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Obesity
Related Health Conditions
Obesity related health conditions are health conditions that,
whether alone or in combination, can significantly reduce your
life expectancy.
Type 2 Diabetes. Obese individuals develop a resistance
to the insulin that regulates blood sugar levels. High levels of
insulin have been linked to causing heart disease, high blood
pressure and even certain cancers. A person may have high
insulin levels for several years before problems with elevated
blood sugar become apparent. Once blood sugar levels become
elevated, a person then is then at risk to develop the
additional damaging effects of high blood sugar (for example
kidney disease and vision problems).
High blood pressure/Heart disease. Excess body weight
strains the ability of the heart to function properly. The
resulting hypertension (high blood pressure) can result in
strokes, as well as inflict significant heart and kidney damage.
Osteoarthritis of the weight bearing joints. The
additional weight placed on joints, particularly knees and hips,
results in rapid wear and tear, along with pain caused by
inflammation. Similarly, bones and muscles of the back are
constantly strained, resulting in disc problems, pain and
decreased mobility.
Sleep apnea/Respiratory problems. Fat deposits in the
tongue and neck cause intermittent obstruction of the air
passage. Because the obstruction is increased when sleeping on
your back, you may find yourself waking frequently to reposition
yourself. The resulting loss of sleep often results in daytime
drowsiness and headaches.
Gastroesophageal reflux/Heartburn. Acid belongs in the
stomach and seldom causes any problem when it stays there. When
acid escapes into the esophagus through a weak or overloaded
valve at the top of the stomach, the result is caller
gastroesophagheal reflux, and “heartburn” and acid indigestion
are common symptoms.
Gallbladder. Gallbladder disease occurs more frequently
in the obese, in part due to repeated efforts of dieting, which
predispose the patient to this problem. When stones form in the
gallbladder and cause abdominal pain or jaundice, the
gallbladder must be removed.
Depression. Seriously overweight persons face constant
challenges to their emotions: repeated failure with dieting,
disapproval from family and friends, sneers and remarks from
strangers. They often experience discrimination at work, cannot
fit comfortably in theatre seats, or ride in a bus or plane.
Skin Breakdown. Skin hygiene can be a significant problem
in obese individuals as the layers of skin can run against each
other causing skin breakdown and infection.
Swollen Legs/Skin ulcers. Leg swelling is common and may
be caused by blood clots in the leg veins. If untreated, skin
breakdown can occur and the resulting wounds can be extremely
hard to heal.
Urinary Stress Incontinence. A large heavy abdomen and
relaxation of the pelvic muscles, especially associated with the
effects of childbirth, may cause the valve on the urinary
bladder to be weakened, leading to leakage of urine with
coughing, sneezing, or laughing.
Menstrual Irregularities. Morbidly obese individuals
often experience disruptions of the menstrual cycle, including
interruption of menstrual cycle, abnormal menstrual flow and
increased pain associated with the menstrual cycle.
Lower extremity venous stasis. Heart or kidney disease
brought on by excessive weight may also result in a condition
known as venous stasis that affects the proper function of the
veins in the legs that would normally carry blood back toward
the heart. The common result is swelling in the lower legs and
ankles.
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Also known as
Pseudotumor Cerebri, is a condition of elevated cerebrospinal
fluid pressure. Cerebrospinal fluid is the fluid that bathes the
brain and spinal cord. This condition is most common in
overweight females of childbearing age. If untreated this can
cause visual loss and even blindness.
Dyslipidemia (lipid metabolism abnormalities).
Dyslipidemia means a disorder of fat-like substances in the
blood. A common form of dyslipidemia is what people often refer
to as “high cholesterol”. Dyslipidemia, however, is a term that
refers to all lipid-related health problems that result from
having either too much or too little of certain lipids. The
danger is that when lipids start to build inside the artery
walls. Scar tissue and other debris begin thickening and
hardening the walls. Some arteries literally become clogged.
Pulmonary embolus. A clot causes a pulmonary embolus from
the venous circulation. Most are caused most from clots
originating in the lower extremities known as deep vein
thrombosis (DVT). Because overweight individuals are more
susceptible to circulatory problems, their chances of
experiencing a pulmonary embolus are higher.
Pancreatitis. A disease in which the pancreas becomes
inflamed. Damage to the gland occurs when digestive enzymes are
activated and begin attacking the pancreas.
American Society for Bariatric Surgery. “Rationale for the
Surgical Treatment of Morbid Obesity.” [online] 8 April 1998.
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