An average Indian needs to lose 11 kgs to be of optimum weight. More than 73% of Indians are overweight and stand a high risk of obesity. Sedentary lifestyles and poor diet choices have lead to 1 out of every 2 Indian to be obese.
Obesity is a condition where your Body Mass Index, or BMI, is higher than 30. Read more about Obesity here. And being obese can lead to multiple health risks. Here are the 10 health risks that are linked to obesity:
High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is a condition in which blood flows through your blood vessels with a force greater than normal. High blood pressure can strain your heart, damage blood vessels, and raise your risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney diseases.
Obesity increases your risk of high cholesterol and high blood pressure, both of which lead to increased risk of various cardiovascular diseases. However, losing 5-10% of your body weight in a stipulated period of time has proven beneficial to lower this risk.
People who are obese or overweight have a higher risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes which adds pressure on their body to utilise insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar, which lead to increased blood sugar levels. If you have type 2 diabetes, get physically active and control your blood sugar levels to remain healthy.
Osteoarthritis is a joint condition that affects the knee, back, or hips. If you’re overweight or obese, the extra weight causes pressure on your joints which wears away the tissues protecting our joints and lead to pain and swelling in the affected area.
Sleep Apnea is a state of breathing that is linked to being overweight. Sleep apnea causes a person to snore heavily and briefly stop breathing while asleep. It can cause heart diseases or stroke. It can also cause high blood pressure, diabetes, depression and headaches.
Persons with obesity have a high chance of damaging the lower part of their spinal cord, the lumbar region, leading to structural damage. When the spine is forced to assimilate all the excess weight, it can often lead to wear and tear, causing lower back pain.
Gall Bladder Diseases
Gall bladder diseases like gallstones and cholecystitis are common if you’re overweight or obese. If your body has high amounts of cholesterol in your bile, it can lead to the formation of gallstones. Consult your dietician to know the exact amount of weight you should lose per week to manage your weight.
Obesity and being overweight can be the cause of many underlying physical conditions and make you susceptible to various forms of cancer like endometrial cancer (cancer of the uterus lining), gastric cancers, thyroid cancer and many others.
Kidney Disease
Obesity raises the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure, the most common causes of kidney disease. Even if you don’t have diabetes or high blood pressure, obesity itself may promote kidney disease and quicken its progress.
Overweight and obesity raise the risk of health problems that may occur during pregnancy. Pregnant women who are overweight or obese may have a greater chance of
Obesity is often associated with mental health issues like depression, lack of self-worth, and negative body image. People who deal with overweight and obesity may also be subject to social stigma and weight bias from others, that further worsen their confidence and mental health.
It is, however, important to remember that one needs to become healthy and maintain their weight to only be healthy, physically and mentally, and not to confer to societal stigma.
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