Obesity: Its impact on health

Despite a recent world health organisation report predicting a rapid increase in obesity – an estimated 36% of UK men and a third of UK women will be obese by 2030 – many continue to neglect the health dangers associated with developing an accumulation of excess body fat, and a BMI of 30 plus.

Aside from being connected to 35,000 UK deaths each year, obesity can also increase the incidence of the following physical, social and physiological problems:

•Sleep problems i.e. obstructive sleep apnoea
•Coronary heart disease, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, stroke and an enlarged heart
•Varicose veins – being overweight places additional pressure on your veins forcing them to work harder in order to send the blood back to your heart
•Lower life expectancy
•Arthritis, joint and lower back pain
•Excessive sweating
•Skin sores
•Asthma – one of the obesity related problems affecting more and more young people
•Gout and immobility
•Liver disease, hernia and gallstones
•Menstrual disorders, infertility, ovarian cysts, pregnancy difficulties’ and stillborn babies
•Some cancers i.e. colorectal, breast and uterine cancer
•High cholesterol and hypertension – high blood pressure
•Type 2 diabetes
•Headaches, dizziness, depression, body image disorder and low self esteem
•Social discrimination
•Cellulite – a condition more likely to occur in areas of poor circulation as a result of inactivity

Although a caloric deficit will prove beneficial in terms of weight loss, emphasis should be placed on improving cardio respiratory fitness via aerobic exercise – any exercise that increases the heart rate and works the cardiovascular system (heart, lungs and blood vessels) in order to burn excess energy, improve the heart and lungs and reduce the health risks associated with obesity.