lobally, the prevalence of
obesity and overweight has been on a steady rise in the last few decades.
Arguably, this ugly trend has been largely due to sedentary lifestyles as well
as unhealthful dietary habits that many of us now indulge. Fast foods are fast
replacing our natural fresh, nutrient-rich diets while the advent of
computers/internet and automobiles courtesy of modern technology would make us
sit all day with little or no room for exercise. However, it is worthy of mention
that obesity and overweight pose significant risks to our health as they are
associated with myriads of life-threatening disease conditions including
hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cancers and coronary artery disease just to
mention a few. Furthermore, recent estimates have shown that about 250 million
people worldwide are obese while over 500 million more people are probably
overweight. According to the American Journal of Public Health, about 27% of
deaths among overweight or obese women are associated with obesity. In the
contrary, the benefits of healthy weight loss cannot be overemphasized. A
modest weight loss of 5-10% has been associated with a considerable reduction
in the entire risk profile of obesity.
In view of the above, here are
some potential benefits you will derive from burning some fat and staying fit:
Decreased Risk of
Cardiovascular Problems
Fortunately, a modest weight
loss of 5-10% has been positively correlated with a significant reduction in
the risk of cardiovascular events like hypertension, heart attack, stroke and
obesity-associated cardiomyopathies. Studies have shown that overweight and
obesity account for about 25-30% of the cases of hypertension and that a
reduction of 5mmHg in both systolic and diastolic blood pressures can be
achieved by simply losing 5-10% of body weight. In the same vein, a modest
weight loss helps to normalize your cholesterol levels by increasing the level
of HDL (good cholesterol) and decreasing the level of LDL and triglycerides
(bad cholesterol). These effects have been shown to protect the heart. From the
foregoing, it is obvious that you need to start considering shedding some
weight in order to cut down your risk of suffering from a cardiovascular
condition since they are better prevented than managed.
Decreased Risk of Diabetes
Excessive weight is an
important risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. This is because
accumulated fat renders body tissues resistant to the actions of insulin, a
phenomenon aptly described as insulin resistance. As a result, glucose levels
rise in the blood and it cannot be utilized by the body cells and tissues.
However, studies have shown that obese individuals significantly lessen their
risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus when they lose up to 5-10% of their
body weight. Similarly, it was discovered that those who already had type 2
diabetes had better glycaemic control with medications after losing some
weight.
Decreased Risk of Cancers
Obesity has been associated
with different kinds of cancers especially endometrial, breast, prostate,
oesophageal, colon and gallbladder cancers among others. A study revealed that
in 2007, about 34000 new cases of cancer and 50500 new cases recorded among men
and women respectively in the United States were attributable to obesity.
Understandably, a reduction in weight has been associated with decreased
incidence of these cancers. For instance, a research analysis found that if
every adult would reduce their Body Mass Index by 1%, about 100000 new cases of
cancer would have been averted.
Less Respiratory Problems
Weight loss has the benefit of
reducing your risk of respiratory conditions like Obstructive Sleep Apnoea,
bronchial asthma and respiratory infections which are more common among obese
individuals. A study revealed that a modest weight loss of 10% improved sleep
patterns and reduced daytime somnolence among people suffering from Obstructive
Sleep Apnoea.
Less Osteoarthritis and Back
Pain
Increased incidence of
osteoarthritis and chronic low back pain has been observed among obese
individuals. A study noted that especially among obese black and Hispanic
women, osteoarthritis of the knee resulted in a substantial reduction of
quality-adjusted life years. Fortunately, it has been shown that when you shed
some weight, your risk of osteoarthritis and chronic low back pain is
significantly reduced.
Less Risk of Reproductive
Problems
Reproductive problems such as
infertility, erectile dysfunction, foetal macrosomia (big baby) and stillbirth
have been observed to be more common among obese individuals than their
counterparts with normal weight. Obesity may lead to derangements in the female
reproductive hormones which can impair a woman's fertility. Furthermore, fat
cells produce substances that lead to inflammation and plaque buildup within
blood vessels, a process known as atherosclerosis. This may block the blood
vessels supplying the penis and lead to erectile dysfunction that may also
result in male-factor infertility.
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