Consequences of Morbid Obesity
Morbid obesity is a growing problem in our contemporary consumer society. Obesity and overweight are recognized as the 5th cause of death by the WHO. Depending on its degree of severity, the repercussions on health are multiple. Patients can lose between 8 and 15 years of life expectancy.
What is morbid obesity ? Simply put, it’s when fat replaces muscle. According to the WHO, obesity is characterized by an excess of fat mass which leads to harmful consequences .
It is defined by the body mass index (BMI). Knowing that a good BMI is between 18.5 and 25, that of morbid obesity is equal to or greater than 40.
of morbid obesity
Many causes are at the origin of the pathology:
- Genetics : Genes play an important role in obesity. However, there is nothing we can do about it.
- Metabolism : Some people expend much less energy at rest than others. They must then eat less otherwise the calories are stored as fat.
- Sedentary lifestyle : lack of physical activity = weight gain. Travel is by means of motorized vehicles, the remote control avoids getting up to change the channels, etc. On the other hand, many energy-dense recipes are consumed. Less expenditure + increased energy density = weight gain.
- Changing eating habits : in our contemporary society, stress is a scourge that is often offset by food. Less time to eat, snacking and high energy density products are ingested on the go;
- Medical : certain endocrine disorders can lead to weight gain, but also certain medications.
The consequences of morbid obesity
If its causes seem multiple and complex, its impacts on the balance of an individual are just as much.
Development of diseases
Being morbidly obese has serious effects. This means that the patient must also fight against various other associated pathologies. These are called comorbidity factors .
- Type 2 diabetes : unable to provide enough insulin, the blood sugar level rises after and outside of meals. The risk is 3 times greater than in non-obese people.
- Hypertension : 2 to 3 times higher in obese people;
- Gallstones and other bladder problems.
- Dyslipidemia (abnormal blood lipid levels) — cholesterol.
- Sleep apnea : nocturnal respiratory arrests disrupting restorative sleep.
- Dyspnea : shortness of breath on exertion, but also at rest.
- Cardiovascular problems (fatty plaque on the artery walls or atheroma plaque): coronary disorders, stroke, heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia.
- Risk of infertility :
- In women : irregular menstrual cycle or amenorrhea (absence of periods), excessive secretion of androgen (male hormones).
- In men : drop in testosterone levels (drop in libido and fertility).
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Cancers : of the digestive system (colon, gallbladder, pancreas, liver, kidney)
- For women : cancer of the endometrium, breast, ovaries, cervix;
- For men : prostate cancer.
Morbid obesity creates discomfort
Obesity is a chronic disease. And as with all chronic diseases, if it is installed it becomes irreversible.
All the inconveniences associated with this disease contribute to degrading the quality of life of the individual suffering from this pathology.
Being obese can be a professional and social hindrance. Between frequent work stoppages due to medical complications and difficulty in being hired, or discrimination and rejection, isolation is one of the consequences of obesity.
Obese people are then in psychological suffering. It is difficult to face the gaze of others. Mockery and judgment are felt as perpetual aggression.
Add to that low self-esteem and poor self-confidence, and see how depression sets in.
The image of the body is disturbed, the sick person rejects it because it is too ugly, too cumbersome and painful. She is ashamed and guilty.
Functional deficits
Physical activity has many beneficial aspects. But there is a link between obesity and the prevalence of falls and balance disorders when walking.
This can potentially justify inactivity in obese people. Speed, cadence and step length are decreased when an obese person is moving.
But that’s not all. A sedentary lifestyle can also be explained by various other complications due to obesity:
- Respiratory failure :
- Shortness of breath on exertion and at rest.
- Asthma: multiplied by 4 in case of morbid obesity.
- excessive sweat
- Arthropathy :
- Osteoarthritis of the knees, ankles and hip.
- low back pain
- Gout : deposit of uric acid in the joints.
- Venous insufficiencies :
- Phlebitis: formation of clots in the veins.
- Edema: heavy and swollen legs.
- Fatigue : for various reasons. These include taking medication, depression or lack of sleep;
- Urinary incontinence : stress incontinence.
Functional difficulties probably represent only a small part of the reasons for the sedentary lifestyle of the obese person.
It is nevertheless essential to target them well in order to allow a resumption of physical activity without danger or genes.
Let us remember that if lipids are a source of energy, and that in addition they are essential, the body cannot get rid of them if their consumption is too high.
It stores them as fatty tissue for later . Thus the fat accumulates, and the consequences of morbid obesity are felt.
The obese person becomes aware of his body. The image she has of it pushes her towards isolation and the impact on her health demotivates her.
People with obesity have, as they age, a poorer quality of life and a shorter life expectancy than those with a healthy weight (BMI between 18.5 and 25).
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.