6 Reasons Obesity is Seriously Fatal to Health

Obesity is now a disease! A few decades ago it was considered that being obese or overweight is just a symptom of excessive body fat or it is a state of body. However, its connection to several chronic mental as well as physical illnesses, increased risk of mortality, and need for interventions for treatment makes it a serious disease itself. Obesity is a global problem. Most developed countries have been dealing with this issue for a long time. However, today in countries like India where malnutrition has always been a concern, almost 50 % of urban population is obese. According to some latest reports, India ranks among the top 5 countries with highest number of obese people. Obesity is not limited only to adults; in fact childhood obesity too is a serious problem especially due to high intake of junk food and lack of physical activity, which together results in excess weight gain. According to one study nearly 22% of school going children in metro cities are overweight or obese.

Obesity is defined as excessive amount of fat in the body. People who are obese are at high risk of developing conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, infertility or even cancer. And, again these conditions are no more a concern only for adults. Childhood obesity is a precursor for metabolic syndrome, mental illnesses, respiratory problems, and glucose intolerance all of which can track into adulthood. This article explains how excess body fat is linked to some serious illnesses that make obesity a really fatal disease that needs more attention.

Obesity is closely linked to diabetes
Obesity has been considered as one of the most common risk factors for type 2 diabetes. The association between diabetes and obesity appears to be so common that the scientists have coined a term “diabesity”. Experts have studied a relationship between obesity and diabetes more closely because almost 90% of people with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese. Research reveals that obesity reduces insulin’s ability to control blood glucose. In response, your body starts producing more insulin in an attempt to bring the blood glucose levels to normal. With the passage of time, body suffers exhaustion of producing excess insulin and this eventually results in diabetes. Obese individuals also show high level of fatty acids which interfere with insulin signalling.

Obesity can cause serious heart problems
A co-relation between increased levels of fats especially the triglycerides and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and cardiovascular diseases is well-known. Several clinical studies have identified obesity as an independent risk factor for heart diseases. Research has also revealed that the risk of heart attacks and other cardiovascular conditions is almost double in people who are obese than those with normal body weight. Obesity increases oxidative stress due to high levels of free radicals produced by the fatty tissue. In addition inflammation in the fat tissue results in formation of plaque inside the blood vessels. This is the main mechanism for possible link between obesity and heart diseases. Some research also suggests that in obese people, gut bacteria may contribute to formation of plaque in the blood vessels. Many people believe in the misconception that high cholesterol and heart diseases are older person’s problems. However, evidence suggests that process of cholesterol build up actually begins in childhood and progresses slowly into adulthood. Interestingly, clinical studies have reported that fatty depositions can occur in the first few decades of life and a significant portion of adolescents and young adults show presence of advanced lesions of plaque.

Obese people are more likely to develop depression
The link between obesity and depression seems to be logical due to social stigma and pressure of achieving perfect body image. However, scientists have found that it’s not just the social factors but obesity is linked to depression due to some biological mechanisms too. In obese people, fat tissue is loaded with inflammatory markers which result in chronic inflammatory state, the same mechanism that is also responsible for causing depression. Obese children and adolescents are at higher risk of developing depression due to peer victimization and weight-based teasing. Several evidence-based studies have shown that obese teens have a higher incidence of mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and poor self-esteem than non-obese teens.

Back pain is very common among obese individuals
Low back pain is one of the most common health issues and nearly 80% of adults experience at least one episode of back pain during their lifetime. The common contributing factors for back pain include increasing age, heavy physical work, smoking habits, and obesity. Research shows that overweight or obese people tend to show the strongest association with low back pain. Excess body weight puts a lot of pressure on the spine, modifies spinal posture and function thus causing the onset of chronic back pain. Clinical studies suggest that overweight is associated with disk degeneration. In addition, obesity may also cause weakness and stiffness of the lower back muscles, possibly leading to low back pain and disability.

Excess fat increases risk of arthritis
Research suggests that obesity and pain are significantly related to each other. Obesity is considered as a risk of factor for developing arthritis as well as worsening the existing arthritic condition. An obese person is 60 % more likely to develop arthritis than someone of normal body weight. This is the reason weight loss is an important aspect for treating arthritis. Experts have found that obese individuals have more severe joint degeneration in the knee joint compared with normal weight or underweight individuals, which leads to osteoarthritis of knee. According to experts every 5 kg of weight gain results in about 36% increase in the risk of knee osteoarthritis. Obesity causes chronic inflammation in the body which could also contribute to inflammation of joint resulting in arthritis.

Obesity can eventually lead to respiratory problems
Obesity is considered as a chronic health condition due its association with several other disorders such as diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, back pain, joint pain and others. As per new research obesity is also strongly linked with respiratory symptoms and diseases, including, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, pulmonary embolism, and aspiration pneumonia. Excess fat causes decrease in lung volumes, excess weight on the anterior chest wall lowers respiratory muscle endurance that increases work of breathing and airway resistance, which eventually leads to other chronic respiratory problems. In addition chronic inflammation in obesity is also responsible for causing lung diseases.


Excess body weight that results in obesity is a precursor to several chronic illnesses. Therapeutic lifestyle changes that include diet control, stress management, and weight loss have become an integral part of treatment for most lifestyle disorders. Weight management is the most natural and easiest way to prevent chronic illnesses.

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