What are the health risks of being overweight or obese?
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Dr. Mehmet Oz answered:Being overweight can hurt your health in many ways. Watch as Dr. Oz explains why in this video.
Being overweight can hurt your health in many ways. Watch as Dr. Oz explains why in this video. More -
Piedmont Heart Institute answered:Being overweight or obese isn't a cosmetic problem. It greatly raises the risk in adults for many diseases and conditions, including:
Heart Disease: This condition occurs when a fatty material called plaque builds up on the inside walls of the coronary arteries. Plaque narrows the coronary arteries, which reduces blood flow to your heart.
High Blood Pressure: Your chances for having high blood pressure are greater if you're overweight or obese.Stroke: The risk of having a stroke rises as BMI increases.
Type 2 Diabetes: More than 80 percent of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight.
Abnormal Blood Fats: If you're obese, you have a greater chance of having abnormal levels of blood fats. Abnormal levels of these blood fats are a risk for heart disease.
Metabolic Syndrome: Metabolic syndrome occurs when a person has at least three of these heart disease risk factors: A large waistline. Having extra fat in the waist area is a greater risk factor for heart disease than having extra fat in other parts of the body, such as on the hips Abnormal blood fat levels, including high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol Higher than normal blood pressure Higher than normal fasting blood sugar levelsCancer: Being obese raises the risk for colon, breast, endometrial, and gallbladder cancers.
Osteoarthritis: This is a common joint problem of the knees, hips, and lowers back. Extra weight can put more pressure and wear on joints, causing pain.
Sleep Apnea: This condition causes a person to stop breathing for short periods during sleep. A person with sleep apnea may have more fat stored around the neck. This can make the breathing airway smaller so that it's hard to breathe.
Reproductive Problems: Obesity can cause menstrual irregularity and infertility in women.
Gallstones: People who are overweight or obese have a greater chance of having gallstones. These are hard pieces of stone-like material that form in the gallbladder. They're mostly made of cholesterol and can cause abdominal or back pain.This answer is based on source information from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
Being overweight or obese isn't a cosmetic problem. It greatly raises the risk in adults for many diseases and conditions, including: Heart Disease: This condition occurs when a fatty material called plaque builds up on the inside walls of the... More -
Dr. Celeste Robb-Nicholson answered:Not only is obesity closely linked to high blood pressure, unfavorable cholesterol levels, lack of exercise, and diabetes, it also increases your risk for heart disease independent of these other conditions. All forms of obesity are bad for health, but excessive upper-body fat (the "apple shape") is more dangerous to the heart than lower-body obesity (the "pear shape").Not only is obesity closely linked to high blood pressure, unfavorable cholesterol levels, lack of exercise, and diabetes, it also increases your risk for heart disease independent of these other conditions. All forms of obesity are bad for health,... More -
Dr. Christopher Chiodo answered:Your weight plays a major role in your risk for many health problems: cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, several forms of cancer, arthritis, gallstones, adult-onset asthma, infertility, sleep apnea, and even snoring. Excess weight can also contribute to certain foot problems.Your weight plays a major role in your risk for many health problems: cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, several forms of cancer, arthritis, gallstones, adult-onset asthma, infertility, sleep apnea, and... More
