Obesity
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(x) Kidneys Failure: Kidneys filter wastes from the blood to form urine. Two main causes of kidney failure are high blood pressure and diabetes which are primary risk factors of obesity.
(xi) Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD): In obese people simple heartburn or acid indigestion (hyperacidity) can turn into chronic GERD, which if left untreated can lead to more serious conditions including “erosive oesophagitis”. In GERD, a ring of muscle, that acts like a valve between the bottom of the esophagus and stomach, is weakened overtime with weight gain and ageing. The extra weight squeezes your belly and forces the acidic digestive juices back up into your wind pipe. Losing those extra kilos may help relieve your symptoms.
(xii) Binge-Eating Disorder: Binge-eating disorder is much like bulimia except the individuals do not use any form of purging (i.e. vomiting, laxatives etc.) following a binge. Here the person is often genetically predisposed to weigh more than the “average” person. Individuals usually feel out of control during a binge episode, followed by feelings of guilt and shame. Binge-eaters eat faster than the normal individuals until they feel too full for comfort; they tend to eat large quantities without any hunger or even appetite arousal. They usuallly prefer to eat alone due to feeling of embarassment of eating too much in front of others.
(xiii) Other Diseases: Other problems caused by obesity include: gout, varicose veins, swollen feet, skin disorders, hearing problems etc. Doctors have long recognised that the risk of complications during any type of surgery is greater for obese people than those of normal weight. Obese people are prone to accidents, psychological damage, depressions, sleep apnoea, breathlessness, fatigue, laziness and low vitality.
(xiv) Early Ageing: Tulane University (USA) researchers have demonstrated a biological link between obesity, insulin resistance and signs of early ageing. Obese people with insulin resistance have prematurely shortened white blood cell telomeres – a widely recognised sign of ageing. This means as their body weight and insulin resistance increase, they are more likely to get old at a younger age. Furthermore, a recent study by the University of Munich has revealed that the advent of obesity caused by the junk food in the USA has reduced the average height of Americans who used to be tallest in the world in the 1950s. Today, American males are only the 9th and women the 15th tallest in the world.
