People have been dealing with weight problems for years, but obesity as a condition is getting out of control. Even before the pandemic forced many people to stay home, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that the prevalence of obesity had increased to nearly 42% of the American population (with severe obesity up to 9%).
Being obese is far more than a cosmetic concern. It is a complex disease that can lead to numerous dangerous complications if left unchecked. Let’s examine this further by looking at what obesity does to your body, what conditions can be caused by it, and how it can be treated.
Residents of the Fort Worth, Texas area looking to shed pounds and become healthier can find help with Drs. Elaine Phuah, Leon Tio, and the skilled medical team at Clover Internal Medicine Associates.
Obesity abnormally affects many functions in your body, creating changes like changes in mood, metabolic rate, increase in bad cholesterol (LDL), raising your blood pressure, and causing higher levels of blood sugar. Carrying the extra pounds also carries more pressure on your muscles, bones, and joints, can impair movement, and even affect your sleep.
Since obesity means you're carrying many pounds of excess weight, it increases the risks of multiple health conditions. These include:
Obesity increases your body’s bad cholesterol, raising the risk of stroke, heart attacks, and other heart conditions.
It also raises the amount of blood glucose, leading to hyperglycemia and type 2 diabetes, which can cause diabetic neuropathy and retinopathy (damage to the nerves and eyes), cardiovascular disease, and kidney damage.
Weight gain also raises blood pressure, which also raises the risk of cardiovascular disease.
The stress of the excess weight on joints can wear them down, leading to joint inflammation and the wearing down of cartilage that cushions joints.
Obesity also carries an increased risk of sleep apnea, which causes you to stop repeatedly breathing while sleeping.
The short answer is weight loss. We need to lower weight to reduce the risks associated with carrying excess weight. Since weight gain is often tied to inactivity, poor diets, and overeating, modifying those behaviors can make a world of difference in losing weight. We offer a weight loss program that focuses on increased exercise, dietary changes, and physician-guided and monitored weight loss pharmacotherapy.
Obesity is dangerous but very treatable. To lose the pounds and get healthier, make an appointment with Drs. Phuah, Tio, and the team at Clover Internal Medicine Associates today to find a plan that works for you.
