HEALTH RISKS

Health Risks of Obesity

The rate of obesity has doubled in America in the past two decades. Obesity places an individual at significant risk for developing multiple different medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and obstructive sleep apnea. Adulthood obesity is associated with a decrease in life expectancy of about seven years in both men and women and after smoking, it is the second-leading preventable cause of death. For example, a 20-year old morbidly obese male has a life expectancy 13 years shorter than a 20-year old normal weight male. Excess weight affects every system of the body. Successful weight loss surgery can help alleviate and in some case even cure certain obesity-related health problems.

Psychological

• Body image issues
• Depression

Pulmonary

• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (leads to low oxygen levels in the blood, interrupted sleep)
• Asthma/reactive airway disease
• Restrictive lung disease

Skin

• Multiple disorders, most related to diabetes and yeast infections between skin folds

Cardiac

• High blood pressure
• Heart failure caused by pulmonary hypertension
• Higher risk of coronary artery disease (atherosclerosis)
• Congestive heart failure

Genito-Urinary/Reproductive

• Frequent urinary tract infections (UTIs)
• Stress urinary incontinence
• Menstrual irregularity or infertility

Gastrointestinal/Abdominal

• Gallbladder disease
• GERD (recurrent heartburn)
• Recurrent ventral hernias
• Fatty liver disease / cirrhosis

Endocrine

• Pre-diabetes
• Diabetes
• Hirsutism (excess body hair)
• Hyperlipidemia (abnormal levels of lipids or liporoteins in the blood, including cholesterol)
• Hypercholesterolemia (high levels of cholesterol in the blood, often leading to cardiovascular disease)
• High cholesterol (dyslipidemia)