Excessive weight gain is a significant problem that affects many people globally. It is estimated that about 63% of all UK adults are overweight or obese. It is not surprising to anyone that weight loss is a popular niche in the modern-day wellness industry. Weight gain has several adverse effects on your health, so losing weight is worth considering to enjoy benefits beyond fitting back into your old clothes. Below are six ways that weight gain can impact your health.
- Heart Disease
Being overweight puts a massive strain on your heart, and that can cause some real problems. You suffer a higher risk of heart attacks and strokes from being overweight since your arteries can harden and make pumping blood to the entire body challenging. In addition, you may also experience chest pain, congestive heart failure, and even sudden cardiac death. Fortunately, medication like Saxenda UK can help you shed those extra pounds and enjoy better heart health.
- Mobility Issues
One major downside to excess weight gain is how it could affect your daily life, of which mobility is a massive part. Too much weight puts stress on your muscles and bones, creating problems like damaged knees and repressed spines over time. Also, you can experience general neck, back, and foot pain from being overweight, making mobility an arduous task.
- Cancer
Excess weight can also lead to cancer due to hormonal and metabolic changes and chronic inflammation that can cause the body to produce abnormal cells. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, you can develop at least thirteen different types of cancer, including uterine, kidney, liver, pancreas, thyroid, ovary, colorectal, breast, gallbladder and gastric cardia, from being overweight and obese.
- Breathing Problems
Accumulated fat around the neck can lead to obstructive sleep apnea, a condition where airways close up while you sleep, preventing standard oxygen delivery to your body. Sleep apnea can cause heart enlargement and may even result in premature death. In addition, obstructive sleep apnea can lead to memory and concentration problems and drain your energy and cause you to feel tired at all times. Asthma, respiratory insufficiency, severe bronchitis, and hyperventilation syndrome are some other breathing problems common in obese and overweight people.
- Social And Psychological Issues
Gaining unwanted weight can quickly result in mood changes that can spiral out of control if unchecked. For instance, you can experience distress from unintentionally putting on weight, which could cause disrupted sleep, anxiety, and even more weight gain due to stress-related eating. Also, being obese can lead to self-esteem issues, and you are likelier to suffer from anxiety and mood disorders if you are obese or overweight.
- Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes causes your body to produce or use insulin poorly. Insulin is the hormone responsible for blood glucose regulation and removal from the blood into cells around your body for energy. This condition leads to glucose buildup in the blood, causing complications like eye and kidney damage, stroke, foot ulcers, skin infections, and nerve damage.