Weight Loss, Dieting & Obesity

Health Dangers of Being Obese or Over Weight.

There are significant health dangers associated with obesity. The effects of obesity are far reaching. Little discussed, obesity (a little like alcoholism) affects not merely the person themself, but the lives of all their family members and other close associates.

It is possible for an over weight or even obese person to live an active and healthy life. They, however, have to work at it much harder and with greater dedication that people of normal weight.

If you are over weight and not seriously attempting to improve your overall health including reducing your body fat, an early death awaits you. In all probability, it will be a drawn out, miserable path to death involving many different diseases and disorders along the way.

The following list of the health dangers of being obese does not claim to be comprehensive. In fairness, neither does it claim that all over weight people - or even any over weight or obese person - will contract all of the following ailments. Still, medical research and health experts have identified that over weight and obese people have significantly increased level of risk of contracting these ailments. You can be absolutely assured that some of them will apply to you. If not now, then sooner than you may think.

1. High blood pressure, which may then also lead to:
   1. Headaches
   2. Ear noise & buzzing
   3. Tiredness
   4. Shortness of breath
   5. Excessive sweating
   6. Confusion
   7. Vision changes
   8. Nose bleeds
   9. Blood in urine
   10. Kidney damage / failure
   11. Strokes
2. Elevated serum cholesterol levels
3. Elevated LDL ("bad" cholesterol) levels
4. Decreased HDL ("good" cholesterol) levels
5. Elevated triglyceride levels
6. Elevated blood glucose
7. Decreased blood oxygen
8. Decreased testosterone levels
9. Heart disease and Strokes, potentially leading on to:
   1. Heart attack
   2. Congestive heart failure
   3. Sudden cardiac death
   4. Angina
   5. Arrhythmia
   6. Chest pain
   7. Brain haemorrhage
   8. Paralysis
10. Cancers including (but not limited to):
    1. Endometrial cancer
    2. Colon cancer
    3. Gall bladder cancer
    4. Prostate cancer
    5. Kidney cancer
    6. Esophagal cancer
    7. Uterine cancer
    8. Breast cancer
    9. Ovarian cancer
    10. Pancreatic cancer
11. Asthma
12. Snoring
13. Obstructive sleep apnea
14. Osteo Arthritis
15. Cataracts
16. Erectile dysfunction
17. Impotence
18. Infertility
19. Loss of libido
20. Irregular menstrual cycles
21. Gestational diabetes
22. Type Two Diabetes, potentially resulting in:
    1. Slow healing of cuts & wounds
    2. Abnormally frequent urination
    3. Increased thirst
    4. Nerve damage
    5. Blurred vision
    6. Heart Disease
    7. Kidney Disease
    8. Stroke
    9. Blindness
    10. Erectile dysfunction
    11. Amputations
23. Pregnancy and birth complications
24. Increased need for Ceasarean sections
25. Birth defects for the infant such as:
    1. Spina Bifida
    2. Low blood sugar
    3. Brain damage
    4. Seizures
    5. Neural tube defects
    6. Omphalocele
    7. Heart defects
26. Depression
27. Gall bladder disease, potentially leading on to:
    1. Gall stones
    2. Abdominal pain
    3. Back pain
28. Incontinence
29. Increased surgical risks
30. Tinnitus
31. Fatty liver disease, potentially leading on to:
    1. Cirrhosis of the liver
    2. Severe liver damage / failure
32. Insulin resistance syndrome
33. Reduced immune function
34. Swollen joints / fluid retention
35. Muscular aches and pains, particularly:
    1. Neck
    2. Shoulders
    3. Chest
36. Biomechanical injuries & faults, including:
    1. Sunken arches / flat foot
    2. Heel spurs
    3. Plantar fasciitis
    4. Shin soreness
    5. Creaking knees
    6. Achilles tendonitis
    7. Calcific tendonopathy
    8. Sprained ankles
    9. Bone chips
37. Gout
38. Social and career ostracism & discrimination which may result in loneliness, poverty, sexual frustration
39. Periodontal disease (Research published : April 2009)
40. Restless Legs Syndrome (Research published : April 2009)

As this list of the health dangers of obesity is far from comprehensive, you should now realise that there are many significant health risks associated with obesity. The effects of obesity are so far reaching that over weight & obese individuals would do well to consider not only their own welfare but also that of those they love and deal seriously with it before the consequences become irreversible.