Impact of Obesity
People who are obese have higher rates of medical problems. In general, for individuals who are mildly obese (with a BMI between 30 and 35), diet and exercise regimens are the proper treatment. On occasion medications may also be used, though there are few effective options available at this time.
As people rank higher on the BMI scale and reach levels of morbid obesity, the amount of excess weight begins to cause more extensive damage to the body and does so at a faster rate. Unfortunately, many studies indicate that for those with a BMI greater than 40, non-surgical therapy has nearly a zero percent chance of long-term success. Given this evidence, there is a greater need for long-term, successful weight loss options which can include surgery.
Although some of the medical complications of obesity (i.e. high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, etc.) may occur in people who are moderately obese, the frequency of these health complications increase dramatically as weight increases. The list below indicates the chronic problems that obesity can cause or worsen.
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Obstructive sleep apnea >
Obesity hypoventilation syndrome >
Asthma/reactive airway disease >
High blood pressure >
Cor pulmonale caused by pulmonary hypertension >
Increased risk of coronary artery disease >
Gallstones >
Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (recurrent heartburn) >
Recurrent ventral hernias >
Stress urinary incontinence >
Diabetes >
Menstrual irregularity or infertility >
Hirsutism >
Hyperlipidemia >
Hypercholesterolemia >
Frequent urinary tract infections >
Stress urinary incontinence >
Irregular menses >
Infertility >
Degeneration of knees and hips >
Disc herniation >
Chronic non-surgical low back pain >
Skin disorders, most related to diabetes and difficulty with hygiene >
Increased Breast cancer risk >
Increased Endometriumc cancer risk >
Increased Colon cancer risk >
Increased Prostate cancer risk Individuals with a BMI higher than 40 can generally attribute excess weight as the root cause for many, if not most, of the medical conditions above. To treat the basis of the problem, weight loss surgery is often used and has been found more effective than medication for diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, GERD, knee pain and many other conditions.