Obesity is not just a cosmetic consideration; it is a dire health dilemmadirectly harmful to one's health. In the United States, roughly 300,000 deaths per year are directly related to obesity, and more than 80% of these deaths arein patients with a BMI (body mass index, which will be discussed later in thisarticle) over 30. Obesity also increases the risk of developing a number ofchronic diseases including:

Insulin Resistance. Insulin is necessary for the transport of blood glucose (sugar) into the cells of muscle and fat (which is then used forenergy). By transporting glucose into cells, insulin keeps the blood glucoselevels in the normal range. Insulin resistance (IR) is the condition whereby theeffectiveness of insulin in transporting glucose (sugar) into cells isdiminished. Fat cells are more insulin resistant than muscle cells; therefore,one important cause of IR is obesity. The pancreas initially responds to IR byproducing more insulin. As long as the pancreas can produce enough insulin toovercome this resistance, blood glucose levels remain normal. This IR state(characterized by normal blood glucose

Type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes. The risk of type 2 diabetes increases with the degree and duration of obesity. Type 2 diabetes is associated with centralobesity; a person with central obesity has excess fat around his/her waist, sothat the body is shaped like an apple.

High blood pressure (hypertension). Hypertension is common among obeseadults. A Norwegian study showed that weight gain tended to increase bloodpressure in women more significantly than in men. The risk of developing highblood pressure is also higher in obese people who are apple shaped (centralobesity) than in people who are pear shaped (fat distribution mainly in hips andthighs).

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About the Author

J Ratliff is a writer for Ask Wellness.