Obesity is a growing (pun intended) problem in the world. According to the World Health Organization, obesity has more than doubled since 1990. Adolescent obesity has quadrupled! A quarter of women aged 18-55 gain over 44 pounds during that span of their lives, and this makes them 1.4 times more likely to die prematurely. For men, 1 out of 8 gain 44 pounds or more in that time frame and it makes them 1.5 times more likely to die prematurely.
What Puts You At Risk for Obesity Illnesses?
There are several risk factors that lead to obesity illnesses. One is a body mass index (BMI) of over 30. You calculate your BMI by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in meters. Sorry, you have to use the metric system for this math problem. I have a few issues with this calculation, because I am what they call “big boned.” When I was at my most fit in my 20’s, I weighed 180 pounds. I also had quite a bit of muscle mass at that time. So, it’s not a perfect measurement by any means.
The other risk factor is having a lot of fat around your stomach and hips. They so eloquently describe this as “apple shaped.” This fat around the stomach puts you more at risk of obesity related illnesses. Obesity leads to obesity illnesses, and that is a huge problem for our health outcomes. Here are the top 10 I found after just a few minutes of research on Google.
Obesity Illnesses Related to Your Joints
10. Osteoarthritis. This is a joint condition and is extremely painful. Extra weight puts more pressure on the joints. This wears away the cartilage that is there to protect the joints. ¾ of people with osteoarthritis are obese.
9. Gout. Gout is simply inflammatory arthritis which occurs when there is too much uric acid in your blood. The acid forms crystals that are then deposited in your joints and cause you pain. It can occur in your feet, elbows, knees, fingers and wrists.
Obesity Illnesses Affected by What you Eat
8. Gallbladder disease. Ironically, rapid weight loss as well as weight gain can cause gallstones. But, whatever way you look at it, gallstones are something you want to avoid if at all possible. They are painful and eventually, they destroy your gallbladder. Many of us who were once obese are walking around without a gallbladder.
7. Type 2 Diabetes. This is a well known risk factor with obesity. In fact, studies show you are 6 times more likely to suffer from type 2 diabetes if you are obese.
Other Obesity Illnesses
6. High blood pressure. Having high blood pressure increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. It damages your arteries to your heart, your brain, your kidneys, and your eyes.
5. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Bill had severe OSA before he lost weight. Today, he doesn’t even need a machine at night. OSA is when your airway narrows during your sleep. More than half of those affected by obesity have OSA.
4. Depression. Obesity can be a risk factor for depression. About 43% of people with depression are also obese. Researchers aren’t quite sure why, but there is a proven connection. Just a side note, research shows keto often helps with mental health disorders.
The Big C
3. Cancer. Some cancers are also linked with obesity. Some of these cancers include colon cancer, breast cancer after menopause, cancer of the lining of the uterus, kidney cancer, and esophagus cancer. Cancer of the gallbladder, ovaries, and pancreas may also be at a higher risk. In fact, obesity contributes to 684,000 cancers diagnosed each year in the United States.
The Heart and Brain
2. Stroke. Your risks of stroke are often increased by obesity. Harmful blood fats, such as triglycerides, is also a risk factor. That tends to appear in people who are obese. Stroke can also be more likely if you have high levels of LDL cholesterol and low levels of HDL cholesterol.
1.Heart disease. Over 80% of patients who suffer from heart disease are overweight or obese. That statistic is staggering! It’s proven that any amount of weight loss can improve your chances of avoiding heart disease if you are overweight. Hmm, like maybe going on keto and losing some weight?
Can Keto Cure Obesity Illnesses?
With all these illnesses related to obesity, it still blows my mind that health professionals are against trying keto. Will keto cure all your health issues? Maybe not, but if you’re suffering or at risk of any of the above, I don’t see how it can hurt! Make sure if you do keto, you have an annual check up. As long as your readings are good, keep going if you want to!
Health professionals will tell you keto is not sustainable because it’s too restrictive. Well, there comes a point where you have to have some restrictions voluntarily or you’re going to suffer from obesity and all the problems that come with it. For us, being keto and not having the junk food nights of the past were well worth the health benefits!
Wendy
