that extra body fat activates the two underlying origins of elevated pressure: an overactive sympathetic nervous system and an overactive renin (blood pressure hormone) system. The good news is that if you lose body fat, your blood pressure will significantly go down.
Stroke
Every year, more than 800,000 people in the United States have a stroke. Stroke kills almost 130,000 Americans annually and is a leading cause of serious long-term disability. On average, one American dies from stroke every four minutes. If you’re overweight, your risk of having a stroke significantly increases because of inflammation occurring in the arteries. Inflammation is partially caused by excess fat and can lead to difficulty in blood flow and an increased risk of blockage in the arteries. Excess body fat has also been shown to increase risk of stroke/transient ischemic attack (also known as a mini-stroke).
Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes develops when a person has insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone that enables sugar (glucose) to enter cells. Insulin resistance means that the body’s cells are no longer sensitive to insulin and can’t use it correctly. This loss in sensitivity to insulin means the person begins to lose the ability to take in glucose.
Excess body fat, especially around the abdomen, is a major cause of insulin resistance. The development of insulin resistance marks the beginning of diabetes. In time, the resistance to insulin exhausts the pancreas, which may stop producing this hormone entirely, meaning the diabetic must inject insulin. A program of regular exercise and weight loss has been shown to reverse insulin resistance.
Syndrome X
One out of every five individuals who is affected by excess body weight has a metabolic condition known as Syndrome X. Syndrome X is a cluster of metabolic factors that increases your risk for disease. The issues that characterize this condition include high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and abdominal belly fat. People with Syndrome X are at a significantly increased risk for developing more serious health problems including heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.
Kidney disease and kidney failure
Being overweight can directly affect your kidneys. Extra body fat forces the kidneys to work harder and filter wastes above the normal level. Over time, this extra work increases the risk for kidney disease. Being overweight is also associated with an increased progression of the disease to kidney failure.
Cancer
Higher amounts of body fat are associated with increased risks of a number of cancers. Being overweight increases your risk of developing the following types of cancer (Figure 4-1 shows these 13 types of cancers, which account for about 40 percent of all cancer):
Meningioma
Adenocarcinoma
Multiple myeloma
Kidney cancer
Uterine cancer
Ovarian cancer
Thyroid cancer
Breast cancer
Liver cancer
Gallbladder cancer
Upper stomach cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Colon and rectal cancer
Source: www.cdc.gov
FIGURE 4-1: Thirteen cancers associated with being overweight.
High cholesterol and blood triglycerides
Abnormal blood fats, also known as dyslipidemia, refers to an imbalance of fats circulating in your bloodstream. Being overweight increases the odds of you having a heart attack or stroke by raising the level of artery-clogging blood fats such as triglycerides and LDL cholesterol (which is considered the bad kind of cholesterol). Abdominal obesity also results in reduced levels of HDL cholesterol (the good kind that protects against heart disease).
Gall bladder disease
Gallstones are hardened cholesterol deposits that develop in the gallbladder, a small organ in the upper right abdomen just below the liver. Excess body weight makes it more difficult for the gallbladder to empty, allowing cholesterol-rich bile to accumulate and harden into stones. Being overweight also exposes you to increased risk of gallstone-related complications and cholecystectomy (surgical removal of the gall bladder).
Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout
Excess weight increases the risk of developing the following three types of arthritis:
Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that cushions and protects the ends of bones in your joints wears down over time. The added body weight puts more pressure and stress on weight-bearing joints such as knees and hips.
Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder, is caused when the body fat releases inflammatory compounds.
Gout is a kind of arthritis characterized by an excess amount of uric acid in the blood. Symptoms often include intense episodes of painful swelling and tenderness in joints, most often in the big toe. If you’re overweight, your body produces more uric acid and your kidneys have a tougher time eliminating it.
Breathing problems
Overweight people have a much higher risk of developing asthma, especially people with a BMI over 30. Extra weight around the chest and abdomen constrict the lungs and make it more difficult to breathe. Fat tissue produces inflammatory substances that cause the inner lining of the airways to swell and mucus to be produced, which makes the airways more sensitive to asthma triggers.
Sleep problems
Being overweight increases the likelihood of suffering from sleep-disordered breathing, known as sleep apnea. In turn, people with sleep apnea have a greater risk of high blood pressure, irregular heart rhythms, and stroke. Sleeping less also gives you more time for late night snacking, contributing to weight gain.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Excess body fat, especially in the abdominal area, increases the likelihood of developing what is termed nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). NAFLD begins with the abnormal accumulation of deposits of fat in the liver cells. Liver cells normally help to process and regulate the amount of sugar and fat in the blood. However, extra body fat overwhelms the cells triggering the formation of fatty deposits. In fact, the BMI correlates with the amount of liver damage, that is, the greater the BMI the greater the damage.