Sunday, July 26, 2009

Obesity Kills

By Patsie Adams

An obese person faces more health risks than a person of average size. Being overweight comes with annoying enough issues like difficulty finding clothes that fit and sometimes difficulty fitting into seats in places like airplanes and theaters. But more importantly, an obese person also is at much higher risk of life-threatening diseases like heart attack and stroke.

An obese person is generally someone more than 40 to 75 pounds overweight. A person is considered morbidly obese if they weigh 100 pounds or more than what they should. Both conditions come with higher health risks.

When youre obese, your body is hauling more weight than it was designed to carry. This puts extra pressure on bones, muscles and joints. Imagine the difference between carrying a sack with 50 pounds of weight on your back compared to a sack with 5 pounds of weight. Now think about the burden that 50-pounder puts on your frame.

Bones are strong and rugged, so that extra burden falls on the weakest part of your frame: the joints. Hips, ankles and knees are at particular risk, because they carry the weight of the entire upper body.

Joints are naturally our bodies weakest spots because it is here where separate bone pieces come together. The knees are at particular risk for an obese person. The knee is a very complex joint that faces wear and tear with every single step we take.

When someone is obese, theres much more pressure on the knees than normal. So each step puts twice, triple, sometimes four times the normal pressure on those joints. This causes the joints to wear out prematurely and is the reason heavy people often develop pain and abnormal knee conditions.

All joints are at risk when you are obese - including hips and ankles. But normally, it is the knee injuries that manifest first.

The body's organs and system are also affected by what constitutes as obesity. Fat can crowd the insides of our bodies.

Large amounts of body fat can actually crowd internal organs and put pressure against them. This pressure can cause the organs to start working differently, and can interfere with normal bodily functions.

All the extra poundage makes it harder for organs to operate and makes the body work harder. This is why obesity often leads to high blood pressure and a strained heart. Heart disease, heart attacks and strokes could develop.

Obesity also reflects a poor diet that is high on calories from unhealthy foods. Consuming too much sugar and processed foods can lead to diabetes. And the diabetes can lead to damaging blood vessels, nerves and eyes.

Some have even lost their eyesight or a foot or other appendage due to diabetes and poor circulation. Definitely something to think about!

The good news is that once an obese person starts losing weight, diabetes and other conditions can be reversed.

Many have succeeded by sheer dedication and commitment to a sensible diet and exercise plan. You can overcome obesity too!

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