People who are either markedly or morbidly obese which is measured at 30+ BMI (body mass index) are at risk of developing several diseases which can cause problems that can even lead to premature death. Obese people are at risk of developing cardiovascular disease, heart disease, hypertension, strokes, atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis, and diabetes. Any of these diseases can change the quality of a person’s life severely. Each disease that is linked to obesity will be discussed individually below.

People who are overweight frequently have high cholesterol levels which can affect and narrow the blood vessels of the circulatory system. This narrowing is due to plaque or fat that is deposited on the vessel walls. This narrowing can cause hypertension or high blood pressure due the heart having to pump much harder to get blood to the rest of the body.

Blood components that attach to the plaque in the vessel walls can form a blood clot which if it breaks away from the wall of the artery can travel to the brain and cause a stroke or to the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism.  Strokes cause partial or full paralysis of certain areas of the body as well as loss of speech, or other functions that are controlled in the brain.

This narrowing of the vessels can cause heart disease or even a heart attack. When the heart has to work harder it enlarges and can develop into congestive heart failure as well. These diseases are serious even though they can be treated in a lot of cases can cause premature death.

Obesity is one of the leading causes of type II diabetes in adults. Overeating puts a strain on the pancreas to produce enough insulin in order to break down either carbohydrates or proteins into simple sugars so that the body can use them for energy. If enough insulin is not produced, the blood sugar levels rise above normal and diabetes is the result of this. Diabetes cannot be cured and is a life long disease that can have very serious complications including diabetic retinopathy, peripheral neuropathy, kidney disease, even kidney failure.

Any or all of these diseases can be prevented by losing weight. Eating a healthy diet combined with exercise can prevent some very serious diseases or complications of those diseases. Obesity is a very real threat to our health and to the quality and longevity of our life.

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