9 Types Of Diseases Caused By Obesity
Being obese is bad. It just shows plain ignorance about a person’s choice of food and lack of exercise. Obesity is a clinical condition and is being seriously viewed as a public health problem. Between 2001-2004, 66% of Americans above 20 years old are overweight. Not many know about the diseases that are associated with being obese. Below are the 9 clusters of diseases related to obesity.
1. Cardiovascular
- Congestive Heart Failure
- Enlarged Heart
- Cor Pulmonale
- Varicose Veins
- Pulmonary Embolism
a condition in which the heart can’t pump enough blood to the body’s other organs.
an increase in the size of the heart that may be caused by a thickening of the heart muscle because of increased workload.
Also known as right heart failure. Cor pulmonale is a change in structure and function of the right ventricle of the heart as a result of a respiratory disorder.
Twisted, enlarged veins that mostly affects the lower body as a result of pressuring the veins.
blockage of the pulmonary artery (or one of its branches) by a blood clot, fat, air, amniotic fluid, injected talc or clumped tumor cells that results in difficulty breathing, pain during breathing, and more rarely circulatory instability and may result in death.
2. Endocrine
- Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
- Menstrual Disorder
- Infertility
Cysts (fluid-filled sacs) in the ovaries that result in high levels of androgens (male hormones) and missed or irregular periods.
is a physical or emotional problem that interferes with the normal menstrual cycle, causing pain, unusually heavy or light bleeding, delayed menarche, or missed periods.
inability for a man or woman to contribute to conception.
3. Gastrointestinal
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- Fatty Liver Disease
- Cholelithiasis (gallstones)
- Hernia
- Colorectal Cancer
happens when the LES ,a ring of muscle at the bottom of the esophagus that acts like a valve between the esophagus and stomach, opens spontaneously for varying periods of time which causes stomach contents along with digestive juices to rise up into the esophagus (the tube that carries food from mouth to stomach).
an accumulation of fat within the liver that may cause liver-damaging inflammation and, sometimes, the formation of fibrous tissue. In some cases, this can progress either to cirrhosis, which can produce progressive, irreversible liver scarring, or to liver cancer.
Gallstones form when bile, liquid that help the body digest fats, that is stored in the gallbladder hardens into pieces of stone-like material. Happens when bile contains too much cholesterol.
occurs when the contents of a body cavity bulge out of the area where they are normally contained. These contents, usually portions of intestine or abdominal fatty tissue, are often enclosed in the thin membrane that naturally lines the inside of the cavity.
also known as colon cancer, is cancerous growths in the colon, rectum and appendix. It is the third most common form of cancer and the second leading cause of death among cancers in the Western world.
4. Renal and Genitourinary
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Urinary Incontinence
- Chronic Renal Failure
- Hypogonadism
- Breast Cancer
- Uterine Cancer
- Unusual vaginal bleeding or discharge
- Trouble urinating
- Pelvic pain
- Pain during intercourse
- Stillbirth
also known as impotence is the inability to get or keep an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse.
is the loss of bladder control that results in mild leaking to uncontrollable wetting
is a gradual and progressive loss of the ability of the kidneys to excrete wastes, concentrate urine, and conserve electrolytes.
happens when the sex glands produce little or no hormones. In men, these glands (gonads) are the testes; in women, they are the ovaries.
is the most common cancer among women.
Symptoms include
occurs when a fetus which has died in the womb or during labour or delivery exits its mother’s body.
5. Integument (skin and appendages)
- Stretch Marks
- Acanthosis Nigricans
- Lymphedema
- Cellulitis
- Carbuncles
- Intertrigo
are fine lines that appear on the skin that appears when a person grows or gains weight really fast.
velvety, light-brown-to-black, markings usually on the neck, under the arms or in the groin.
is a condition of localized fluid retention caused by a compromised lymphatic system. Danger lies in the constant risk of developing an uncontrolled infection in the affected limb.
Cellulitis appears as a swollen, red area of skin that feels hot and tender, and it may spread rapidly.
a skin infection that often involves a group of hair follicles. The infected material forms a lump, called mass, which occurs deep in the skin.
bacterial, fungal, or viral infection that has developed at the site of broken skin due to inflammation.
6. Musculoskeletal
- Hyperuricemia
- Immobility
- Osteoarthritis
- Low Back Pain
High level of uric acid in the blood that will most likely lead to gout.
is the disease that requires complete bed rest or extremely limits your activity.
is a joint disease caused by the breakdown and loss of the cartilage of one or more joints.
is the result of trauma to the lower back or a disorder such as arthritis.
7. Neurologic
- Stroke
- Meralgia Paresthetica
- Headache
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Dementia
is a rapidly developing loss of brain function due to an interruption in the blood supply to all or part of the brain.
is a disorder characterized by tingling, numbness, and burning pain in the outer side of the thigh.
is a condition of pain in the head.
occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand, becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist. The median nerve controls sensations to the palm side of the thumb and fingers, as well as impulses to some small muscles in the hand that allow the fingers and thumb to move.
is the progressive decline in cognitive function due to damage or disease in the brain beyond what might be expected from normal aging.
