Effects Of Obesity

QUESTION: Effects of obesity – What are the dangers in being obese?

ANSWER:

If you are overweight, it is important to understand the health effects of obesity. Obesity is associated with more than thirty medical conditions and scientific evidence has established a strong relationship with at least fifteen of those conditions.¹

• Obesity is associated with the development of osteoarthritis of the hand, hip, back, and knees.
• Obesity increases the risk of breast cancer in men and women.
• It is strongly associated with cancer of the esophagus.
• Obese women have three to four times the risk of endometrial cancer than women with lower BMI. Obesity increases cardiovascular disease risk because of its effect on blood lipid levels. Obesity is a major risk factor for heart attack.
• Gallstones are common in overweight and obese persons.
• Obesity decreases the body’s resistance to harmful organisms.
• Obesity is the most common factor of nonalcoholic steatophepatitis, a major cause of liver disease.

These are just some examples of how obesity negatively affects the health of a person.

¹ American Obesity Association (www.obesity.org) shares possible treatments for obesity that they emphasize should not take the place of medical advice from a health professional.