It is not only not being able to fit in small sizes that people who are overweight should worry about. Weighing more than you should can present a lot of problems not only in terms of your social life or your romantic chances but also in the quality of life that you lead and the health of your body.
Obesity, to be technical about it, is classified as being in 20 percent more than the average or ideal body weight. The measure of the average body weight can be found in the body mass index charts in hospitals and even in the internet. For people who have not reached the 20 percent mark is said to be only overweight and not obese.
But whether obese or overweight, the potential problems and illnesses that may develop are still the same for both. In fact, being overweight and obese can both be lethal especially if not taken seriously and if actions are not taken immediately.
When you come to think about it, it is not actually being obese that presents the problem but the complications that the person develop when he or she is overweight. Studies have presented the number of potential problems that may ensue when your body mass index is way overboard. Also, the risk for death increases as the rate of obesity increases.
Below are just some of the dangers that people who are overweight and those that are obese can face. Read on and it might just serve as a wake-up call to start eating right and crunching those muscles.
Hypertension.
This is perhaps the biggest problem that overweight and obese people face. Hypertension or what is commonly called as high blood pressure increases the chances of a heart attack occurring. This is because when excess fats accumulate, sodium is retained, which in turn takes in water. Water flows through the blood stream, abnormally increasing the volume of blood that the heart pumps. This makes the work of the heart much harder, thus pressuring and stressing the organ.
Diabetes
Another problem that can happen when people are overweight or obese is the 2nd type of diabetes. While the first type of diabetes is inborn, the Type 2 diabetes is mainly due to the lifestyle of the person, particularly their diet and intake of fats and sugar. This happens because fats in the body can cause the body to resist insulin.
Stroke
The presence of abnomally high number of fats in the blood especially the bad ones called the LDL (bad cholesterol) can clog the arteries and lead to stroke.
Osteoarthritis
When one is heavier than what the legs can support, this puts undue pressure to the joints of the legs and the feet. Uknowingly, tears and wearing away in the cartilage can develop thus leading to this problem that is often seen in older people.
Sleep apnea
Believe it or not, your weight can also affect the way you sleep at night. The more overweight a person is, the more severe will be your sleep apnea.
Gallstones
This is also quite common for people who are very overweight although up until now, the connection between the presence of gallstones and one’s weight is still unclear.
Cancer
Because there are many conditions and complications that may develop when one is overweight, all this problem can lead to cancer when not immediately diagnosed.
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