8. Respiratory
- Dyspnea
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- Hypoventilation Syndrome
- Pickwickian Syndrome
- Asthma
also known as short of breath (SOB) is perceived difficulty breathing or pain on breathing.
is a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep with each breathless period lasting long enough so one or more breaths are missed, and occur repeatedly throughout sleep.
occurs when a very obese person does not breathe enough oxygen while sleeping. Comes from a defect in the brain’s control over breathing and excessive weight (due to obesity) against the chest wall, which makes it hard for a person to take a deep breath. As a result, the blood has too much carbon dioxide and not enough oxygen.
is the combination of severe obesity, suffering from obstructive sleep apnea causing hypoxia and hypercapnia resulting in marked daytime somnolence and chronic respiratory acidosis.
is a chronic disease that affects your airways, which are the tubes that carry air in and out of your lungs.
9. Psychological
- Depression
- Low Self Esteem
- Body Dysmorphic Disorder
- Social Stigmatization
is a state of intense sadness, melancholia or despair that has advanced to the point of being disruptive to an individual’s social functioning and/or activities of daily living.
is a low overall of a person’s self-appraisal of their worth.
is a mental disorder that involves a disturbed body image.
is severe social disapproval of personal characteristics or beliefs that are against cultural norms.
Obesity Defined
The very serious public health problem.
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22 Responses to “9 Types Of Diseases Caused By Obesity”
- 1 Pingback on Jun 21st, 2007 at 5:57 pm
- 2 Pingback on Oct 17th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
I will agree that obesity is extremely bad for the body and leads a lot of health problem - but it is NOT ignorance on the part of a lot of obese folks. Sure there are people who are overweight because of poor food choices and no exercise. However, there are many, many, many people who are obese for a variety of reasons - medical conditions, medications they are on, metabolism issues and several other reasons that are beyond their control. I personally know people who eat under 1200 calories a day and still can not lose weight, yet there are people who consume 3000 or more calories a day and do not loose weight. You can not judge a person’s character or intelligence by their weight.
I really enjoy this blog and I have it linked on my online resource page, so I felt it was important that I comment on this issue since I truly believe it is irresponsible to promote the concept that obesity is only caused by ignorance and poor choices. I think it is more important to promote getting healthy no matter what size you are, making better choices and exercise, even if you have the additional obstacle of being obese.
I hope you will my comments in to consideration and perhaps adjust your perspective and help stop the misunderstandings about obesity.
Health and Happiness, Lady Rose
Lady Rose : You are right that some obesity cases are caused by medical conditions. That’s acceptable.
However, staying obese is a choice.
The purpose of this article is to create awareness about obesity related health risks. To help people with the power to make choices, make a better choice.
=)
Thanks for the comment, Lady Rose.
Chris, I think you and I are in agreement that unhealthy eating and not exercising is a choice. And I’m all for bringing more awareness to the problem of obesity. I think for some folks it takes a real “shock” and sometimes an in your face reality check (like your post with the very clear pictures of the health issues) to perhaps get them motivated to change. I just wanted to bring awareness to the other issue as well, that it is important to not judge others because of size.
Keep posting - I love coming here and reading the topics you cover. Health and Happiness, Lady Rose
Thank you for putting these together. However, some of these conditions have nothing to do as a result of obesity. Most obesity cases with depression are considered by healthcare professionals to be the result of childhood and adult depression and not the other way around.
Those suffering from depression from abuse and other events gain weight as a result of social anxiety and other imbalances. These are severe medical conditions that need to be addresses regardless of the patients’ weight. Treat the depression not the product of depression.
Again thank you for this information, I just wanted to make the statement that in different cases we need to look at and treat the real medical condition that resulted in the weight gain not the other way around.
Alan : you’re welcome.
Oh and I want to add one to this list and that is COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). However, I state this again that COPD can also cause weight gain by preventing efficient sleep and thus resulting in weight gain from preventing proper sleep.
If you are overweight and have other medical conditions, please ask your physician or mental health professional for proper and overall healthcare treatment in helping you and your body to complete recovery.
i like these fat people they turn me on.
i have a Meralgia Paresthetica numbness, and burning in the outer side of the thigh.
and i don know what to do
abi : treatments will vary, depending on the source of the pressure. It may take time for the burning pain to stop and, in some cases, numbness will persist despite treatment. The goal is to remove the cause of the compression. This may mean resting from an aggravating activity, losing weight, wearing loose clothing, or using a toolbox instead of wearing a tool belt. In more severe cases, your physician may give you an injection of a corticosteroid preparation to reduce inflammation. This generally relieves the symptoms for some time. In rare cases, surgery is needed to release the nerve.
