Being overweight or obese cannot only affect a person’s self-esteem, but it can also increase their risk of various health conditions, affecting their quality of life. For this reason, it is crucial to both reach and maintain a healthy weight so that you can enjoy a healthier, happier future.
If you want to learn about the connection between excess weight and medical conditions, find out more about the health risks of being overweight.
Table of Contents
Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a serious disease that occurs when a person’s blood sugars are above the normal range. It develops when the body fails to either use or produce insulin, and it can ultimately lead to various major health issues, such as heart disease, kidney disease, sight impairment, amputation, or a stroke.
While your family history and genes can increase your likelihood of type 2 diabetes, it is commonly caused by:
- A poor diet
- Low physical activity levels
- Excess weight across your waist
Thankfully, type 2 diabetes doesn’t need to be permanent, as changes to your lifestyle can help to reverse the disease. For example, you should find an effective low calorie diet to coincide with a moderately intense workout routine.
High Blood Pressure
Blood pumps through your arteries and throughout the rest of your body each time your heart beats. Your blood pressure is determined by how hard your blood pushes up against your artery walls.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to know if you are living with high blood pressure (hypertension) without a test, as it has no symptoms. It can, however, lead to the development of more serious health problems, such as heart disease, kidney failure or a stroke.
High blood pressure is commonly linked to being overweight or obese, as a larger body size can increase the blood pressure to your heart, as it needs to work harder to pump blood to your cells. It’s therefore essential to shed excess weight to lower your levels.
Osteoarthritis
While osteoarthritis is commonly linked to aging or physical injuries, being overweight can also be a risk factor. Symptoms of osteoarthritis can include pain and stiffness in your joints. People who are overweight or obese are more likely to develop the condition, as the extra weight could place pressure on both their joints and cartilage, which can cause them to wear away.
Losing weight can decrease your likelihood of developing the debilitating condition. In fact, losing as little as 5% of your body weight can reportedly reduce stress on your hips, knees and lower back and can decrease inflammation throughout your body.
Fatty Liver Disease
Fatty liver disease is caused by fat deposits building up inside the liver, and it can produce either mild or no symptoms. Sadly, it can lead to liver damage, cirrhosis, or liver failure.
While its cause is unknown, the disease is believed to commonly affect people who are obese, overweight, middle-aged, or diabetic. While a doctor will not provide a specific treatment, they will more than likely be advised to adopt a healthier diet, lose weight, avoid alcohol, and increase their physical activity.
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