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Effects of Obesity

As we stated in obesity, the build up of body fat to obese levels may harm the health of the individual concerned. As a result of the health implications associated with obesity, life expectancy is typically reduced.

In one study1, Dutch researchers analysed 3457 Framingham Heart Study participants who were 30 to 49 years of age at the start of the study. They found that large decreases of life expectancy were related to being overweight and obese.

They found that on average, female non-smokers who are overweight at age 40 lost 3.3 years and male non smokers lost 3.1 years from being overweight at 40.

Female non-smokers who are obese at age 40 can expect to lose typically 7.1 years and obese males can expect to lose 5.8 years.

Female smokers who are obese at age 40 can expect to lose 7.2 years and obese male smokers lost 6.7 years of life expectancy compared to normal weight smokers.

However the real shocking statistics come from comparing obese smokers with normal weight non-smokers.

Obese female smokers lost 13.3 years and obese male smokers lost 13.7 years compared with normal weight non-smokers.

The researchers concluded that these large decreases in life expectancy for overweight and obesity are similar to those found with smoking.

Along with the reduction in life expectancy associated with overweight and obesity, excessive body fat results in a large number of conditions which affect the quality of life for the individual.

The specific effects of obesity related diseases are too numerous to mention in detail here, but many of our bodily systems are affected.

Cardiovascular system (heart and blood vessels) – heart diseases2 including angina and myocardial infarction3 high blood pressure4 (more than 85% of high blood pressure occurs in people with a BMI greater than 25), deep veined thrombosis5, elevated LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood6.stretch_marks_on_an_obese_man

Skin conditions – stretch marks, cellulitis (an inflammed skin caused by bacterial infection), lymphedema acanthosis nigricans (a velvety hyperpigmentation and thickening of the skin caused by overproduction of insulin), hirsutism (excessive and increased hair growth in women) caused by excessive insulin enhancing male hormone production levels7 and intertrigo, an inflammatory condition in the skin folds which may be accompanied by either fungal, bacterial or viral infection8.

Endocrine system (hormone production) – type 2 diabetes (obese men are nearly 5 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than non-obese men, whilst obese women are almost 13 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than their non-obese peers)9, polycystic ovaries10, menstrual disorders, infertility in both sexes4, pregnancy complications11 and birth defects12.

Digestive system – gallstones4, reflux13, gall bladder disease14, hernias15 and fatty liver disease4.

Central nervous system – stroke (obese men are twice as likely to suffer a stroke than non-obese men, whilst obese women are almost 1.7 times more likely than their non-obese peers to suffer a stroke)16,17, migraines with accompanying nausea and vomiting18, meralgia paresthetica19 (nerve problems, pain or numbness in the outer thigh caused by pinching of the lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh), carpal tunnel syndrome20 and dementia21, which occurs with 40% greater frequency in obese people than non-obese.

Cancer – deaths in women appear to be higher than deaths in men due to cancer associated with weight problems. In one very large study of more than 900,000 U.S. adults, researchers found that the heaviest (BMI >40) people in the study had death rates from all cancers combined that were 62 percent higher (for women) and 52 percent higher (for men) than the rates in women and men of normal weight22.

According to the Global Cancer Atlas23 there is convincing evidence that obesity and weight problems are associated with several cancers. Cancers associated with obesity include: cancer of the oesophagus24, colorectum25, endometrium26, breast in postmenopausal women27 and kidney28.

Several other cancers also appear to occur at increased frequency in those who are overweight or obese, including ovarian29, liver30 and pancreatic31, gall bladder32, stomach33, cervix34 and prostate35.

Mental illness – there is little doubt that modern society has stigmatized those suffering from weight issues. The relationship between depression and obesity is highest in those who are heaviest, those who are younger and is more prevalent in women than in men36.

Respiratory system – there is evidence linking weight problems with a number of chronic lung diseases37,38, such as bronchial asthma39, COPD40,41, obstructive sleep apnea42, obesity hypoventilation syndrome43 (Pickwickian syndrome) and an increased predisposition to respiratory infections44.

Rheumatics and orthopedics – there is evidence that osteoarthritis in the joints increases with excess weight, but it also occurs in non-weight bearing joints45,46, coxa vara (a deformity of the hip joint caused by the weight bearing down on the joint)47, chronic lumbar back pain48, gout49,50 and poor mobility51.

Urinary Tract and the Kidneys – incontinence due to weight stress, the urge to go and mixed incontinence (the combination of stress incontinence and urgency incontinence) all increase with excess weight52. The odds for obese relative to healthy weight females is about 2 times more likely53. Weight loss results in significant improvement in incontinence episodes and improves quality of life54. Chronic kidney failure55,56, kidney stones57, hypogonadism (deformities in either the ovaries or testes)58,59,60 and erectile dysfunction also occur with increased frequency61,62.

Bottom Line

Being overweight can come with a broad range of mental and physical health conditions and result in a reduced health-related quality of life. Overweight and obesity in adulthood increases the risk of premature death from a range of causes.

 

Sources

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