It has been known for years that obesity is a chronic disease and a risk factor for developing other illnesses.
Most patients are aware that, due to their obesity, they may develop many diagnoses over time. Here are a few examples:
Diabetes (diabetes mellitus)
In diabetes, the blood sugar level is elevated. Typical symptoms are often absent, which means that diabetes is not discovered until damage to the organs has already occurred. Being overweight is considered one of the most important factors in the development of type 2 diabetes.
High blood pressure (hypertension)
Hypertension is also referred to as an illness that you cannot feel because it rarely causes typical symptoms of its own. Instead, it causes gradual damage to the heart, blood vessels and other organs. High blood pressure significantly increases the risk of suffering a heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular disease.
Heart attack
A heart attack is life-threatening and is caused by a sudden, complete occlusion of a coronary vessel. If the vessel cannot be reopened quickly, the muscle tissue cut off from the blood supply will die. The affected tissue is called an infarct. Acting quickly and correctly in an emergency can increase the chances of survival. Obesity increases the risk of heart attack.
Stroke
A stroke occurs when the blood flow to an area of the brain suddenly decreases sharply or stops completely. This causes brain cells to die, which can lead to serious functional disorders, including disabilities and even death. High blood pressure and abdominal obesity are among the biggest risk factors for stroke.
Heart failure
Heart failure (also known as cardiac weakness) is a condition in which the heart’s pumping action is weakened. The heart cannot supply the body with enough oxygen-rich blood, which leads to a reduced performance. Obesity increases the risk of heart failure.
Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS)
In cases of severe obesity, the lungs have less space. They have to work harder to meet the oxygen demand. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is characterized by repeated short-term interruptions in breathing during sleep. The lack of air supply reduces the oxygen content in the blood. Due to a waking reaction developed in the brain, those affected take a deep breath. This repetitive wake-up reaction prevents deep sleep, which means chronic fatigue and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Lipid metabolism disorder
A lipid metabolism disorder is when the blood levels of certain fats are elevated, e.g. cholesterol. This is often the case with overweight and obese people. Lipid metabolism disorders increase the risk of various cardiovascular and liver diseases.
Gallstones
Gallstones occur when solidified components of the body, such as cholesterol or protein, clump together in the gallbladder or bile duct. The symptoms include severe, right-sided upper abdominal pain (biliary colic), which may be accompanied by nausea. Obesity increases the risk of gallstones because it leads to increased production and excretion of blood lipids in the bile.
Hormonal disorders
Being overweight or obese can lead to infertility in women and erectile dysfunction in men.
Osteoarthritis (premature wear in joints)
Osteoarthritis means wear and tear of the joint cartilage. The disease can be painful and cause restricted mobility. However, it can also be completely asymptomatic. Osteoarthritis most often occurs at the knee and hip joints, at the carpometacarpal joint (between thumb ball and wrist) and at the shoulder joint. Being overweight can cause gradual wear and tear of the joints.
Depression
Overweight people often suffer from their overall situation. The complaints caused by being overweight massively reduce the quality of life of those affected and restrict their freedom of action. Social exclusion, prejudice and health concerns make life extremely difficult for overweight people and often result in depression.
Heartburn (reflux disease, GERD)
Heartburn occurs when stomach acid enters the oesophagus from the stomach. This happens when the lower oesophageal sphincter does not close tightly and the pressure in the abdomen is too great. In obesity, both are often the case, since the pressure in the abdomen increases due to the excess weight and the transition from the oesophagus to the stomach is pushed upwards.
Varicose veins
The increased prevalence of obesity and the associated apron of fat often restrict the return of blood from the legs. Together with a weakness of the connective tissue and genetic components, this leads to varicose veins.
What many people don’t know is that obesity is also considered a risk factor for various cancers. For example, obese women have an increased risk of breast cancer, uterine cancer and ovarian cancer. Obese men have an increased risk of developing bowel, prostate and pancreatic cancer.
