5 Health Conditions That Are Tied to Being Overweight

When it comes to dropping unwanted pounds, it’s important to know why you want to lose weight. Knowing your why serves as a motivator that keeps you going. 

According to a survey conducted by the Calorie Control Council, most people said their motivator for wanting to lose weight was to be healthy. Being overweight is a risk factor for many chronic health conditions, and the desire to improve health is an excellent reason to want to slim down. 

Our weight-loss specialist, Dr. Andrea Bretal, here at Weston Medical Health & Wellness wants to share some of the health conditions tied to being overweight. Knowing the problems extra weight can cause may give you the motivation to make a change.

1. Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic health condition that causes higher-than-normal blood sugar levels. According to the American Diabetes Association, being overweight increases your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

What does being overweight mean exactly? We use the body mass index (BMI) to assess weight and health. The BMI is a mathematical equation that compares body weight to height and assesses body fat. 

You’re overweight if you have a BMI of 25-29.9. Though BMI provides important information about your body size in relation to height, it may not always provide a true picture of health. If you’re a bodybuilder, for example, your BMI may indicate you’re overweight, but it’s because you’re muscular, not overly fat. 

2. Heart disease

Heart disease is the leading cause of death of all people in the United States. When you’re overweight, you may develop health issues that increase your risk of heart disease such as:

• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Diabetes

These health conditions may affect heart health and increase your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. 

3. Certain types of cancer

The American Cancer Society says that excess body weight may be responsible for about 8% of cancer cases and 5-11% of cancer death in the United States. Being overweight may be a risk factor in the development of:

• Breast cancer
• Colon cancer
• Endometrial cancer
• Liver cancer
• Kidney cancer

Researchers say the link between overweight and cancer is complex and still under investigation. 

4. Joint pain

Excess body weight also places more strain on your joints. You may be at greater risk of developing osteoarthritis, which is a degenerative form of arthritis that occurs from the wearing away of the cartilage that cushions your joints. 

Osteoarthritis may affect any joint in your body, including your knees, hips, or back.

5. Depression

Struggling with your weight can make you feel bad about yourself and unhappy about how you look. It may also produce feelings of guilt and shame when you fail to lose weight or keep the weight off. 

These feelings may lead to depression that further exacerbates your weight struggles. 

Losing as little as 5-10% of your weight may significantly improve your health. But there’s no reason you should have to lose weight on your own. 

We offer many weight-loss options and therapies to help you drop unwanted pounds and keep them off, including our 12-week digital weight-loss program. We also prescribe phentermine, which is a medication that helps control appetite and cravings. 

The desire to be healthy is a good reason to want to lose weight. Losing weight also increases longevity and quality of life. 

If you’re ready to get started on your weight-loss journey, we’d love to help. Contact our office in Weston, Florida, by phone, or book an appointment online today.