The importance of maintaining a healthy weight can be attributed to a wide variety of factors. Here are the five most important reasons:
- Risks to health: Being overweight or obese raises the possibility of contracting a number of serious illnesses, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and several forms of cancer.
- Life quality: Being overweight might make it harder to participate in physical activity, which lowers life quality.
- Mental health: Research has shown that being overweight or obese increases the risk of mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.
- Longevity: According to studies, folks who are overweight or obese have a larger risk of dying young than those who keep a healthy weight.
- Social stigma: Being overweight is frequently stigmatized in society, which can result in emotions of embarrassment, exclusion, and prejudice.
We will go in more detail of these most important reasons to maintain a healthy weight.
Health Risks
Numerous major health conditions, can be increased by being overweight or obese. Here are some of the possible conditions that can have an increased chance of developing:
- Heart disease: Being overweight increases the chance of having a heart attack, a stroke, and other cardiovascular issues because it puts more strain on the heart and blood vessels.
- Diabetes: Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disorder that develops when the body is unable to utilise and store glucose efficiently. Being overweight or obese is a major risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes (a type of sugar).
- Obesity and excess weight can increase blood pressure, which can harm blood vessels and raise the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other health issues.
- Obesity and increased risk of developing some cancers, such as breast, colon, and kidney cancer, have been linked in several studies.
- Osteoarthritis: Being overweight increases the likelihood of developing this ailment, which causes pain and stiffness in the joints by putting more load on the joints.
- Obesity and weight gain can raise the risk of developing sleep apnea, a condition that interferes with breathing while you sleep.
- Obesity is a risk factor for gallbladder disease, which can result in discomfort, inflammation, and further issues with the gallbladder.
- Kidney disease: Being overweight can harm the kidneys and raise your risk of developing the condition, which can cause kidney failure.
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: Obesity is a significant risk factor for this ailment, which develops when fat builds up in the liver and can cause serious health issues.
- A crucial step in lowering the risk of these and other significant health disorders is maintaining a healthy weight.
Quality of Life
Being overweight might make it more challenging to exercise, which can impair one’s quality of life. There are several reasons for this, including:
- Physical discomfort: Being overweight can lead to physical discomfort, such as joint pain and respiratory problems, which can make it harder to exercise.
- Reduced mobility: Being overweight or obese can cause problems with mobility, making it harder to move around and carry out daily duties.
- Low self-esteem: Being overweight can result in low self-esteem and a negative body image, which can make it harder to participate in social and physical activities.
- Social isolation: Being overweight is frequently stigmatized in society, which can cause feelings of embarrassment, exclusion, and prejudice. Social interaction and participation in activities may be more challenging as a result.
It could be simpler to exercise and live a more active and happy lifestyle if you keep a healthy weight.
Mental Health
Obesity and being overweight have been associated with a higher risk of mental health problems like depression and anxiety. There are several reasons for this, including:
- Obesity is frequently stigmatized in society, which can result in emotions of shame, loneliness, and prejudice. The mental health of people may suffer as a result.
- Low self-esteem: Being overweight can result in a negative body image and low self-esteem, which can exacerbate mental health problems.
- Distress and frustration can result from physical discomfort brought on by being overweight, such as joint pain and respiratory problems.
- Health issues: Being overweight or obese raises your risk of acquiring a number of major health issues that can be stressful and anxiety-inducing.
It could be feasible to lower the chance of experiencing mental health problems and enhance general wellbeing by keeping a healthy weight.
Longevity
According to studies, those who are overweight or obese are more likely to die young than those who keep a healthy weight. This is due to the fact that being overweight raises your risk of contracting a number of dangerous illnesses, including as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and some types of cancer, all of which can cause you to pass away before your time.
Additionally, independent of the presence of other risk factors, obesity is linked to a higher risk of death from any cause. This implies that, regardless of other considerations, excess weight may have a detrimental effect on general health and wellbeing.
It could be able to extend life and lower the risk of premature death by keeping a healthy weight. For this reason, it’s crucial to maintain a healthy weight over the course of your life.
Social stigma
Obesity is frequently stigmatized in society, which can result in emotions of embarrassment, exclusion, and prejudice. There are several reasons for this, including:
- Negative stereotypes: People who are obese are frequently portrayed negatively in the media and may be the subject of jokes and jeers.
- Prejudice at work: According to certain research, obese people are more likely to be passed over for promotions and job openings and may experience workplace discrimination.
- Social isolation: Being overweight is frequently stigmatized, which can result in feelings of guilt and loneliness and make it more difficult to establish and maintain relationships with others.
- Health stigma: Obesity may be perceived by some as a character flaw or a lack of self-control, which can cause shame and stigma.
- The social stigma associated with obesity can have negative effects on a person’s mental health and general wellbeing. Keeping a healthy weight may make it less likely to experience discrimination and social stigma.
In conclusion, there are a variety of plausible causes for why it’s critical to keep a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese raises one’s risk of contracting a number of serious illnesses, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. Because of the physical discomfort and restricted mobility, it can also result in a lower quality of life. Being overweight or obese has been linked to a higher risk of early death and a higher risk of mental health problems like depression and anxiety. Additionally, obesity is frequently stigmatized in society, which causes emotions of embarrassment, exclusion, and prejudice. Maintaining a healthy weight can assist to lower the chance of developing major health disorders, improve quality of life, and promote overall health and wellbeing.
Sources: 1. The World Health Organization (WHO) - The WHO is a United Nations agency that works to promote global health: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight 2. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - The CDC is a federal agency that works to protect public health in the United States: https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult/causes.html 3. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) - The NIH is a federal agency that conducts and supports research on a wide range of health topics: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/health-risks-overweight © 2016-2023 by Overweight.net, a LIVenture LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of LIVentures LLC.
