At Diabetes Obesity Clinic we want you to be thoroughly informed about the different diseases caused by obesity and how they can improve or be eliminated by losing a considerable amount of weight. Among these diseases we can find sleep apnea, joint pain, and type 2 diabetes, though there are many other conditions that can affect an overweight body.
Sleep Apnea
According to an article published in Physician’s Weekly (2014), sleep disordered breathing conditions like sleep apnea have been associated with insulin resistance and glucose intolerance. Even though one loud snoring might be an annoying issue of sleep apnea, the true danger of this condition lies in the fat deposits in the upper airways, which can cause pauses in your breathing while sleeping. Weight loss can have a big effect on sleep apnea symptoms, sometimes relieving them completely.
Type 2 Diabetes
Once known as adult-onset diabetes, type 2 diabetes unfortunately seems to be affecting younger generations each year. Type 2 diabetes develops when the body becomes resistant to insulin or when the pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin. Although there’s no known cure, eating well and exercising can help manage it and, in the case of obese patients, losing weight may reduce insulin resistance and cause the disease to go into remission.
Joint Pain
Obesity can cause many types of discomfort throughout your body, and one of them is joint pain. Weight loss helps release this excess pressure that builds up in the knees and muscles, minimizing the pain and allowing you to have better mobility. Additionally, research has proven that a sustained 10- to 15-pound weight loss in obese people can translate to a much lower risk of osteoarthritis later in life. That is why it is recommended to make a healthy lifestyle change sooner rather than later.
High Blood Pressure
Hypertension refers to excess pressure that blood applies to the arteries. Jaymee Delaney from the national non-profit organization Obesity Action Coalition indicates that weight gain was associated with an increased risk of developing hypertension. The relative risks of hypertension in women who gained 10-22 pounds and those that gained over 55 pounds were 1.7 and 5.2, respectively. In other words, women that gained more than 55 pounds were three times as likely to become hypertensive as women who had gained less weight. Keeping that in mind, when people that initially suffered from obesity and hypertension start steadily losing weight, they can expect their blood pressure to normalize and eventually stop using medication.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Approximately 50% of women suffering from PCOS are overweight or obese. It is known that weight is associated with effects on hormones, metabolism and clinical features, which is why obesity might play a significant role in the development of this syndrome. Weight loss can normalize hormone production, which can restore normal functions in the ovaries and relieve symptoms caused by PCOS.
If you are looking into starting your own weight loss journey to manage or avoid developing a weight-related health condition, get in contact with our team and patient coordinators. We are happy to help!
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