Weight Related Illnesses

Coronary Heart Disease

CHD is a condition where a substance call plaque build up inside the coronary arteries. Plaque can narrow or block the arteries which reduce blood flow to the heart muscles. The coronary arteries delivery oxygen to the the heart with it being blocked it can cause angina or heart attack. If you are obese then it can also lead to heart failure.

High Blood Pressure

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a major contributor to the annual incidence of 1.5 million heart attacks, 500,000 strokes and 400,000 new cases of heart failure in the US. In early stages of high blood pressure, there are almost no symptoms, thus earning its nickname “the silent killer. Your chances of having high blood pressure are greater if you’re overweight or obese.

Stroke

Being overweight or obese can lead to a buildup of plaque in your arteries. Eventually, an area of plaque can rupture, causing a blood clot to form. If the clot is close to your brain, it can block the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain and cause a stroke. The risk of having a stroke rises as BMI increases.

Type 2 Diabetes

As of 2015, there are about 29 million Americans suffering from diabetes. Diabetes is characterized as a metabolism disorder, the reason being is that diabetes affect the way our bodies convert food into energy. Once food enter our body it is broken down into it’s monomer form glucose which is the basic form of energy our body uses. After digestion, glucose then diffuses into the bloodstream where our cells use them for energy. Here comes the part where it relates to the disorder diabetes. For glucose to be able to enter cells, insulin must be present, and if there is a  problem with the way our cells utilizing insulin or if there are not enough insulin, you become diabetic.

Abnormal Blood Fats

If you’re overweight or obese, you’re at increased risk of having abnormal levels of blood fats. These include high levels of triglycerides and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and low levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol.

Metabolic Syndrome

A diagnosis of metabolic syndrome is made if you have at least three of the following risk factors:

A large waistline. This is called abdominal obesity or “having an apple shape.” Having extra fat in the waist area is a greater risk factor for CHD than having extra fat in other parts of the body, such as on the hips.
A higher than normal triglyceride level (or you’re on medicine to treat high triglycerides).
A lower than normal HDL cholesterol level (or you’re on medicine to treat low HDL cholesterol).
Higher than normal blood pressure (or you’re on medicine to treat high blood pressure).
Higher than normal fasting blood sugar (or you’re on medicine to treat diabetes).

Cancer

Being overweight or obese raises your risk for colon, breast, endometrial, and gallbladder cancers.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a common joint problem of the knees, hips, and lower back. The condition occurs if the tissue that protects the joints wears away. Extra weight can put more pressure and wear on joints, causing pain.

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep.A person who has sleep apnea may have more fat stored around the neck. This can narrow the airway, making it hard to breathe.

Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome

Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) is a breathing disorder that affects some obese people. In OHS, poor breathing results in too much carbon dioxide (hypoventilation) and too little oxygen in the blood (hypoxemia).OHS can lead to serious health problems and may even cause death.

Reproductive Problems

Obesity can cause menstrual issues and infertility in women.

Gallstones

Gallstones are hard pieces of stone-like material that form in the gallbladder. They’re mostly made of cholesterol. Gallstones can cause stomach or back pain. People who are overweight or obese are at increased risk of having gallstones. Also, being overweight may result in an enlarged gallbladder that doesn’t work well.

Children and Teens

Also, overweight children are more likely to become overweight or obese as adults, with the same disease risks. These are the illnesses but it does not mean you have to suffer from them.