The
more overweight a person is the more likely he or she is to develop health problems.
Mild obesity
involving a body mass index (BMI) of 30+ is less dangerous to health than morbid
obesity (BMI 40+) or malignant obesity (BMI 50+). For example, someone who is
40 percent overweight is twice as likely to die prematurely as an average-weight
person. This effect is seen after 10 to 30 years of being obese. Those
with central or abdominal obesity, characterised by excessive fat around the mid-section,
have a higher risk of weight-related disease. Abdominal obesity is one of the
core symptoms of cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance syndrome. In women,
central obesity is signalled by a waist measurement of about 35+ inches, while
in men the danger waist measurement is 40+ inches. Overweight
and obese individuals are at increased risk for many diseases and health conditions,
including the following: ·
High blood pressure
· Osteoarthritis
· High cholesterol
levels
· Type 2 diabetes
· Heart disease
· Stroke
· Gallbladder disease
· Sleep apnoea
· Some cancers The
primary concern of overweight and obesity is one of health and not appearance. An
estimated 300,000 deaths per year may be attributable to obesity and the risk
of premature death rises with increasing weight.
Even carrying an extra 10
to 20 pounds increases the risk of mortality.
Fit
After 40 The
number of people who are morbidly obese has doubled in the past ten years according
to a study by Cancer Research.
As being overweight increases the risk of developing
certain cancers more people than ever are at risk.The
two cancers that claim most lives in the UK - breast and colorectal - are among
those linked to obesity.
Being
overweight upsets metabolic processes and accelerates cell damage, which can trigger
tumours. Maintaining a healthy body weight reduces cancer risk so a healthy diet
with plenty of fruit, fibre and vegetables as well as regular exercise is vital. Calculate
your BMI
Underweight
= <18.5
Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
Overweight = 25-29.9
Obesity
= BMI of 30 or greater
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