Health Risks of Being Overweight & Obesity | How to lose weight fast Health Risks of Being Overweight | Page 4

What Kinds of Health Problems are
Linked to Overweight and Obesity?
Excess weight may increase the risk for many health problems, including
➢ Type 2 diabetes
➢ High blood pressure
➢ Heart disease and strokes
➢ Certain types of cancer
➢ Sleep apnea
➢ Osteoarthritis
➢ Fatty liver disease
➢ Kidney disease
➢ Pregnancy problems, such as high blood sugar during pregnancy, high blood
pressure, and increased risk for cesarean delivery (C-section)
TYPE 2 DIABETES
Type 2 diabetes is a disease in which blood sugar levels are above normal. High blood
sugar is a major cause of heart disease, kidney disease, stroke, amputation, and blindness.
In 2009, diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. Family history and genes play a
large role in type 2 diabetes. Other risk factors include a low activity level, poor diet, and
excess body weight around the waist.
How is type 2 diabetes linked to overweight?
More than 87% of adults with diabetes are overweight or obese.4 It isn't clear why people
who are overweight are more likely to develop this disease. It may be that being
overweight causes cells to change, making them resistant to the hormone insulin. Insulin
carries sugar from blood to the cells, where it is used for energy. When a person is insulin
resistant, blood sugar cannot be taken up by the cells, resulting in high blood sugar. In
addition, the cells that produce insulin must work extra hard to try to keep blood sugar
normal. This may cause these cells to gradually fail.