Obesity in America has been on the rise for decades. It is responsible for many dangerous health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. Doctors diagnose obesity by using the body mass index (BMI), which is essentially a calculation using a person’s height and weight as variables. Doctors will determine if someone is overweight based on a person’s weight in proportion to their height. The formula for BMI is weight (kilograms) divided by height squared (meters). Obese people have A BMI of 30 or higher.
Symptoms of Obesity
While obesity seems like an easy diagnosis by using a person’s BMI, there are many other symptoms of obesity besides just being overweight. These symptoms have a direct impact on the struggles that come with being obese:
- Breathlessness. Obese individuals often may be short of breath or will have a harder time breathing just by doing day-to-day physical activity. The reason obesity causes breathlessness is because the body of an overweight individual is less capable of performing everyday tasks, while also having to put in more effort to get around. Combined with a lack of exercise, working harder to move around often results in physical exhaustion at a heightened pace.
- Self-esteem. Anyone suffering from obesity is more likely to have low self-esteem and an overall lack of confidence. Quite often, these symptoms lead to depression and result in a lack of enthusiasm to make the changes necessary for weight loss.
- Back pain. Because the spine is carrying more weight than it may be able to handle, back pain is a common symptom of obesity. Back pain also decreases the motivation necessary to get out and exercise. Moreover, sufferers from back pain are also more likely to become injurer during physical activity. These injuries can be long term and reduce the ability for an overweight individual to lose weight through exercise.
- Joint pain. Joints such as the knees have to carry more weight than usual in obese individuals. The knees may have to endure up to seven times the bodyweight than average. The cartilage between the knee bones wears away due to the intense friction caused by the added stress form obesity. The cartilage serves as a buffer between bones that keeps them from direct contact and prevents bone erosion. Once it wears away, it can be difficult to replace. Without cartilage, one is more likely to succumb to a fracture.
- Constant sweating. People suffering from obesity also sweat profusely. Excessive sweating for these individuals is due to excess body surface and the fact that obese people have more sweat glands per square inch on their bodies. Furthermore, overweight individuals with low self-esteem tend to have higher stress levels. Increased stress typically causes one to sweat more.
- Snoring. Weight complications can also have an impact on sleep patterns in obese individuals. Being overweight causes breathing difficulties, even while sleeping. Due to these breathing problems, people with weight issues are more likely to snore and develop sleep apnea. Those who are obese tend to have trouble sleeping, and a lack of sleep can wreak havoc on the body’s metabolism and overall ability to function. Sleep deprivation also causes people to eat more and to exercise less, which adds bodyweight to already obese individuals.
- Physical activity. Lack of physical activity is a common symptom for someone who is obese. Not exercising can be the result of the lack of motivation caused by obesity. As mentioned before, overweight individuals are also more likely to have trouble sleeping which decreases the urge to exercise.
- Lethargy. People who suffer from obesity are tired more often for a couple of reasons. First, increased weight forces a person to work harder to do things that others have no trouble doing, such as climbing stairs or walking long distances. Second, some people may be overweight because junk food is a large amount of their diet. The high fat and sodium content in junk foods have been proven to cause lethargy.
- Isolation. People with obesity may notice that they are not engaging with others socially as often as they once did. Many overweight individuals also suffer from depression due to their obesity, causing them to become introverted and less socially active.
Obesity Affects All Aspects of Life
Obesity is not only a weight issue. It also has a negative impact on the way obese people function in everyday situations. Life is harder when someone is overweight, both physically and mentally. Therefore, it is essential for those suffering from obesity to see a professional that can help them get back to a healthy weight.
The Bariatric Experts Can Help You Lose Weigh
If you are tired of struggling with the symptoms of obesity and finding it difficult to lose weight on your own, The Bariatric Experts can help! We offer Bariatric Surgical procedures and a new Medically Supervised Weight Loss Program. We have recently moved to Denton. The Bariatric Experts is now located in the Medical City Denton Professional Office Building, Suite 203, 3537 South Interstate 35E, Denton, TX 76210. Call for an appointment today at 940-577-2090.
