disease and kidney failure
Being overweight can directly affect your kidneys. Extra body fat forces the kidneys to work harder and filter wastes above the normal level. Over time, this extra work increases the risk for kidney disease. Being overweight is also associated with an increased progression of the disease to kidney failure.
Cancer
Higher amounts of body fat are associated with increased risks of a number of cancers. Being overweight increases your risk of developing the following types of cancer (Figure 4-1 shows these 13 types of cancers, which account for about 40 percent of all cancer):
Meningioma
Adenocarcinoma
Multiple myeloma
Kidney cancer
Uterine cancer
Ovarian cancer
Thyroid cancer
Breast cancer
Liver cancer
Gallbladder cancer
Upper stomach cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Colon and rectal cancer
Source: www.cdc.gov
FIGURE 4-1: Thirteen cancers associated with being overweight.
High cholesterol and blood triglycerides
Abnormal blood fats, also known as dyslipidemia, refers to an imbalance of fats circulating in your bloodstream. Being overweight increases the odds of you having a heart attack or stroke by raising the level of artery-clogging blood fats such as triglycerides and LDL cholesterol (which is considered the bad kind of cholesterol). Abdominal obesity also results in reduced levels of HDL cholesterol (the good kind that protects against heart disease).
Gall bladder disease
Gallstones are hardened cholesterol deposits that develop in the gallbladder, a small organ in the upper right abdomen just below the liver. Excess body weight makes it more difficult for the gallbladder to empty, allowing cholesterol-rich bile to accumulate and harden into stones. Being overweight also exposes you to increased risk of gallstone-related complications and cholecystectomy (surgical removal of the gall bladder).
Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout
Excess weight increases the risk of developing the following three types of arthritis:
Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that cushions and protects the ends of bones in your joints wears down over time. The added body weight puts more pressure and stress on weight-bearing joints such as knees and hips.
Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder, is caused when the body fat releases inflammatory compounds.
Gout is a kind of arthritis characterized by an excess amount of uric acid in the blood. Symptoms often include intense episodes of painful swelling and tenderness in joints, most often in the big toe. If you’re overweight, your body produces more uric acid and your kidneys have a tougher time eliminating it.
Breathing problems
Overweight people have a much higher risk of developing asthma, especially people with a BMI over 30. Extra weight around the chest and abdomen constrict the lungs and make it more difficult to breathe. Fat tissue produces inflammatory substances that cause the inner lining of the airways to swell and mucus to be produced, which makes the airways more sensitive to asthma triggers.
Sleep problems
Being overweight increases the likelihood of suffering from sleep-disordered breathing, known as sleep apnea. In turn, people with sleep apnea have a greater risk of high blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, and stroke. Sleeping less also gives you more time for late night snacking, contributing to weight gain.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Excess body fat, especially in the abdominal area, increases the likelihood of developing what is termed nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD begins with the abnormal accumulation of deposits of fat in the liver cells. Liver cells normally help to process and regulate the amount of sugar and fat in the blood. However, extra body fat overwhelms the cells triggering the formation of fatty deposits. In fact, the BMI correlates with the amount of liver damage, that is, the greater the BMI the greater the damage.
Polycystic ovarian syndrome
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal reproductive disorder, extremely common in overweight women, especially women with insulin resistance. PCOS refers to the appearance of small cysts along the outer edge of the enlarged ovaries of women with this condition. Excess insulin circulating in the blood results in overproduction of androgens (male sex hormones). Too much of this type of hormone prevents ovulation.
Psychological effects
Being overweight predisposes you to suffering psychological ills. A poor self-image, physical inactivity, the biological disruptions caused by excess body fat, and the social stigma related to being overweight all contribute to a predisposition to mental illness.
Reduced length and quality of life
Overweight and obesity are serious health concerns. The poor mental health, the reduced quality of life from many of the diseases and disorders that I mention in the previous sections, and the predisposition to develop the leading causes of death in the United States and worldwide clearly reduce length and quality of life.
IDENTIFYING THE CAUSES OF CALORIE SURPLUS
People become overweight from creating an extended calorie surplus. If you’ve gained weight, it may be because you’re making
