Symptoms, causes and dangers of obesity: Doctors' advice

Dangers of obesity

Obesity is a complex disease associated with an excessive amount of fat in the body. It is a medical problem that increases the risk of many other diseases and health problems, including:

• Heart disease and strokes - the likelihood of high blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels, which are risk factors for heart disease and stroke, increases
• Type 2 diabetes - obesity increases the risk of insulin resistance and diabetes
• Some types of cancer - obesity may increase the risk of uterine, cervical, endometrial, ovarian, breast, colon, rectal, esophageal, liver, gallbladder, pancreatic, kidney, and prostate cancer
• Digestive problems - the likelihood of developing gallbladder disease, liver problems, and digestive issues increases
• Sleep apnea - people with obesity are more likely to suffer from sleep apnea, a potentially serious disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep
• Osteoarthritis - obesity increases the load on weight-bearing joints, leading to inflammation, swelling, pain, and warmth in the body
• Fatty liver disease - obesity increases the risk of fatty liver disease, a condition caused by excessive fat accumulation in the liver
• Severe COVID-19 symptoms - individuals with severe cases of COVID-19 may require treatment in intensive care units or even mechanical ventilation

It is important to remember that even moderate weight loss can improve or prevent health problems associated with obesity.

Healthier eating habits, increased physical activity, and behavior changes can help you lose weight.

"About 80% of adolescents with obesity will have weight problems in adulthood," the statement said.

Causes of obesity

The development of obesity is influenced by numerous factors of endogenous and exogenous nature.

Among such factors are:

• Age-related causes of obesity - caused by a decrease in metabolic activity in the human body with a decrease in physical activity
• Endocrine diseases, which lead to changes in eating behavior and a decrease in the production of fat-burning hormones
• The specificity of working conditions - work that does not require physical activity
• Genetic predisposition is a risk factor if obesity or a condition close to it is observed in close relatives
• Poor nutrition is the most common factor in obesity
• Sedentary lifestyle - lack of daily moderate physical activity and sports does not allow the calories ingested with food to be converted into energy.

This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.