How Obesity Gives Rise to Hernia

Obesity is major health threat that gives rise to various health problems. It is associated with many systemic illnesses such as dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus etc. Apart from that, obesity can cause many other surgical problems as well. One such problem is formation of hernia.

Hernia and obesity usually go hand in hand. Hernia is defined as protrusion of an organ from its containing cavity. This is either due to weakened coverings of the cavity or due to increased pressure inside the cavity. Obesity causes hernia by both of these mechanisms. Obese people have fat not only in the skin but also inside the abdomen, within the mesenteries. As a result the intra-abdominal pressure increases. Fat also deposits within the muscle fibers.  They separate each muscle fiber from one another and make them weak. Fat also deposits within the aponeurosis and weakens it too. As a result, para-umbilical, direct inguinal and hiatus hernia occurs.