5 Serious Health Risks that Are Associated with Obesity

One in three adults in the United States are considered overweight and 2 out of 5 are considered to have obesity. Aside from carrying too many pounds, what these millions of people have in common is that they are at far greater risk for some very serious health issues.

Our primary goal here at Advanced Surgeons is to help people achieve a healthy weight in order to preserve their health. To that end, our team offers a wide range of weight loss surgery options that can help you quickly and safely lose unhealthy pounds.

Five serious obesity-related health risks

To give you an idea about what you’re up against, we want to outline five of the more serious risks when it comes to obesity. Our goal here isn’t to scare you unnecessarily, but we feel it’s important to understand the considerable health challenges that are linked to obesity.

Heart disease

When you have obesity, it’s likely that your cardiovascular system is under a good deal of stress. Conditions like hypertension and high cholesterol are common among people who are carrying too much weight, and these conditions make up two of the three primary risk factors for heart attack and stroke (the third being smoking).

Diabetes

Of the 36 million Americans with Type 2 diabetes, 8 out of 10 are overweight or have obesity. Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes unregulated levels of sugar in your bloodstream, which can lead to a host of complications, including nerve damage and heart disease.

Osteoarthritis

There are many types of arthritis, but osteoarthritis is, by far, the most common. This joint disease is also called degenerative arthritis, and it can strike people of all shapes and sizes as they grow older. 

That said, if you’re carrying too much weight, you’re more likely to develop osteoarthritis, and at a younger age.

Sleep apnea

This condition occurs when soft tissues at the back of your throat collapse while you sleep, blocking your airways. This can happen dozens of times throughout the night, causing you to lose sleep. 

Sleep apnea is directly linked to obesity, as there’s more tissue at the back of the throat. While the sleep deprivation and daytime fatigue are serious, sleep apnea is associated with diabetes and heart disease.

Liver disease

If too much fat builds up in your liver, fatty liver disease can lead to serious liver damage and even liver failure.

While there are more health risks that are linked to obesity, these should provide enough motivation to look for solutions.

Helping you lose weight

As we mentioned, our goal is to offer the services that people need to combat obesity. From bariatric surgery to nonsurgical solutions, such as gastric balloons and weight loss medications, we offer ways in which people can quickly lose weight and regain their health.

If you want to explore your weight loss options with us, please contact one of our offices in Valhalla, Carmel, or Poughkeepsie, New York, to schedule a consultation.