Health Conditions Suprsinigly Connected To Obesity

With nearly 3 million people dying each year as a result of obesity, it has reached epidemic proportions on a global level. The latest research has shown that 30 percent of the world’s population is overweight, and 10 percent are considered obese. Determining the causes of obesity is not an easy task due to their complexity. Genetics, lifestyle and your body’s use of energy are just some of the factors. The bad news is that obesity can lead to many serious health consequences like cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The good news, however, is that there are numerous ways it can be successfully treated. Here are some of the health conditions connected to obesity, and few tips on how to fight this enemy.

Obesity Never Comes Alone

What we know about obesity may seem simple – you consume more calories than you burn. But if dig a little deeper, we find that it isn’t as simple as that. By increasing the weight, you also increase the risk of many health conditions that cause long-term suffering not only to obese individuals but to their families as well. Some of the health conditions related to obesity are:

    • Cardiovascular problems: extra weight leads to high cholesterol and blood pressure, both of which consequently make heart disease or stroke    more likely.

    • Diabetes: approximately 70 percent of diabetes risk in the U.S is related to obesity. Type 2 diabetes, or also called pre-diabetes, affects nearly 17 million people, and it’s a strong factor for developing diabetes later in life.

    • Depression: does depression cause obesity or is it the other way around? Be it as it may, the truth is that they are inextricably linked.

    • Cancer: recent studies have shown that people with severe obesity had higher death rates from cancer than normal-weight people. Men are more prone to getting cancer of the stomach and prostate while it is cancer of the breasts, uterus, cervix, and ovaries in women.

Put Your Gloves On

People who suffer from morbid obesity need more rigorous treatment that simple change of diet and lifestyle habits. For them, the only option is stomach banding procedure which is a surgical procedure when other methods fail to give results in weight loss. Putting a band around the upper stomach creates a pouch with the purpose of restricting the amount of food you can consume. It’s not a quick fix, but it’s without a question the light at the end of the tunnel for many people.

If you’re battling excess weight and your BMI is lower than 40, you may achieve your goal with one of the non-surgical treatment strategies. These include therapy, often followed by medication, change of diet, and increased physical activity. Fad diets may sound like a good idea in the short term, but in the long run, you want your program to be based on the balance between the consumption and the use of calories.


Another fail-proof way that will help you on this journey is physical activity. The aim is to keep the muscles while losing fat, so take ownership of this task. If you’re not sure which exercise programme to follow, you can always start with good old walking. Start slowly and then gradually increase the time of your routine until you reach the point where you feel ready for something more challenging. It will reduce your appetite, help you sleep better and lower bad cholesterol.

An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure

Yes, overweight and obesity are highly preventable. But what is the key to success? The answer is achieving the balance between the calories consumed and calories expended. Limiting energy intake from total fats is one way to do it. Another is to shift fat consumption to unsaturated fats (saying goodbye to saturated fats like coffee creamer or butter on your toast). By avoiding foods that contain saturated fats, you lower the risk of heart disease and stroke since they raise the level of cholesterol in your blood. Instead of indulging in fatty beef or pork, you should go for fresh fruit, vegetables, poultry, fish and nuts. Substitute whole milk with low-fat dairy products while staying away from cheese, butter, and cream. Saturated fats are just one piece of the jigsaw. Generally, eating more fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and fewer calories can only bring you benefits to your health and looks too.

Following these strategies will help with the prevention of obesity. By improving your eating habits and physical activity, you will not only lose weight, but you will feel good too. So devote some brain space to always have a mental accounting of both the quality and quantity of food you consume. Do some calorie-burning activity like walking or going up the stairs instead of using the elevator. Weigh yourself regularly so you can keep track of your progress and as a reminder of what a fantastic job you’ve done so far. Stay motivated and persistent and you’ll get there – with bells on!