Excessive accumulation of body
fat is called obesity. This is a common condition in the modern world.
Prevalence of obesity has increased drastically due to sedentary life style and
high fat diet. Accumulation of fat is a major cause of many non communicable
diseases. Several types of measurements are used to identify people with high
level of fat. BMI (Body Mass Index) is one such measurement. It is calculated
by dividing the weight of the person by square of his or her height. According
to WHO Body Mass Index (BMI) of obese people is above 30. BMI of
morbidly obese persons is above 40. A person is also considered morbidly obese
if he or she is 100 over his or her ideal body weight. People with a BMI more
than 35 kg/m2 along with obesity related health conditions are also
considered as morbidly obese. As the name implies, these people are at a higher
risk of getting diseases.
Morbid obesity affects the
person’s physical, psychological and social health. There are several physical
illnesses that result from morbid obesity. They are type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiac
disorders, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, osteoarthritis, gastro-esophageal
reflux disease, gallstones, cancer and asthma. Some of theses diseases are
collectively known as metabolic syndrome. It is also known as insulin resistant
syndrome and syndrome X. Apart form
these serious health conditions, morbid obesity can affect the day to day
activities of a person. Morbidly obese people find it difficult to move. They
even find it hard to sleep because they develop sleep apnea.
Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is a
collection of conditions that increases the risk of diabetes mellitus, coronary
artery disease and stroke. People with central obesity are more likely
to get this syndrome. Fat tissues secrete several types of chemicals. Leptin
and resistin are two such chemicals that cause insulin resistant. These
chemicals interfere with carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. These
actions finally lead type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia and
atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, hypertension and strokes.
Osteoarthritis and other joint problems
Osteoarthritis is inflammation of
the joints. It occurs as a result of wear and tear. When there is more stress
on the joint, it gets damaged. When a person is morbidly obese, his or her
weight is transmitted through the joint. Increased weight increases the
resistance between two joints. This ultimately damages the joint and initiates
an inflammatory process. The person starts to experience swelling, redness and
impaired function of the joint. The increased weight on vertebral column causes
the vertebral bodies to collapse. It also causes displacement of the
intervertebral disks. It is called spondylolisthesis.
Sleep Apnea
The excessive fat deposits in various places
in human body. They can deposit in the tongue and neck. This leads to narrowing
of the throat. So the person experiences difficulty in breathing. The effects
are more when the person is sleeping. During sleep, especially when the person
is sleeping on his or her back, the obese tongue falls back. This obstructs the
respiratory passage. Sometimes it produces a noise. This is why many obese
people snore when sleeping. These people accumulate carbon dioxide in their
blood. It causes the dilatation of the vessels in the brain. When the blood
vessels in the brain dilate, the intra-cranial pressure rises. Raised
intracranial pressure causes nausea and drowsiness. That is why many morbidly
obese people develop nausea and drowsiness in the morning.
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
Morbid obesity causes gastroesophageal
reflux disease due to several reasons. It causes esophageal motor disorders
and decreases the lower esophageal sphincter pressure. There is also increased
risk of development of hiatal hernia and intragastric pressure. All these
effects finally lead to gastroesophageal reflux.
Infertility
Infertility is a well
known outcome of obesity. It is mainly seen in women. Polycystic ovarian
syndrome is the commonest cause of infertility associated with obesity. It
causes menstrual irregularities and chronic oligo-anovulation. Morbid obesity
is a risk factor for miscarriages. Morbidly obese males have low testosterone
levels, reduced spermatogenesis and erectile dysfunction. All these finally
lead to infertility.
Depression
As mentioned earlier, morbid
obesity affects not only the physical health but also the psychological and
social health of a person. These people constantly face problems with their
diet. They often feel uncomfortable among people due to their obesity. They
often get offended with other peoples’ comments regarding their obesity. Above
mentioned morbidities also put a great strain on them. All these things make
them depressed.
Above mentioned are only several
of morbidities associated with morbid obesity. Being morbidly obese is like
living in a jungle of diseases. Morbid obesity is a huge burden to the person
as well as to the country. Therefore, it is very important to prevent and treat
obesity. http://endo.endojournals.org/content/149/2/443.full
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