How Being Overweight Affects Your Life
Losing Weight is not Just About Looking Good
It is kind of sad that “looking good” is the number one motivation for losing weight, but if that does the trick, then great.
How being overweight affects your life
Losing just 10 lbs. (approx. 4.5 kg) can
have a huge impact on your health, according to cardiothoracic surgeon
experts. Being overweight increases your risk of developing diabetes,
having cancer and suffering from high blood pressure. People who are
overweight are more likely to suffer from sexual dysfunction and might
experience low self-esteem problems.
Diabetes
Being overweight can lead to one of the
most common conditions seen around the modern world, Type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is based upon the deposits of fat in your body. As the
body has more fat cells, it prevents other cells from taking the
glucose which leads to a higher amount of glucose in the bloodstream
instead. All it takes is to reduce your body weight between five and
seven percent, along with 30 minutes of exercise five days a week, and
your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes drops by 58 percent.
Heart Disease/Higher Cholesterol
Any added fat in your body will affect
your cholesterol. If you have 10 lbs. (approx. 4.5 kg) extra, then
you’re likely to have higher cholesterol than somebody in the healthy
weight range. Fat has a huge impact on your heart and increases your
risk of a heart attack. Being overweight also affects the cholesterol
and sodium levels in the body, which is the leading cause of heart
attacks in the developed world. There is also an increase in blood
pressure in those who are overweight, which means that your heart is
working too hard. There are more heart disease related deaths due to
this, such as angina or sudden heart attacks; those that cause death
with no early symptoms. Just losing up to ten percent of your body
weight will help to lower the risks of heart disease and heart attacks.
Stroke
Stroke is still one of the top five
causes of death, and is due to a problem with the flow of blood to the
brain. There are many reasons linked to the causes of a stroke and
being overweight is one of them, specifically due to a person’s overall
body mass. This is because the arteries get narrowed and blood clots
stop the blood from being able to flow to the brain. Stroke is also
linked to high cholesterol and a lack of exercise, which is seen in many
overweight people. While those who are not overweight are still at a
risk of stroke, it makes those who are overweight at more of a risk. By
having an extra 20 percent in body fat you are 50 percent more likely
to suffer a stroke.
Larger people are missing out on jobs because bosses assume they are ‘lazy’, lack self-control, and are ‘not hard-workers’. Overweight people are 4 times likely to suffer bullying about their weight. Surveys showed that 93% of HR professionals believe that obesity is a valid medical reason and would choose a normal weight applicant over an overweight application with the same qualifications/experience.
Pain
Added weight can worsen any joint or
muscle pain you might already have. The more overweight you are, the
worse the pain, but even a few extra pounds can put added pressure on
your knees. According to experts, each pound adds the equivalent of 3
lbs. (approx. 1.4kg) of pressure on your knees. This means 10 lbs. puts
30 lbs. (approx. 14kg) of pressure on your knees and might increase
the risk of developing osteoarthritis.
Sleeping Problems
Being just 10 lbs. (approx. 4.5 kg)
overweight can narrow your windpipe, making it more difficult to
breathe. This can increase your risk for developing sleep apnea. Even
if you don’t, you might still have trouble being comfortable and might
end up sleeping in short bursts through the night, waking up regularly.
This can leave you feeling tired and hurt your mental alertness the
next day.
Overall Feel
Being just 10 lbs. overweight can lower
your energy levels, leaving you tired and groggy both physically and
mentally. Drop 10 lbs. (approx. 4.5 kg) and your energy levels will
come right up. You’re also likely to feel less bloated and
uncomfortable. Since being overweight affects your windpipe, you might
find yourself out of breath quicker, even when doing mild exercise. If
you have active young kids or a dog that needs regular walking, those
extra 10 lbs. (approx. 4.5 kg) can feel like a heavy burden.
What Insurance Companies look at
One of the most concerning aspects of
being overweight, as far as life insurance companies are concerned, are
the risks posed to your cardiovascular system. Therefore, any and all
information you provide that will help ease an underwriter’s concern
regarding your cardiovascular system could help improve your ratings by
as much as a couple of tables. Underwriters want to see great family
history, an exercise program, low blood pressure, good cholesterol
levels, etc. These will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis so make
sure you provide plenty of information.
How being overweight affects your brain
Researchers at the University of
Pittsburgh scanned the brains of 94 people over the age of 70. They
were looking to see the differences in the brains of people who were of
normal weight (BMI under 25), overweight (BMI 25-30), and obese (BMI
over 30).
It turns out that Obese people have 8% less brain tissue than people of normal weight. Overweight people have 4% less brain tissue than people of normal weight.
This represents ‘severe’ brain degeneration, that’s a big loss of tissue and it depletes your cognitive reserves, putting you at a much greater risk of Alzheimer’s and other diseases that attack the brain… But you can greatly reduce your risk for Alzheimer’s, if you can eat healthy and keep your weight under control. Dr. Paul Thompson, a UCLA professor of neurology
Here are the areas effected:
- Frontal and temporal lobes: Critical for planning and memory
- Anterior cingulate gyrus: Responsible for attention and executive functions
- Hippocampus: Important for long-term memory
- Basal ganglia: Essential for proper movement and coordination
Furthermore, the brains of overweight
people looked 8 years older than those of people of normal weight, and
the brains of obese people looked a whopping 16 years older!
Being Overweight Affect Your Chances Of Conceiving
For women who are pregnant, being
overweight can cause a variety of complications. For women and men who
are trying to conceive, being overweight can be an obstacle that
greatly affects their chances of successfully conceiving.
For some women, being overweight can
disrupt a woman’s regular monthly cycle, making it difficult for her to
ovulate, and making it difficult to know exactly when she is
ovulating. The impact of weight on ovulation has to do with the
production of estrogen. Research suggests that for women who are
overweight, the extra fat tissue can lead to an excess production of
estrogen. This excess estrogen can then cause a hormonal imbalance that
affects ovulation.
For men, some studies suggest that being
overweight and not getting enough exercise can lead to a low sperm
count and/or low sperm viability in men.
Time For A Change
Countless studies show the majority of
women and men who are overweight are not because they are greedy and
lazy. Some people overeat for emotional reasons. Others find it hard
to juggle all their responsibilities as a wife, husband, parent,
employee – and find time to exercise and eat right.
These are by far not the only effects
that being overweight have on the body. There are plenty of other
reasons why being overweight is unhealthy. It is extremely important
to eat a healthy, balanced diet and continue to exercise for at least
30 minutes, five days a week. By losing your excess weight, you are
not only going to look and feel better; you’ll dramatically reduce
your risk of developing these frightening conditions too.
Maybe it’s time to we step back and reassess our attitudes on weight?
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