What are the Health Problems Associated with Obesity?

For my fourth and final post on this blog, I decided to research the health effects of obesity. There is an enormous amount of research that has been conducted on the obesity epidemic in the United States and other nations, and seeking out reputable sources for solid information is key to making informed decisions about one's health. 

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Being overweight or obese, a condition also referred to as “adiposity,” is caused by an increase in the size and number of adipose cells in the body, otherwise known as fat cells. Physicians can determine obesity by calculating a person’s ‘body mass index’ (BMI) taking into account height, weight, and age, or take body circumference measurements such as a waist-to-hip ratio. (NHLBI, 2020). A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal weight, 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, and a BMI of 30 or greater is considered obese. (NIDDK, 2020). In terms of waist circumference, men should aim to have a waist measuring less than 40 inches around, and women should strive for a waistline of less than 35 inches. (NIDDK, 2020).

According to the Centers for Disease Control, obesity increases the risk for numerous health conditions and diseases, including:

• High blood pressure (hypertension) – above 120-80 mm Hg.
• High LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels (more than 40 mg/dl for men, or 50 mg/dl for women), low HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels (less than 100 mg/dl), or high levels of triglycerides (more than 150 mg/dl).
• Type II diabetes – aim for fasting blood sugar readings of less than 100 mg/dl.
• Coronary heart disease.
• Stroke.
• Gallbladder disease.
• Osteoarthritis.
• Sleep apnea and generalized breathing problems.
• Many types of cancers.
• Mental illness such as clinical depression and anxiety. (CDC, 2020; NIDDK, 2020).

Of particular concern at this time is the link between obesity and severe complications from the COVID-19 virus. Aside from preexisting underlying health conditions which could complicate infection and recovery prognoses, it appears that obese people have a higher risk of dying from the virus because fat cells in the body produce higher amounts of “ACE-2” receptors, shorthand for angiotensin converting enzyme-2. (Verdecchia, et al., 2020; Chalmers, 2020). The coronavirus enters the body’s cells through the ACE-2 receptors, which means a higher prevalence of the gateway channels into the cells makes severe infection more likely. (Chalmers, 2020). This correlation has played out with researchers at New York University noting that patients who were either obese or morbidly obese accounted for the largest proportion of patients under the age of 60 seeking treatment. (Verdecchia, et al., 2020). In England, the National Health Service reports that a whopping 75% of coronavirus patients in the intensive care unit are overweight. (Verdecchia, et al., 2020). As of the time I am writing this post, the CDC website has a banner across the top of the site noting that “severe obesity may increase risk for severe illness.” (CDC, 2020).

CITATIONS:

Verdecchia, Paolo, et al. “The Pivotal Link between ACE2 Deficiency and SARS-CoV-2 Infection.” European Journal of Internal Medicine, European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V., 20 Apr. 2020, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7167588/.

Chalmers, Vanessa, and Mailonline. “Coronavirus: Obese Higher Risk as Fat Cells Are Infection Targets.” Daily Mail Online, Associated Newspapers, 6 May 2020, www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8291869/Obese-people-risk-coronavirus-fat-cells-infection-targets.html.

“The Health Effects of Overweight and Obesity.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 10 Apr. 2020, www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/effects/index.html.

“Overweight and Obesity.” National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, accessed on 10 May 2020, https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/overweight-and-obesity.

“Health Risks of Being Overweight.” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, accessed on 10 May, 2020, https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/health-risks-overweight.