Obesity and Heart Disease
By: Robert NamTotal Views: 196, Word Count: 814,
Usually people relate heart diseases to obesity. In reality, is there any relationship between them? If this is the question, then the answer is yes, it does, a lot. There are many reasons involved, which explains that obesity is a risk factor for most of the heart diseases.
Obesity is a medical condition, in which excess body fats are accumulated, which causes an adverse effect on your health. This results in reduced life expectancy and heart diseases or heart problems.
Obesity is the one of the greatest threat, which is increasing at a rapid rate not only in US but also all over the world. An alarming rate of population is becoming over-weight and developing a risk factor of heart diseases. Almost, every generation of people is facing the problem of heart disease due to obesity.
Factors, which Contribute to Obesity: - Following are the factors, which contribute to obesity which eventually results in heart diseases or heart problems.
- Genetic factors
- Genetic disorders
- Living a sedentary life style
- Eating unhealthy food or diet
- Eating food with high rate of sodium
- Lack of exercise
- Living a stress ful life
- Smoking
Effects of Obesity on Heart: - A steady weight loss can help reduce the risk of heart diseases. The recent studies on obesity have shown that losing a little weight leads to improvisation of the overall health status with the decreasing risk of heart diseases.
People who are obese have a greater chance of developing many heart problems and other diseases like Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol level, congestive heart failure, gout, breast cancer, colon cancer, arthritis, stroke, breathing problems, sleep apnea, colon cancer, and uterine cancer.
Risk to Your Heart from Obesity/Over Weight
Heart Diseases and Stroke: - Heart diseases and stroke are the leading causes of death all over the world. Obese people are more likely to have high blood pressure, which adds a major risk for heart disease. High level of cholesterol and triglycerides alcohol leads to heart disease that is linked to obesity.
Being overweight leads to angina. Heart diseases also contribute to the sudden death of person without any sign or symptoms. To prevent the heart diseases, follow the healthy heart diet.
Diabetes: - Over weight people have double the chances of having diabetes as compared to other people. You can decrease this risk by losing weight, by eating a healthy heart diet and doing physical activities. It helps in controlling your blood sugar level.
Cancer: - There are different types of cancer associated with obesity. In women, it includes cancer of the gallbladder, uterus, ovary, colon, breast, and cervix, whereas, obese men are at a higher risk of developing cancer of the prostate, rectum and colon.
Sleep Apnoea: - Sleep apnoea is a very serious condition found in over weight people. It causes a person to stop breathing, during sleep and to snore. Further consequences, of the apnoea can include a daytime sleepiness and in extreme case, it can cause heart attack or stroke. Yet again, losing weight will be the best thing, which one can do to save heart and life.
Osteoarthritis: - Osteoarthritis is a joint disorder, which affects the joints in your lower back, knees, and hips. Being obese increases risk of osteoarthritis since it puts an extra pressure on the joints. Weight loss can be the ultimate option to reduce the risk of osteoarthritis and simultaneously the heart disease.
Gout: - Gout is a joint disease, which is caused due to the rise of uric acid in blood. Uric acid forms into solid stone or crystal masses, which gets deposited in the joints. It is the common disease in over weight people.
Gallbladder disease: - Gallbladder diseases are more likely to develop if you are obese. It is not clear that how being obese leads to gallbladder diseases. However, the changes in fat and cholesterol affect the body super saturation of bile.
Prevention of Obesity and Heart Disease: - Losing weight can solve many of the heart problems or diseases related to heart. Following are the ways in which you can prevent obesity and heart diseases.
- Eating a healthy heart diet
- Proper exercise or physical activity
- Quit smoking
- Avoid alcohol
- Eating food with less fats
- Decreasing the level of sodium.
It is always preferable to avoid obesity in order to avoid all the heart diseases and health problems. It is very important that you keep your weight steady. If genetic problem arise, than it would be very difficult to avoid the heart diseases.
About the Author
Dr. Robert Nam is a well known heart specialist and has done postgraduate training in cardiology at the national heart hospital, the London chest hospital and UCL hospital, London. He was also engaged in research at the national heart and lung institute. Nowadays he is working as a consultant cardiologist at UCL hospital, London.
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