Effects On Health

Risk factors and morbidity

The presence of risk factors and disease associated with obesity are also used to establish a clinical diagnosis. The coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea are risk factors that constitute a danger to the life that could indicate a path to clinical obesity. Smoking, hypertension, age and family history are other risk factors that could indicate treatment is required.

Effects on health

A large number of medical conditions have been associated with obesity. The health consequences are categorized as the result of an increase in fat mass (osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, social stigma) or increased number of fat cells (diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver).

Mortality is increased in obesity, a BMI greater than 32 is associated with a twofold risk of death. There are alterations in the body's insulin response (insulin resistance), a pro-inflammatory state and an increased tendency to thrombosis (pro-thrombotic state).

The association of other diseases may be dependent or independent of the distribution of adipose tissue. Central obesity (male type of obesity or waist predominantly characterized by a radio hip waist high), is an important risk factor for metabolic syndrome, the combination of a number of diseases and risk factors that heavily predispose for cardiovascular disease .

These are type two diabetes mellitus, hypertension, high cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood (hyperlipidaemia combined).

In addition to the metabolic syndrome, obesity is also correlated with a variety of complications. For some of these diseases, has been clearly established to what extent they are caused directly by obesity itself or have another cause (such as sedentary lifestyle) which also causes obesity.

* Cardiovascular: Congestive heart failure, enlarged heart and associated arrhythmias and dizziness, cor pulmonary embolism and pulmonary varices.
     * Endocrine: polycystic ovarian syndrome, menstrual disorders and infertility.
     * Gastrointestinal illness of gastro-esophageal reflux, fatty liver, cholelithiasis, hernia, and colorectal cancers.
     * Renal and genito-urinary: erectile dysfunction, urinary incontinence, chronic renal failure hypogonadism (male), breast cancer (women), uterine cancer (women), intrauterine fetal death.
     * Teguments (skin and appendages): striae, acanthosis nigricans, linfadema, cellulitis, carbunculos, intertrigo.
     * Muscle: hyperuricemia (which predisposes to gout), loss of mobility, osteoarthritis, back pain.
     * Neurological: stroke, meralgia parestésica, headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, dementia, [18] idiopathic intracranial hypertension.
     * Respiratory: dyspnea, obstructive sleep apnea, hypoventilation syndrome, Pickwickian syndrome, asthma.
     * Psychological: depression, low self-esteem, body dysmorphic disorder, social stigmatization.

While being severely obese has many health complications, those who are overweight face little increased mortality or morbidity. We know that osteoporosis is less in slightly overweight people.