What are the Health Risks of Being Overweight?

By 2025, 268 million children and teenagers aged 5 to 17 years are likely to be overweight, of which 91 million will be obese, according to a study published in the Current Research in Diabetes and Obesity Journal.  Of those who will be obese, 38 million will suffer from liver disease, 27 million with high blood pressure, 12 million from glucose intolerance, and 4 million from Type 2 Diabetes.

 

The research highlights some of the health risks of being overweight. Obesity is also on the rise in both men and women as revealed by the National Health Family Survey in 22 Indian states. A less active lifestyle, access to junk food, overeating, genetics, and metabolism intolerance are some of the causes of obesity and overweight in people.

 

How to Know that you are Overweight?

Your Body Mass Index or BMI is the main indicator that is used to determine if you weigh more than normal. It is a measure of the amount of body fat. While a BMI of 20-25 is considered healthy, adults with a BMI of 30 or above are considered obese. For children and teens, age and a sex-specific percentile is used for BMI measurement. A BMI between 85th and 95th percentile indicates an overweight child or teenager and that above 95th percentile categorizes them as obese.

 

Health Risks of Being Overweight

When you are on the heavier side, you might feel uncomfortable and get tired easily, however, the health risks of being overweight are huge in number and mostly interrelated to each other.

 

Let’s us Take a Look at the Health Risks of Being Overweight:

1. Breathing Problems

One of the effects of being overweight is difficulty in breathing as the protruding belly exerts pressure on the lungs which are not able to expand to the fullest. The absence of enough oxygen can make you huff and puff as you climb the stairs and worsen asthma and COPD symptoms.

 

2. Fatty Liver

The slow build-up of fat in the liver, can leave scar tissue behind bringing your liver to a halt. This is mostly asymptomatic and by the time you are diagnosed with a fatty liver, usually in the mid-30s to 40s, the damage is done.

 

3. Joint Problems

Pain, inflammation, and stiffness in the joints due to the strain caused by the excess weight most often lead to osteoarthritis in old age, one of the prominent dangers of being overweight.

 

4. High Cholesterol

Unhealthy eating habits, which top the list of causes of obesity and overweight, if not regulated can increase the level of LDL or bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels which in turn are responsible for high blood pressure and other health problems.

 

5. Gallstones

Obstruction in the movement of bile, a digestive juice, through the gallbladder, leads to the formation of stones. Obesity, pregnancy, hormone replacement therapy, estrogen from birth control pills or high triglyceride levels can be responsible for gall stones.

 

6. Type 2 Diabetes

Insulin resistance is one of the direct health risks of being overweight, seen in 8 out of 10 people weighing more than normal. The inability of cells to get glucose can lead to elevated blood sugar levels. If left unregulated, this could cause damage to the heart, eyes, liver, and other organs.

 

7. Gout

Eating junk food and lack of exercise, the two main causes of obesity and overweight, can lead to a build-up of uric acid in the body in the form of needle-shaped crystals. As a result, you will experience painful joints such as the big toe, ankle, or knee. High blood sugar and cholesterol can cause further complications.

 

8. High Blood Pressure

The larger your body, the more strength it takes for your heart to pump blood and causes damage to the wall of your arteries which can increase your blood pressure, leading to hypertension, listed as the topmost effects of being overweight.

 

Conclusion:

Apart from these, other dangers of being overweight include kidney disease, sleep apnea, complications during pregnancy, and cancer.  It is important to keep your weight in check so that your BMI is within healthy limits and you can avoid the health effects of being overweight. Also, having a health insurance plan in place, helps you be prepared financially to meet the rising hospitalization expenses.

 

A mediclaim policy that offers a cashless claims facility along with other benefits of health insurance can protect you and your loved ones from any medical emergency in the future. Compare the health insurance policies of various insurers to zero upon the best health insurance plan according to your family requirements to enjoy peace of mind.