An excess in body weight increases your risks of developing various health problems compared to people with a normal body weight. Being overweight and obesity are serious health concerns for the World Health Organization (WHO) as cases of children and adults who have weight issues, regardless of their socioeconomic status, have tripled since the '70s. In fact, being overweight and obesity kill more individuals than being underweight.
How can you tell if you are overweight or obese?
Determining your Body Mass Index (BMI) involves a simple mathematical formula done by dividing your weight against your height and classifying the results accordingly.
• Normal weight: 18.5 to 24.9 BMI
• Overweight: 25 to 29.9 BMI
• Obesity: 30 or higher BMI
Body ailments linked to overweight and obesity problems?
The most common body ailments that have a direct correlation to weight include:
• Osteoarthritis
• Heel spur
• Hernias
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Heart diseases and stroke
Other conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome, sleep apnea, kidney and liver diseases, some types of cancer, and depression are closely tied to your weight as well. Fortunately, being overweight and becoming obese are preventable. Ailments worsened by weight gain, however, can also be due to other factors like genetics or family history but it cannot be discounted that losing weight through proper diet and exercise greatly reduces your risk of incurring these health problems.
Being overweight and osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is characterized by pain and stiffness in the body joints of the hands, hips, knees, and lower back. While body injuries, aging, and genetic factors relate to this ailment, the extra body weight also causes more pressure that aggravates the wear and tear of your joints, which in turn leads to pain and triggers osteoarthritis attacks. An excess in body fat also brings about inflammation that worsens your osteoarthritis.
Losing 10 percent of excess body weight significantly alleviates the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Doctors recommend cutting back on food with high fat and calorie content as well as performing 30 minutes of moderate physical activity daily to help with losing weight.
Being overweight and heel spurs
A heel spur is a protrusion of calcium deposits found underneath your heel bone. When inflamed, it causes chronic pain when standing, walking, running, or jogging. An excess in body weight puts even more stress and pressure on the heel bone, which further exacerbates the signs and symptoms.
Losing weight through low-intensity exercises and performing basic calf stretches can help diminish the pain. Wearing supportive shoes and moldable orthotics used by podiatrists can add extra cushioning to your heel and decrease pain when walking and standing.
Being overweight and hernias
A hernia pertains to the weakness in the abdominal wall muscles that causes internal organs to bulge out or break through its opening. Experts determined that one common cause of a hernia is weight gain. The extra pounds put added strain and pressure on the muscles that might cause discomfort and pain as the bulge or break increases in size.
In some cases, a hernia requires surgery to repair the broken abdominal muscles but being overweight also raises the risks of complications after the procedure. Doctors typically require patients to lose weight prior to surgery. You can wear hernia belts to support your abdomen while performing your routines.
Being overweight and type 2 diabetes
At least 90 percent of people with type 2 diabetes have weight problems, hence doctors almost always recommend weight loss once a diagnosis has been confirmed. Losing extra pounds enables your body to lessen its resistance to insulin, the hormone that regulates your blood sugar levels, and lowers your risks of complications.
If you're diabetic, weight loss also brings many advantages apart from lowered blood sugar levels, such as:
• Increased energy levels
• Lowered cholesterol levels
• Lowered risk for heart-related problems
Being overweight and heart disease
You can develop high levels of triglycerides, LDL (low-density lipoprotein), and total cholesterol if you are overweight. Likewise, you are also at risk of high blood pressure and atherosclerosis due to fat deposits in your arteries. These are just some of the factors that can lead to cardiovascular diseases like coronary artery disease and heart failure.
Maintaining a healthy weight, therefore, is imperative especially if you have a history of these diseases in your family. Losing the extra weight also helps your heart pump and circulate blood throughout the body more efficiently.
What you should remember is that your overall heart health is closely tied to the health condition of other main organs such as the brain, kidneys, lungs, and liver. Therefore, maintaining a normal body weight lowers your chances of developing lifestyle diseases in these organs. Strive to keep your body weight within the ideal range through proper diet and exercise in order to achieve wellness and physical fitness.
This is a guest blog entry.
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