Problems Caused by Obesity

Obesity isn't a sign of good health and prosperity, it's a health hazard which can not only lead to problems related to how you look, but also open the doors to invite various health related issues. Most people think that obesity is only a result of eating too much of high calorie food, but that is not true! There are a lot of people who eat and exercise just fine but are suffering from some medical or hormonal problems due to which they still continue to be obese. Therefore, what is important is to be healthy and fit. If you don't take a conscious decision to fight against obesity NOW, you will have to deal with chronic diseases all your life, along with obesity itself! Obesity is friends with the problems that we will be discussing below, and a casual attitude towards this will lead to chronic sufferings. The list can go on and on but it's important for you to know what are some of the problems caused by obesity. Educate yourself about the consequences and know the problems, along with the precautions you can take to avoid them.

Health Related Problems

Obesity can cause problems in various aspects of our life. Let us first discuss the health related problems. It is very rightly said, "Health is Wealth." Doctor's say that a person who is 40 percent overweight, has 2 times more chances to die early as compared to a person with average weight. People who have their body mass index (BMI) between 25-30 are considered to be overweight and if the BMI is more than 30 or even 30, it's considered to be OBESE! The following are some of the health problems that are more likely to occur in obese or even overweight people than average weight people.

• High blood Pressure and Heart Related Problems: High blood pressure and heart related problems are somewhat inter related. Obese people are more prone to have high blood pressure due to which the risk for heart diseases, enlarged heart and heart stroke also increase. The extra fat in the body decreases the supply of oxygen to the heart leading to chest pain. This combined with high level of cholesterol and blood pressure highly multiplies the chances of heart stroke.
• Diabetes: Obesity also increases the chance of Type 2 diabetes in people which can lead to heart stroke, high sugar levels and even blindness! When a person suffers from diabetes the insulin secretion from the pancreas is reduced. As per statistics more than 80 percent of people suffering from Type 2 diabetes are overweight. Chances can be reduced by taking proper measures to reduce weight and follow a proper diet and exercise routine. In fact, people who have the 'apple-shaped' body structure, meaning accumulation of fat in the stomach and waist areas, are more prone to heart diseases, diabetes and blood pressure problems.
• Breathing Problems: One of the main health problem resulting from obesity, is breathing problems. These include asthma, mouth breathing, sleep apnea, and so on. These problems make you feel suffocated, and consequently, can even lead to heart failure. Sleep apnea can make you feel sleepy and lethargic all the time.
• Gout: The more is your body weight, the more would be the chances to suffer from gout. If your blood has high amount of uric acid, then it forms into crystal like substance and solidifies in and around the joints in your body. It is also found that sudden change in the diet within a short span of time can also increase the chances of gout attack. Therefore, it advisable to consult with your doctor if you are planning to do on a special diet, whether the amount of uric acid in your blood is high or not, or, if you have gout in your family history, always check!
• Cancer: Obesity can also make your body prone to have certain types of cancers like breast cancer, uterus cancer, colon, cervix, ovary cancer and so on. So, it's advisable to take precautions from now so that one doesn't have to go through all this later!
• Osteoarthritis: When one is suffering from obesity, there is unnecessary accumulation of fat in the joints of areas like knee, lower back, hips which leads to extra pressure on them. Due to the extra weight or pressure on them, the cartilage on these joints is worn off and hence you tend to suffer from osteoarthritis. The chances are reduced if the weight of your body is reduced.
• Gallstones and gallbladder diseases: Being obese also increases the chances of gallbladder stones which can be very painful at times. Not only this, gallbladder cancer is another disease among various gallbladder problems which obese people are more prone to.
• Infertility: This can be a really depressing problem one may come across when obese. Medical studies show that obesity leads to increase in estrogen levels in the body which leads to hormonal imbalance. The hormone imbalance, in turn leads to problems like absence of menstrual cycle in women which disturbs the ovulation cycle, which gradually effects the chances of pregnancy leading to infertility. In men, obesity can lead to hormonal differences and studies show that obese men tend to indulge less in sexual activities as compared to men with normal weight. Also obese men tend to have low semen quality which affects fertility. Obesity can also lead to erectile dysfunction which can be a big problem to deal with again!
• Mobility Problems: Obesity can lead to mobility problems in a person. An obese person tends to get tired very early as the body isn't used to physical activities. Also if someone is excessively obese, one may suffer from immobility as the legs won't be able to take the weight of the body.
• Skin Problems: Intertrigo, which is an infection that could be fungal or bacterial and develops in the broken skin. Obese people can suffer from stretch marks, Cellulitis in which a particular area of the body swells and goes red with a burning sensation and tends to spread rapidly. There is a skin disease called Acanthosis Nigricans in which the neck, underarms or groin tend to develop a dark brown, velvety surface.

Health Problems Caused by Obesity in Children

There exists a mentality among many parents, specially mothers, that the more the child eats, the better he grows, and, this thinking is responsible for a 'misconception' that the more weight the child gains, the more healthy they are! This is the one among the many causes of childhood obesity. Parents need to check on their children in terms of their eating habits, physical activities and mental growth, so as to prevent the causes of obesity in children. The following are some consequences that children suffering from obesity may face.

• Orthopedic Problems: Obesity accumulates the fat in the joint areas of the child at the stage where the joints are growing. The excessive weight damages the cartilage resulting the child to suffer from orthopedic problems.
• Breathing Problems: Childhood obesity may lead the child to suffer from breathing problems like asthma, sleep apnea at a very young age. This in turn will hamper the mental growth and physical growth of the child.
• Adult Ailments in Children: Within a short span of time, studies have shown that the percentage of children suffering from adult diseases like heart problems, diabetes etc has increased. It becomes very important to take action against this if there is a family history regarding the same.
• Depression: Children who are obese tend to be very sensitive and are more prone to go into depression. They are bullied by other children at school and made fun off. This adds on to the depression which if not taken care of can lead to serious physical as well as psychological issues.

Psychological Problems Caused by Obesity

Obesity can also prove harmful when it comes to the mind. The following points show the harm from obesity psychologically.

• Low Self-esteem: Obesity leads to low self-esteem in a person. Obese people are seen as aliens and are sadly, the target to get bullied. This leads to lower self-esteem. When others around are fit, flexible, IN SHAPE, obese people are not given their due share of respect and understanding which pushes them away from self-pride.
• Depression: Obese people are prone to depression and are more vulnerable. Apart from how mean the society can act with them at times, it is also related to their hormones. Indulging in more and more physical activities reduces depression and anxiety.
• Lack of Attention and Enthusiasm: Obesity also leads to lack of attention and enthusiasm in a person. It may be due to the low self-pride or the health problems like sleep apnea.
• Body Dismorphic Disorder: It's a psychological condition wherein a person is unhappy and disturbed with his/her body image.
• Anti-social Behavior: Obese people are more prone to develop an anti-social behavior, beliefs in an attempt to create their own world which accepts them as they are.

Each and every person is aware that being obese is not healthy. It's not a choice that one makes in life, which most people think!! I mean no one would want to suffer the problems caused by obesity, right? The reason for obesity can be anything from eating disorders, to depression, to lack of physical activities, to hormonal imbalances and so on. What is important is to take a step with determination and be a part of the fight against obesity. The way is simple but needs sheer determination! Just eat healthy, exercise and feel good about yourself. Anything is possible if we are determined to do it! Take the right steps, stay healthy and stay happy!