCOS affecting obese women is very common and have a higher risk of infertility and related problems. Obesity interferes with the hormone secretions and leads to mild to major menstrual disturbances. PCOS and obesity follows a vicious cycle, either of them causing the other. If obesity is left untreated, may lead to worsening of hormonal imbalance leading to morbid obesity and infertility. Weight loss can completely revere this condition.
Obesity contributes to the increase of fatty tissues in the body. These fatty tissues increases vascular resistance. This prompts heart to pump blood more aggressively, thus straining the heart, resulting in hypertension or high blood pressure. Long standing hypertension along with obesity can lead to heart attacks. Losing weight normally helps in controlling levels of hypertension as well.
Obstructive Sleep apnea (OSA) or Sleep Apnoea is the medical condition in which the person faces breathing difficulty while sleeping. These pauses can last from few seconds to several minutes. Obesity is the major reason for this condition. OSA stresses the heart and causes up to 30% of heart attacks in obese individuals. It has been observed that reduction of weight can cure OSA completely.
Fatty Liver or Non-Alcoholic Steatohepaltitis (NASH) is accumulation of excess fat can affect the liver adversely and is a major symptom for fatty liver syndrome or Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH). One of the most underdiagnosed disease, if not managed in time, may lead to liver failure (Cirrhosis) in the long run.
Long Stan ding obesity can cause various nutritional deficiencies, especially Vitamin B (9 &12) which can lead to anaemia and reduced energy, Iron deficiency will follow thus making anaemia worse as well. Fit D is another vitamin that will become deficient leading to severe depletion of Vit D in most of the obese individuals.

Head Doctors

Director & Lead Surgeon
Dr. Raj Palaniappan

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