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• Diabetes
• Cancer
•
What counts as overweight?
The World Health Organisation has described the problem of obesity as
a 'worldwide epidemic'. In England the prevalence of obesity has increased
steadily during the last 50 years, and since the 1980s the proportion
of obese people has almost trebled.
Definitions of a healthy weight are inevitably arbitrary. Differences in age, race, body build, and gender all need to be taken into account. However, the medical profession uses a calculation of the body mass index (BMI) to measure body fat. This is your weight in kilograms divided by your height squared. For example, if John weighs 82.55kg (13 stone) and stands of 1.83m (6ft) tall, he has a BMI of 24.74.
The World Health Organisation has graded BMI measurements so that it is easier to assess how a body-fat measurement relates to health:
Less than 18.5 BMI underweight
18.5-24.9 - a healthy weight
25-29.9 - overweight
30-39.9 - obese
40 and over - morbidly obese
A 1998 UK survey by the Department of Health found that 19% of the adult population were obese and more than 50% were overweight.
Most of us want to lose weight so that we will look good. But being overweight has more serious consequences.
•
Heart disease and strokes
Overweight people tend to have higher blood pressure, which is a major
risk factor for heart disease and strokes. They also carry more fats in
the blood, which can clog up the arteries, contributing to angina (chest
pain caused by decreased oxygen to the heart) and other heart problems.
Independent of other factors, weight has now been found to be more important in cardiovascular disease than either high blood pressure or smoking. In fact, one study of women found that around 40% of heart disease was attributable to weight problems.
•
Diabetes
Obesity is also associated with the development of diabetes. Men in their
40s with a BMI of more than 35 are 77 times more likely to develop a type
of diabetes called non-insulin-dependent diabetes than those with a BMI
of below 23. Diabetes can lead to reduced life expectancy and the possibility
of chronic complications such as kidney failure.
•
Cancer
Obese women are particularly prone to cancer of the uterus, cervix, ovary,
gall bladder and breast, whereas overweight men have an increased risk
of colon and prostate cancers. Morbidly obese people - those with
a BMI of 40 or higher - also have an increased risk of kidney, pancreatic
and stomach cancer.
•
Other problems
A wide variety of conditions can be exacerbated by excess weight and obesity.
Surgical procedures are more difficult, and there is a greater risk of
complications from anaesthetic and post-operative problems. Obesity can
also contribute to osteoarthritis and other joint problems, such as gout,
and cause breathlessness and other respiratory difficulties. It is also
linked to higher-than-average rates of depression and other mental illnesses.
In women, obesity is a major cause of infertility.
The good news is that even a small loss of weight, of between 10 and 20 pounds, can significantly improve your health.
Why we get fat | Fat risks | Fad diets