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How Excess Weight Affects Your Health?

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How excess weight affects your health

Obesity is a significant health issue in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of American adults are obese. Obesity can cause various health problems, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.

One of the best ideas to address this is by choosing bariatric surgery. Weight loss surgeries involve changing the digestive system to help support long-term weight loss.

Your surgeon may recommend some lifestyle changes to go along with your surgery. Eating a healthy diet, getting regular physical activity, and reducing stress can all help to reduce your risk of developing the health complications associated with obesity.

Read more: Which Vitamins Should You Take After a Bariatric Surgery?

Here, we will discuss the health risks of obesity and how excess weight can affect your body. We will provide tips on how to lose weight and improve your health!

1. Heart Disease

The cardiovascular system is one of the systems most affected by excess weight. Obesity increases the risk of several heart-related conditions, such as hypertension and coronary artery disease. When you gain excess weight, the heart has to work harder to pump blood through the body. This can lead to the thickening of your arteries and an increased risk of developing a clot. People who are obese also have higher levels of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, which is associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Excess weight also makes it harder for your body to control the amount of fat and sugar in your blood, leading to an increased risk of stroke. Being overweight can also make the walls of your arteries thicker, putting you at risk for stroke.

2. Diabetes

Diabetes is a severe health problem that can arise from obesity. Excess weight increases your risk of type 2 diabetes, and losing weight can help you manage it if you already have it. Being overweight causes insulin resistance when the body does not use insulin correctly. As a result, blood sugar levels increase. Over time, this can lead to more severe consequences, such as nerve and cardiovascular damage, kidney disease, and eye problems.

3. Issues With the Digestive System

An obese person’s digestive system can be damaged due to excess weight. This means you may have a higher risk of developing gallbladder disease, liver disease, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Gallstones are also more likely to develop in individuals who are overweight or obese. It is vital to note that some of these side effects can be prevented through lifestyle changes, such as eating a balanced diet and getting regular exercise.

4. Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is common in people who are obese than in those with a healthy weight. This condition causes your breathing to stop or become very shallow while you sleep, leading to fatigue, poor sleep quality, and other health problems. Obesity can worsen sleep apnea by reducing the amount of air flowing through your nasal passages while you’re sleeping.

5. Joint Problems

The bones and joints of overweight people can be stressed due to their extra weight. This may lead to joint pain, arthritis, and other bone and joint diseases. Obesity has also been linked with a higher risk for gout, a type of inflammatory arthritis caused by high uric acid levels in the blood0.

Contact Dr. Jalil for the best bariatric surgery in Mexico. Our experienced bariatric surgeons perform gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, and mini-gastric bypass surgery with high success rates.

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