The Health Effects of Obesity
Worldwide, obesity has generated immense health concerns as the number of obese people continues to increase. So and so define obesity as a “condition of abnormal or excess fat accumulation in adipose tissue, to the extent that health may be impaired” (Chan, Ruth and Jean 766). Even though more information is available on the health concerns and prevention strategies of obesity, the condition continues to increase and has become epidemic (Hruby et al. 1656). In 2015, the World Health Organization estimated that there would be about 700 million obese people and 2.3 billion overweight people worldwide (Chan, Ruth, and Jean 765). These numbers have been increasing for decades and are indeed set to increase if intervention programs are not put in place. Obesity-related diseases are some of the major causes of death globally and continue to strain healthcare systems with billions of dollars used to treat these diseases. Today, a wide body of research has linked obesity, overweight to health risks that put immense pressure on global healthcare systems and threaten the wellbeing of global populations with diseases such as type two diabetes and heart diseases that have resulted in high mortality and morbidity rates worldwide.
Obesity is strongly associated with causing type two diabetes, a chronic disease that continues to worsen with time and can cause stroke, heart attack, nerve damage, and high blood pressure, among other complications. Today, these diseases are some of the leading causes of deaths worldwide and account for a high percentage of chronic diseases that require lifelong interventions and treatment. Type two diabetes has the strongest link to obesity compared to other obesity caused illnesses (Chan, Ruth, and Jean 770). As the numbers of obese people continue to increase, it is expected that the numbers of type two diabetes patients will also increase simultaneously, thereby increasing the number of people who are likely to succumb to type two diabetes-related illnesses.
Obesity is a major cause of high mortality and morbidity rates worldwide and can result in decreased life expectancies. Annually, three million people die from obesity-related illnesses (Djalalinia et al. 239). Childhood and adolescent obesity increases “premature morbidity and mortality, particularly cardiometabolic morbidity” (Djalalinia et al. 239). Body Mass Index (BMI) “at the range of 30-35 kg/ m2, mostly, median survival is reduced by 2-4 years; whereas at 40–45 kg/m2, it is reduced by 8-10 years” (Djalalinia et al. 240). Therefore, the more obese a person is, the more likely will their life expectancy reduce, and thus premature mortality increases. As a result of obesity-related illnesses, the burden of the costs of healthcare is on the rise. As more and more people become obese, the more likely they are to require treatment, thereby increasing medical expenditure that could have been used to treat other conditions and to improve society’s quality of life.
Obesity also affects a person’s quality of life – the wellness, comfort, and happiness of individuals. Obese people tend to have lower self-esteem and increased body image issues that affect their social life (Djalalinia et al. 240). Often, obese people are ridiculed and made fun of, aspects that affect their mental health and can result in poor social relationships and low self-esteem. Furthermore, obesity reduces the ability of people to engage in certain activities such as swimming, hiking, playing soccer, and other activities that significantly improve one’s quality of life. Discrimination against obese people is also prevalent. In schools, for example, overweight students and pupils are often ridiculed and discriminated against. As a result, their academic performance and social life may be affected. The inability to engage in certain activities due to being extremely overweight may also reduce one’s ability to recognize talents and abilities, thus leading to poor quality of life. Furthermore, obesity can cause some disabilities that reduce a person’s quality of life (Djalalinia et al. 240). For instance, extreme cases of obesity can result in loss of mobility, poor vision, basic activities of daily living disability, and work disability that makes it difficult for a person to carry out basic activities and increases dependence, thereby reducing the quality of life. Besides, obese persons, particularly obese women, have lower levels of physical functioning and vitality (Hruby et al. 1660).
Obesity also affects a person’s mental and sexual health. Obese people tend to suffer from mental stress caused by their condition and society’s perceptions. Poor social relationships result in body image issues that affect the mental health of obese people and can, at the extreme, cause mental disorders such as depression if help is not accorded. In addition, obese people may find it difficult to make friendships due to discrimination and may, therefore, become lonely, a precursor for depression and mental health issues (Djalalinia et al. 240). Obese people are also more likely to have a poor sexual life compared to non-obese persons. One reason for this is that obese people are more likely to find it difficult to find sexual partners due to discrimination and body image problems. Another reason is that obese people tend to attribute their poor sexual encounters to their weight and are therefore less likely to experience sexual satisfaction or to satisfy their partners sexually (Djalalinia et al. 240). Lack of sexual satisfaction can result in poor sexual life and even divorce or inability to maintain intimate relationships. Divorce and breakups associated with poor sexual life can, in turn, result in mental issues such as depression and seclusion.
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death globally. A growing body of research shows that obesity increases the risks of one suffering from different types of cancers. Higher BMI is associated with higher risks of cancer (Hruby et al. 1660). Some of the cancers that are associated with obesity are ovarian cancer, breast cancer, esophagus cancer, pancreatic cancer, endometrial cancer, kidney cancer, and colorectal cancer. Evidence suggests that abdominal fat increases the risk of developing breast cancer, colon cancer, and endometrium (Chan, Ruth, and Jean 771). These cancers increase mortality rates, resulting in reduced life expectancies as well as high costs of care, and reduced physical functioning. High costs of cancer treatments, as well as the work disabilities they cause, can, at the extreme, result in higher dependence rates and poverty. Evidence also shows that “weight loss since age 18 years was associated with a lower risk of breast cancer in all postmenopausal women” (Hruby et al. 1660). In addition, higher adult BMI increased the risk of endometrial cancer, and in the long term, higher BMI and weight gain increased the risk of pancreatic and kidney cancers (Hruby et al. 1660). The fatal effects of cancer and their linkage to obesity should serve as a warning that more intervention programs are needed to reduce the prevalence of obesity.
Obesity increases the risks of suffering from cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, and dyslipidemia. Studies show that a high BMI is associated with “more adverse levels of blood pressure, lipoproteins, and fasting glucose, and higher prevalence ratios of hypertension” (Chan, Ruth and Jean 770). Furthermore, “gaining 10 or more kilograms from age 18 years versus maintaining weight within 3 kilograms, conferred a more than 60% higher risk of heart disease” (Hruby et al. 1659). In addition, women who gained more than five kilograms in weight were at a higher risk of suffering from coronary heart disease, and higher weight gains increased susceptibility to ischemic stroke (Hruby et al. 1660). Therefore, obesity and overweight increase the risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases.
Conclusion
The prevalence of obesity and the continued and expected increase in the number of obese people worldwide is a worrying public health concern due to the health issues associated with the condition. Some of the health issues caused by obesity such as cancer, type two diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases are fatal and cause millions of deaths every year. Increasing cases of obesity are likely to increase the pressure on global healthcare systems, and healthcare costs are more likely to increase substantially. Also, the quality of life of those suffering from obesity-related health conditions is likely to reduce. Therefore, healthcare professionals, governments, public health organizations, and other stakeholders must come together to develop appropriate responses that will curb the prevalence of obesity.
Works Cited
Chan, Ruth SM, and Jean Woo. “Prevention of overweight and obesity: how effective is the current public health approach.” International journal of environmental research and public health vol. 7, no.3, 2010, pp. 765-783, doi: 10.3390/ijerph7030765
Djalalinia, Shirin, et al. “Health impacts of obesity.” Pakistan journal of medical sciences vol. 31, no.1, 2015, pp. 239-242, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.12669/pjms.311.7033
Hruby, Adela, et al. “Determinants and consequences of obesity.” American journal of public health vol. 106, no. 9, 2016, pp. 1656-1662, doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2016.303326