10 hard facts about obesity

Infertility

Obesity in men and women can be affected by being overweight, so being obese can reduce your chances of conceiving further.

In women, being either over - or under - weight can impair ovulation, and it’s thought that in men, obesity can cause an imbalance in male and female hormones, and can also affect the quality of sperm produced.

Aiming for a healthy weight is one of the first pieces of advice you’re likely to be given if you’re trying for a baby.

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Type 2 diabetes

Not all obese people will develop Type 2 diabetes, but obesity is known to be a major trigger for this disease which, if unchecked, can lead to a number of serious medical problems including impaired eyesight, problems with circulation and kidney disease.

A particular risk factor for developing the disease is having fat around your middle. Women are thought to be at a higher risk if they have a waist size of 31.5 inches (80cm) or more. Men are thought to be at a higher risk their waist measures 35 inches (90cm) or above and they’re Asian, or if their waist is 37 inches (94cm) or over, and they’re black or white.

According to the NHS, if you lose about 5 per cent of your body weight and take regular exercise, you could reduce your risk of developing diabetes by over 50 per cent.

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Some cancers

Links have been drawn between obesity and the development of certain cancers, including breast cancer in post-menopausal women, uterine cancer, and cancer of the bowel, oesophagus and pancreas amongst others in either sex.

According to Cancer Research UK, this is because the fat tissues in overweight people produce more hormones and growth factors than those in people of a healthy weight.

High levels of some of these hormones, including oestrogen and insulin, can increase the risk of certain cancers.

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Asthma

It’s thought that the risk of contracting asthma rises with the degree to which individuals are overweight.

One Californian study carried out in 2010 found that the likelihood of asthma rose as the body mass index (BMI) increased and waist measurements expanded.

More research is needed to identify exactly why overweight might be linked to asthma, but meanwhile it’s an incentive to keep yourself at a healthy weight.

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Osteoarthritis

Because being obese causes greater wear and tear on the joints, ligaments, tendons and cartilage, overweight people are at risk of osteoarthritis – a long-term disease that causes chronic pain in the joints, particularly the knees, hips and lower back.

Osteoarthritis is irreversible although there are treatments that can help.

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Depression

Obesity can cause low self-esteem and poor body image, and this can in turn lead to depression in some people.

Symptoms of depression include, for example, tearfulness for no obvious reason; despair; demotivation; lack of interest in everyday pursuits; feeling anxious or suicidal; changes in appetite and disturbed sleep.

If you think you may be suffering from depression, do consult your GP without delay as treatment is most effective if started early.

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Gallstones

The incidence of developing gallstones is higher in people who are overweight or obese.

Although it’s unclear exactly why, it’s thought that changes in the way fat and cholesterol are handled by the overweight body can be underlying.

Although gallstones can produce only mild and intermittent symptoms, when they’re severe and frequent, surgery to remove the gallbladder is usually recommended.

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Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA)

This is the medical term for interrupted breathing during sleep and is commoner than other types of apnoea, some of which implicate brain function in sleep.

In OSA, the airway is either totally blocked by the soft palate for up to 10 seconds at a time, or partially blocked, causing a percentage loss of air flow. It’s characterised by periods of non-breathing followed by a loud snorting snore as breathing is restored.

Sufferers are usually unaware of the problem and their partners usually suffer the most! There are a number of treatment options, but the first line of defence is usually to lose weight, give up smoking if you’re a smoker, and cut down on alcohol intake.

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Gout

Gout is a type of arthritis caused by a build-up in the blood of uric acid. Sometimes, high levels of uric acide (or ‘urate’) cause tiny grit-like crystals to form and collect in a joint.

The crystals irritate the tissues in the joint, causing inflammation, swelling and pain.

Being obese is a big risk factor for suffering from gout, and trying to achieve a healthy weight will be one of the first treatment options suggested to you.

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• 30 ways to get better sleep