The Dangers of Obesity

It’s no secret that obesity negatively impacts your health. But did you know nearly a third of adults in New York State have obesity, and almost two-thirds are overweight?

To treat obesity and manage or prevent its adverse health effects, many New Yorkers turn to medical weight loss. Board-certified endocrinologist Anastasios Manessis, MD, FACE, ECNU, ABOM, and registered dietician Camille Falisse, MS, RD, don’t cut corners while helping patients with weight management at neXendo Wellness in Long Island City and Murray Hill, New York. We determine the factors contributing to your weight retention and create an individualized medical weight loss program after a detailed consultation.

Learning about the dangers of obesity could be your final push to explore medical weight loss. Extra weight makes your body work harder and can cause complications, leading to higher health care costs and a shorter lifespan.

Extra weight and your cardiovascular system

Cardiovascular conditions increase your risk of heart attack, heart failure, and stroke. These issues are more likely because your heart overexerts itself to pump blood through your body. The more body mass, the harder your heart must work.

The risks are further exacerbated by other cardiovascular conditions closely associated with obesity, including high triglycerides, high cholesterol, atherosclerosis, and high blood pressure. Collectively, these conditions are called metabolic syndrome and put you at risk of developing significant conditions like heart disease and diabetes.

Losing even a modest amount of body fat can improve these conditions and ease stress on your heart.

Type 2 diabetes is influenced by body weight

Obesity isn’t the sole cause of type 2 diabetes, but it can play a role in the condition’s development. Type 2 diabetes develops when your cells become insulin resistant, leading to higher levels of glucose (sugar) in your blood. Insulin is a hormone that moves glucose out of your blood and into your cells for energy.

One often overlooked consequence of obesity and diabetes is the effect on your liver. Being obese means you have more fat in your liver.

Your liver acts as a storage facility for extra glucose. With fat taking up that space, it can no longer hold as much, leaving more glucose to roam free in your bloodstream. As a result, your pancreas produces more insulin initially before wearing down and producing less.

The lesser-known dangers of obesity

While cardiovascular disease and diabetes are the highest risks that come with obesity, the condition impacts your health in many other ways. Aside from low energy and fatigue, long-term obesity increases your risk of:

Obstructive sleep apnea
Depression
Infertility
Respiratory diseases
Cognitive decline
Osteoarthritis
Gallstones
Fatty liver disease
Specific types of cancer

Be aware of these conditions and how obesity contributes to them. Fortunately, obesity isn’t permanent, and many of these conditions improve with healthy weight loss.

Fight for your long-term health

Significant weight loss can restore your health and prevent life-threatening conditions. Starting with detailed metabolic testing, you can follow a weight management program to keep your body weight in check. Call our New York City offices or schedule an appointment online at neXendo Wellness for medical weight loss today.