My boyfriend is obese (over 300 pounds), and I’m 5′10 weighing 120 lb. Big difference? Yeah, but because he’s fat doesn’t mean he is unattractive. Just unhealthy, and the problems he may have in the future because of it is the only thing I’m concerned about, not his apperance. You big boys and girls are pretty/handsome too. c:
Great article. The National Institute of Health did a study in 1995 that found 97 million Americans were obese. As of this month, the Center for Disease control found that an additional 45% of Americans had become obese.
There are more intelligent food choices than people are making, and the biggest one should be to avoid all over-processed (ie: ready made) foods, and anything that contains high fructose corn syrup or any added sugars.
Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and lean meats are the key, with seeds and nuts to be eaten in small portions. There is a reason Serving Sizes are on the packages!
Hello
I would like to say that your website is quite hideous and the man who is more than obese is quite ghastly your website does not give a good impreesion on fat people.also like to say that anyone that size of the man pictured bove is unbelieveable and the sore redness picture on the anal i belueve it to be is quite horific.also the Carbuncles on the mans neck well i have never seen anything like that before in my life i would like to say your website shows people that eating too much can cause horrifing after effects.i would urge anyone who looks like this to sort out there diet and take inmediate action to prevent this for hapopenin to them
Thankyouu for reading my letter
You Sincerely
Betty May
Dear Sir/Madam
Can i please use the picture of the unhealthy heart for my e-portfolio, i was looking on the interent for a picture of the unhealthy heart and then i saw this one and thought it was the best one out of them all. The picture will not be published on the internet or anywere else the only people who will see the picture is the teachers and me and nobody else.
Your Sincerely
Hasan
Hasan : go ahead.
I am contacting you in regards to using the image on your website of the congestive heart failure. We put together a brouchure of blood pressure that we plan to make a few printed copies here at Central County Fire Department, which is located in Burlingame / Hillsborough California.
We kindly ask for a reply with your permission to use this image. Of course we will gladly give you credit for the usage.
Thanking you in advance and best regards,
Crystal Sujeski
Central County Fire Department
Crystal : Go ahead.
I am a year 10 student and I am currently enroling in a DiDA qualification for my ICT GCSE. Please may I use the picture of the unhealthy heart in my coursework. I can assure you that this is for educational purposes and will not be used online or anywhere else.
Please can you reply me with your decision as soon as possible because of my imminent deadline.
Thanking you in advance for your reply,
John
John : Sure. go ahead.
Staying obese is a choice?
Absolutely not. If losing weight were as simple as making the choice to do so, everyone would be thin. You are failing to attribute the causes of obesity. It is ignorant of YOU to think that obesity is merely poor diet. Many thin people have poor diet, so if you are against poor diet, say that. Realize that many obese people have not only tried changing their diet, but seeing specialists and etc.
Chris, I was thin all my life. I’m only five feet tall. I weighed 90 pounds and wore a size 1. Then at age 30 I got Hashimoto’s Thyroidtitis (Hypothyroidism) and gained 100 pounds within three months without changing my eating habits. At the time I was working out at the gym every day for an hour doing aerobics one day and then next I would do weight training. I also swam an hour every day and walked two miles every day. Before my Hypothyroidism I was very physically fit and had very low body fat (matter of fact a little on the low side). I ate very healthy with lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats, etc. I never over ate. I have always been a light eater and rather picky. Well, when I gained all that weight suddenly with my Hypothyroidism it caused me to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and sleep apnea. Although I am now on thyroid replacement hormone therapy (Armour Thyroid) and my blood tests for my thyroid are within the normal range, I still struggle to lose the weight that I gained. It is not by choice that I remain overweight and it is not because of poor eating habits or lack of exercise. Many people with Hypothyroidism even when treated with thyroid medication continue to struggle with weight issues (I recommend reading, “Living Well With Hypothyroidism” by Mary J. Shomon). Although there are people who have weight issues because they over eat and under exercise, I agree with Kelly’s post on May 14, 2008, that no one in their right mind chooses to be obese, even those who over eat and under exercise don’t wish to be fat. These people have other issues such as stress, depression, eating disorders, etc. that causes them to have lack of control over their excessive eating. They do not choose to be this way any more than a person with Schizophrenia chooses to hear voices. It is something they cannot control and they need help, be it through a combination of counseling, stomach bypass surgery, etc. No one chooses to be fat, however, they may choose not to get treated for many reasons…lack of money, no medical insurance, fear, embarrassment, or denial that their weight is an issue. But, it is never a choice that they want to be fat. My husband is very depressed right now. He got laid off from work two years ago and has applied for every job imaginable from garbage man to ditch digger to CEO and has not been able to find work. As a result of his depression he has started over eating and has gain a lot of weight. He did not make a conscious choice to be fat. No one wakes up one morning and decides, “I think I’ll over eat and not exercise so I can be obese.” My husband is suffering from depression and low self esteem which are issues and illnesses that their symptoms can manifest themselves in weight gain. With the exception of medical conditions, medications, etc., obesity is a symptom of other issues and is not a conscious choice. Chris, although your web page is educational and has value, I find it very disturbing that you would in this day and age of medical enlightenment think that people with weight issues choose to be fat.