Type 2 Diabetes
One of the major problems with obesity today is the development of
type 2 diabetes. This is the most common form of
diabetes. This type of diabetes was formally known as adult-onset diabetes. Diabetes is a serious disease because there are numerous complications that can increase a person's chances for premature death.
Among people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, 46 percent are obese. An estimated 70 percent of diabetes risk in the United States can be attributed to excess weight
(see Diabetes Risk Factors for other risk factors).
Heart Disease
Another serious obesity-related problem is
heart disease.
Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States and in most Westernized countries. People with heart disease are also at an increased risk for
angina,
congestive heart failure, or an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia).
Stroke
A
stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is suddenly interrupted or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts, spilling blood into the spaces surrounding the brain cells. More than 700,000 strokes occur each year in the United States, making strokes the third leading cause of death in the country and the number one cause for serious disability.
People who are overweight are more likely to suffer from high
blood pressure, high
triglycerides (blood fats), high levels of LDL cholesterol (a fat-like substance often called the "bad cholesterol"), and low levels of HDL cholesterol (the "good cholesterol"). These are all risk factors for strokes.
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