Rousing Public Awareness – Obesity Related Health Problems
According to the statistic data of the 1999-2000 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey or the NHANES, nearly two- thirds of the total adult population in the United States are overweight, and an astonishing figure of about 30.5% of Americans are obese. This over weight and obesity prevalence fact sheet provided by the study as well presents the accompanying obesity related health problems in the population, apart from the disease’s mortality and economic costs. And a significantly stunning 61+ million people are at risk of the deadly disorders associated with obesity.
Only some of the known and proven obesity related health problems are the following:
* type 2 diabetes
* insulin resistance, glucose intolerance
* heart disease and congestive heart failure
* stroke, respiratory breathing problems and sleep apnea
* high blood pressure (hypertension)
* high blood cholesterol (dyslipidemia)
* cholescystitis and cholelithiasis
* gallbladder disease and urine leakage (stress incontinence)
* presence of excess body and facial hair (hirsutism)
* poor female reproductive health (menstrual irregularities, infertility, irregular ovulation)
* pregnancy complications
* degeneration of cartilage and bone of joints (osteoarthritis)
* psychological disorders (depression, low self- esteem, distorted body image and eating disorders)
* some forms of cancer (breast, uterine, endometrial, prostate, colorectal, kidney, and gallbladder), and
* increased surgical risk
To note, there are also gender- specific obesity related health problems among obese women and men. Obese women who have a waist circumference of more than 35 inches is considered to have a high amount of visceral fats or accumulated fats surrounding the internal organs which are associated with higher risks of liver disease and chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. On the other hand, among obese males, are more likely deaths caused by colon, rectum, or prostate cancer as well as acquiring a suffering disorder of sleep apnea which is seriously associated with stroke and heart attack.
Being obese causes an increased risk for developing these numbers of serious and potentially lethal health problems. What makes these obesity related health problems even more noteworthy is the fact that it causes some 300,000 premature deaths in the United States every single year. Causing government spending of billions of dollars in health care costs, and the culprit is preventable. And with these risky obesity related health problems always in mind, no one would rather eat what he wants rather than wanting to live a long healthy life with his loved ones.

Diet, Exercise, Obesity, and Diabetes

Obesity has been a world wide problem, even as a silent epidemic in developed countries. Diabetes on the other hand has been one of the most difficult to treat human diseases. Put the two together and you have an endemic that would test the limits of science in saving lives – the peril of obesity and diabetes.

Although not all diabetes are a result of obesity (and not all diabetics are/become obese), more and more studies have been developed to prove the increase in the percentage of diabetes disease as a result of excessive weight gain. As one of the crucial consequence of obesity, diabetes is the final detriment in the life expectancy of an obese person. How so?

Obese fat accumulations damage the cells in the body that produces insulin. Obesity and diabetes is a fatal cause and effect that also moves in a vicious circle. The already diabetic person would put a final tip in his health balance once he gains excessive weight. At the same time, the obese person would cut more inches from his life thread once he reaches the point of diabetes.

Clinically obese patients, once diagnosed are also already pronounced ‘pre- diabetic’, having blood sugar levels higher than normal, and if left untreated, obese patients would develop the full- blown Type 2 Diabetes in only within a decade. Yet the obese- diabetic should stop counting his years.

Studies made on obesity and diabetes produce promising results of treatment. And the cure is just as good as hitting two birds with one stone – weight loss. It appears that losing weight doesn’t only prevent escalating obesity up to the morbid diabetes stage, but it also actually reverses the damaging cause of obesity to the cells that produce insulin. Obesity and diabetes are treatable; and starting the challenge is fairly simple – targeting the cause.

In dealing with obesity and diabetes, the most important concern is the amount of weight gain that takes to develop obesity and diabetes?’ –The key then is to determine the causes of weight gain and then reverse it. Soon enough, we’ll find out that the successful combination of diet and exercise to be the most likely answers to beat the worst human disease combination. Diet and exercise negates obesity and diabetes.

Attention to diet should start even from a very young age. In particular, obesity and diabetes prone (or generally health concerned) individuals should concentrate on serving sizes, required dietary allowances, and avoiding excessive sweet and fatty foods; the myriad benefits of exercise could not at all be overstated. – The key however, in getting the equation right is starting and starting now.