|
A general look
 It is not uncommon that people affected by morbid obesity also deal with obesity-related illnesses accompanied by this disease. Once a patient is considered morbidly obese, these conditions become serious health risks. Obe- sity-related diseases also negatively impact the quality of life for a patient and their family members affected by morbid obesity. In this issue of OAC News, we have listed common co-morbid conditions affecting the morbidly obese. Many of these co-morbidities are serious and may even be as life threaten- ing as morbid obesity itself.
Cancer: Cancer involves the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells that have mutated from normal tissues. These cells prevent nor- mal function of vital organs, damaging essen- tial systems.
Recent studies suggest that those with a Body Mass Index (BMI) more than 40 (morbidly obese) had death rates from cancer that were 52 percent higher for men and 62 percent higher for women, as compared to rates for normal-weight men and women.
In both men and women, higher BMI is asso- ciated with higher death rates from cancers of the esophagus, colon and rectum, liver, gall- bladder, pancreas and kidney. The same trend applies to cancers of the stomach and prostate in men, and cancers of the breast, uterus, cer- vix and ovaries in women.
Almost half of post-menopausal women diag- nosed with breast cancer have a BMI greater than 29. One study indicates (Nurses’ Health Study) women who gain more than 20 pounds from age 18 to midlife double their risk of breast cancer, compared to women whose weight remained stable.
Diabetes: Diabetes is a life-long disease marked by high levels of sugar in the blood. It can be caused by too little insulin (a hormone produced by the pancreas to regulate blood sugar), resistance to insulin or both.
Among those diagnosed with type 2 (non insulin-dependent) diabetes, 67 percent have a BMI greater than 27 and 46 percent have a BMI greater than 30. Nearly 17 million people in the U.S. have type 2 dia- betes, accounting for more than 90 percent of diabetes cases.
An additional 20 million have impaired glucose tolerance, sometimes called pre- diabetes, which is a strong risk factor for developing diabetes later in life. An esti- mated 70 percent of diabetes risk in the U.S. can be attributed to excess weight.
Gallbladder Disease: Gallbladder dis- ease includes inflammation, infection, stones or obstruction of the gallbladder.
Heartburn: Heartburn is a painful burning sensation in the esophagus, just below the breastbone. The pain often rises in your chest and may radiate to your neck or throat.
Heart Disease: Heart disease is any disorder that affects the heart's ability to function normally. The most common cause of heart disease is narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart.
High Cholesterol: Lipid disorders are when you have excess fatty substances in your blood. These substances include cholesterol and triglycerides. Having a lipid disorder makes you more likely to develop arteriosclerosis and heart disease.
High Blood Pressure: Blood pressure is meas- ured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). Hyperten- sion (high blood pressure) is when your blood pres- sure frequently goes higher than 140/90 mm Hg. About one in every five adults in the U.S. has high blood pressure. High blood pressure occurs more of- ten in men than in women. In addition, African Americans are affected almost twice as much as Cau- casians. More than 75 percent of hypertension cases are reported to be directly attributed to obesity.
Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis is a chronic disease causing deterioration of the joint cartilage (the softer parts of bones which cushion their connections to each other) and the formation of new bone (bone spurs) at the margins of the joints.
Psychological Depression: Depression may be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. Most of us feel this way at one time or another for short periods. True clinical de- pression is a mood disorder in which feelings of sad- ness, loss, anger, or frustration interfere with every- day life for an extended time.
Stroke: A stroke occurs when a blood vessel (artery) that supplies blood to the brain bursts or is blocked by a blood clot. Within minutes, the nerve cells in that area of the brain are damaged, and they may die within a few hours. As a result, the part of the body controlled by the damaged section of the brain cannot function properly.
In conclusion, those who are affected by obesity and mor- bid obesity are encouraged to talk with their physician con- cerning the co-morbidities listed here. The earlier these are detected, the more advantage a patient may have to keep them under control with the assistance of a physician. To learn more about obesity- related conditions, please visit the OAC Web site at www.obesityaction.org.
|
