The Hidden Dangers Of Excessive Fat: Know Why You Need To Shed Those Extra Kilos

Obesity is linked with a higher risk of heart disease

Obesity and its rising prevalence has a drastic impact in India with about 40% of individuals suffering from obesity or excessive weight, as per data from the fourth National Family Health Survey. With more empty time, people are prone to consuming more empty calories! This can take a toll on the body - obesity dramatically increases the risk of developing a range of serious medical conditions. Health problems arising due to obesity have the potential to affect almost every part of the body including the heart, brain, lungs, bones, joints, blood vessels, gall bladder etc. While obesity or excess body fat is an increasingly important issue in India and all over the world, just by shedding those extra kilos, one can significantly improve their health and reduce the risk of developing co-morbidities.

The health hazards linked with obesity

How do you know if you are obese?

With the help of Body Mass Index calculator or BMI, one can understand if they are obese or not. A BMI of 30 and above indicates that the person is obese. You are considered healthy if the BMI values are between 18.5 and 24.9. If the BMI is below 18.5 then you are considered underweight.

Also read: All You Need To Know About BMI

Understand how obesity affects the body:

Obese or overweight individuals are at an increased risk of developing the following:

1. Type-2 diabetes: Obese or overweight people are at a very high risk of developing diabetes. Excess fat can disrupt the body's natural metabolic function and decrease the sensitivity to the insulin. Overweight people with excess fat around the waist are particularly at high risk of developing Type-2 diabetes.

Too much body weight is one of the risk factors for type-2 diabetes
Photo Credit: iStock

2. Hypertension and stroke: Extra weight puts excessive stress on the heart. People with excessive weight suffer from hypertension or high blood pressure, which can lead to a stroke attack. In fact, obesity is the leading cause of stroke.

3. Heart attack: With high blood pressure, increased sugar levels and cholesterol, obese individuals are at a higher risk of developing heart-related issues which could quickly spiral into heart attacks.

4. Sleep apnea: As the fat deposits over the neck region and blocks the airways, it can lead to a condition called sleep apnea where breathing stops for a period during sleep.

Also read: 8 Important Things To Know About Sleep Apnea

5. Liver disease: Excess fat accumulation in the liver can affect its normal functioning. It can damage or even lead to liver failure.

6. Gallbladder: Obese individuals have higher chances of developing gallbladder stones. In some cases, it might demand surgery to cure.

7. Kidney failure: When you are obese, the kidneys will be overburdened and work harder to filter wastes above the normal level. Overtime this can lead to kidney-related disorders or end with kidney failure.

8. Infertility: Excess fat can raise the chances of developing complications in pregnancy or can even make it difficult to get pregnant.

Other medical conditions that could further arise due to obesity include depression, joint problems, digestive disorders, diabetes and others. However metabolic improvements can be witnessed in extremely obese people if they start by reducing just 10 per cent of their weight.

Also read: Obesity And Overweight: Yoga Expert Explains Ways To Fight Obesity

Steps to get healthier:

When you are extremely obese, do not start sudden vigorous workout programs. It can do more harm than good. It is always advised to take the help of doctors before taking any steps to reduce weight. Many patients are unable to lose weight despite years of dieting and exercise and suffer from the co-morbidities of obesity which affects the quality of life and reduces lifespan. In such cases, bariatric surgery is recommended as per international guidelines as it can improve type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular health and other obesity associated conditions such as sleep apnea, joint pain, depression and improve fertility. It is a safe, powerful and effective solution for people with long-standing obesity. Co-morbid conditions such as high BP can be resolved, and patients will not need to use lifelong medications to manage it, reducing the time and cost spent on managing the consequences of obesity.

Maintain a healthy weight to cut risk of several diseases
Photo Credit: iStock

Weight loss tips

With the help of experts, design a workout plan and add more physical activity when your body is able to go the extra mile. When you increase the workout intensity and maintain a proper diet you can shed all those extra pounds in a matter of a few months. Work towards your goal in steps, and keep your doctor involved in your weight loss plan. Limit the intake of excess calories, cut down red meat and other fatty foods. Get the help of a nutritionist who will chart out your diet intake. Track everything you eat as every single calorie you take matters. With just diet alone and your routine physical activity, you can aim to shed 10 per cent of your weight to start with.

Make the best use of this time to get your body to its healthiest best!

(Dr. Manjunath Malige, Chief and Senior Endocrinologist, Aster RV Hospital)

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