Obesity, The Silent Epidemic
Obesity. We know that it impacts millions of people in the United States, but do you know how serious it really is? Between 2017 and 2020, the number of obese people in the US increased from 30.5% to 41.9% of our overall population. The rate of severely obese people nearly doubled, formerly affecting 4.7% of the population to more recently affecting 9.2% of it. Those statistics indicate a far-reaching health epidemic in which one medical problem, obesity, can lead to a host of others.
A Weighty Matter
Most of us are familiar with the medical issues that might be associated with obesity, including:
- High blood pressure
- Insulin resistance
- Type 2 diabetes
- Some kinds of cancer
- High cholesterol
While these are commonly known risks of being overweight or obese, those conditions take a very serious toll on many parts of your body, some of which you might be unaware of.
The Toll It Takes
Obesity is so hard on one’s body. It affects everything from the top of our head to the tips of our toes. It increases the risk of:
- Stroke
- Sleep apnea
- Lung disorders
- Cardiac complications
- Liver disease
- Reproductive disorders
- Joint problems
The CDC provides an informative pictograph to help illustrate the risks of obesity.
Obesity can lend itself to:
- Asthma
- Fatty liver
- Pancreatitis
- Arthritis
- Vein inflammation
- Pulmonary or other blood clots
- Gout
Obesity itself is a chronic disease and is beginning to be understood as that. Current medical science is making strides toward understanding and managing obesity, which will, in turn, help eliminate some of the complications of it.
The Unseen Complications of Obesity
In addition to the significant physical impacts of obesity, there are cognitive, social, and psychological impacts of it that aren’t visible. Recent research has found some connection between mild cognitive impairment and obesity as well as an increased risk of dementia related to it. Inflammation caused by obesity can affect the brain, which is thought to cause these impairments.
Along with potential cognitive impairment, there is a psychosocial component to obesity. Research in that area indicates that obesity lends itself to anxiety and depression. The stress caused by being overweight, and the stress created by the social stigma of it, both lend themselves to greater difficulty in managing weight. It’s a conundrum. Excess weight impacts mental health which, in turn, affects the ability to manage one’s weight. All of it affects quality of life, increasing the difficulty of living life as an obese person.
Medically Supervised Weight Loss
The Online NP is pleased to provide medically supervised weight loss services via telemedicine for those who might not have treatment available in their local area, or for those too busy to seek treatment in a traditional medical setting. Stephanie Kowatch, nurse practitioner and founder of The Online NP, is available to help you determine a weight loss or weight management protocol that works best for your life and lifestyle. She is committed to treating you as a whole person, integrating treatment options from both functional and traditional medicine. She hopes to help you achieve your best health and your healthiest weight. Call 775 285 6411 for additional information.
Disclaimer: The information contained here was not written by a medical doctor and is intended for informational purposes only. This is not a substitute for medical advice.
