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Health Effects of
Obesity & Overweight

Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites

Health issues triggered by excess body weight.

Out of all the risks of obesity, the saddest is that people who are obese tend to live shorter lives when compared to people who are at their recommended weight.

In addition, their quality of life is lesser than the individual who is at recommended weight.

While feeling uncomfortable, finding clothing that fits properly and being dissatisfied with our outward appearance are all side-effects of obesity and overweight, there are serious risks involved - including the potential shorter life span as mentioned above.

Other risks of obesity include the following health-related issues.

Body Fat Hampers Breathing, Lung Health

Respiratory & breathing issues, including breathlessness brought on by an overloaded heart and constricted diaphragm.

What is this happening and why is this occurring? Because the inner layers of body fat is pressing and squeezing the very life out of the lungs.

They have less room to move about in with fat taking up their space. It's sort of like having a reserved parking space at work, then having one of your best-loved friends taking it over.

We may love food but it puts a squeeze on our lungs and the entire respiratory system.

Increase in Blood Pressure & Unhealthy Cholesterol Issues Often a Result of Weight Gain 

Obesity can raise the risk of hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure which in turn impacts heart function.

Obesity can produce unhealthy levels of bad cholesterol, which again impact the heart.

Why is this happening? Because our body was created a specific size and was intended to ingest x-amount of food. When we do such, we are subjected to x-amount of fat that the body deals with quite effectively - unless we go overboard with fatty food.

There are many thin people who have cholesterol issues - and at times it is based on diet while other times it's based on the gene pool.

Nonetheless, when we are fatter than our intended weight - we are eating far more foods that contain fat.

If we are twice what we should weigh, then we are ingesting two times the normal amount of dietary fat - and it doesn't take a long time for this overage of fat to build within the body.

Excess Body Fat Impact the Gallbladder

Obesity can trigger gallstones. Again, a result that can be tied to fatty food choices.

Fried foods, salad dressing, animal proteins trimmed in rolls of fat, poultry that is eaten with the skin in place - oil, butter, margarine, ice cream, donuts, cream cheese, sour cream, potato chips, corn chips, cupcakes, pies, cakes, frosting - and the list goes on and on.

Veins Cannot Withstand Pressure From Excess Body Weight

Varicose veins may be a high risk of obesity due to the excessive weight placed on the legs.

Again, when we popped out of the womb we were created to become a particular size as we grew. When we gain weight, we place not only inward stress on the body's vital organs and respiratory system - but also on the body's skeleton.

Our body frame is much like a door opening. When the right sized door is hung into place, the door moves freely about and the frame easily and adequately supports the weight because that is how it was designed.

But if a massive door is hung onto the frame, the door will sag - the frame will show signs of stress from the overage of weight and eventually both the door and the frame risk collapsing.

Certain Cancers Aggravated or Triggered by Weight Gain

Some types of cancer may also pose a higher risk for the obese individual.

Because of the overage of foods as well as the amount of fatty foods that are poured into the body, it is stressed. In an ideal situation, the body concentrates on keeping everything in balance; it's job is efficient and smooth.

When extra weight is added, it struggles in all directions to find balance. And when the body gets out of balance we are at a much higher risk for accidents, infection, disease and death.

Risk of Getting Type II Diabetes Triples With Obesity as a Factor

Diabetes can be triggered by obesity, which in turn produces other serious health risks associated with diabetes - from blindness to kidney disease. Diabetes can cut a life short in a flash.

This is one disease that we can control to a certain degree through a healthy diet and a moderate dose of activity.

Obesity Causes Skin Irritation, Aches, Pains for the Body's Frame, Bones

Skin irritations including fungal infections and chafing are also common in the obese individual.

Backache & skeletal issues, including osteoarthritis due to excessive pressure on the body frame.

In Summary

If you are overweight - there is no better time than right now - and we mean right now to get those unwanted pounds off. If not, they can pile up quickly; rather than losing down to a comfortable weight over the next few months - you risk gaining more weight.

That's the rotten thing about having an addition to food.

We may think it is our best friend but all the time that we're chumming-up with it, it's patting us on the back with a knife - slowly killing us or removing the quality of life that we could have.

Don't let that weight rob you of a better life - of a longer life. Get busy now - get serious now and lose those pounds.

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Ideal Body Weight

Weight Gain Side Effects

Do You Have a Slow or Fast Metabolism?

Why Am I Fat? Why Am I Overweight?

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