HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF OBESITY

 

 

Obesity and overweight can increase health risk and level at a significantly high rate. These health problems include certain cancers, heart disease, diabetes, etc. in pregnant women; obesity can bring about long-term health problems in the mother and the baby.

 

PREGNANCY PROBLEMS

 

 

When the need for C-section arises, there might be a problem of slow healing, which might affect the health of the mother and the baby. Being overweight during pregnancy will increase the risk of blood pressure, which will adversely affect the health of the baby and that of the mother in the long term. Mothers with preeclampsia need to be treated and be observed to avoid such risks. High blood sugar in times of pregnancy might be as a result of excess fat, which is considered as gestational diabetes. These also occur as a result of overweight during pregnancy.

 

KIDNEY DISEASE

 

 

The kidney functions in filtering blood, removing waste products and water in the form of urine. It helps in controlling blood pressure, which keeps the body healthy and active. When the kidneys are damaged and can't filter blood as they

should, it is termed as kidney disease. When the filter is not proper, waste can build up in the body. Excess fat increases the blood pressure and diabetes which are among the significant causes of kidney disease. According to recent studies, even in the absence of such condition, obesity can directly cause kidney disease, especially when not controlled.

 

FATTY LIVER DISEASE

 

 

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) which can also be referred to as fatty liver disease occurs due to the buildup of fat in the liver, which virtually causes damage. These fatty liver can cause several injuries which include liver failure, cirrhosis (scar tissue), severe liver damage, etc. At some point, a fatty liver disease may produce no to mild symptoms just like an alcoholic liver disease but doesn't occur as a result of excessive alcohol intake.

 

OSTEOARTHRITIS

 

 

Osteoarthritis is a health problem that causes pain and stiffness in the joints. This health issue is often related to age and injury. It usually affects the bones in the lower back, hips, knees, and hands. Being overweight is among the common risk factors for developing osteoarthritis. Other facts include genetic, old age and injuries.

 

Extra pressure is put on the joints due to excess weight. The bones and the joints covered with fibrous tissues are worn away due to the pressure of fat

and the weight of the body. Also, high body fat may mean more harmful substances in the blood which may increase the risk of inflammation.

 

SLEEP APNEA

 

 

One or more pauses of breath characterise this disorder during sleep. People with this disease may suffer heart failure, focusing on difficulty and daytime sleepiness. According to studies, sleep apnea could be highly caused by obesity. This is because a person with more fat in their neck may have a smaller airway. Practically, smaller airways can cause difficulty in breathing or breathing might be loud, often referred to as snoring. In chronic cases, breathing might stop for a moment before it will continue. Also, the fat stored around the neck may increase the risk of inflammation which as a result in cases of sleep apnea.

 

STROKE

 

 

This issue happens when the flow of blood to your brain stops. Blood clotting occurs in the artery, which prevents the movement of blood to the brain; this is referred to as the ischemic stroke. Hemorrhagic stroke occurs when the blood vessels bursts, which is another type of stroke, although less frequent than ischemic stroke. When blood pressure is increased due to overweight or obesity, stroke is more likely to occur. Other problems often associated with strokes include heart disease, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol.

HEART DISEASES

 

 

This issue occurs when the blood vessel carrying blood to the heart becomes narrow and hard. It leads to problems which may affect the heart in general. When the heart does not get enough blood, more risk tends to develop. Some issues may keep the heart from pumping enough blood to the body. People with heart disease suffer abnormal heart rhythm, chest pain, sudden cardiac death, heart failure, or heart attack. Obesity is linked to health problems that may lead to heart disease. These health problems include high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Excess fat pushes the heart to use more energy into pumping blood to the body.

 

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

 

 

This is the force with which your blood pushes against the walls of your arteries. The pumping occurs every time the heart beats, and it drives blood through the arteries to other parts of the body. Although high blood pressure doesn't have symptoms, it can cause diseases such as kidney failure, stroke, and severe heart diseases. 120/80 mm Hg blood pressure is considered as usual. 140 or higher, and 90 or more are considered high blood pressure. The top number is usually referred to as systolic blood pressure while the bottom number is known as the diastolic blood pressure. Naturally, large body size contributes to the need for the heart to push harder, therefore, leading to blood