Many people are not ready to act on their excess body weight, since they feel it is not a serious issue. Many consider it just a cosmetic issue with some disturbance in their psychological well-being because of their looks!
However, obesity is a serious medical condition that can lead to a variety of health problems. It can include metabolic problems like diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol levels and high uric acid. People who are obese are at an increased risk of heart attacks, stroke, and heart failure. Obesity is a risk factor for various cancers like breast cancer, endometrial cancer, prostate, and colonic cancer. 4-8% of all cancers can be attributed to obesity.
It can lead to fatty liver disease which could progress to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Obesity-associated MASLD ( Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic Liver Disease ) is the leading cause of liver dysfunction and transplantation. Sleep apnoea and gastroesophageal reflux are also related to obesity. Certain mechanical problems like osteoarthritis of the knee and ankle and plantar fasciitis. In addition, obesity can be associated with depression, mood disorders and eating disorders.
It is very important to understand that higher weights are associated with more disabilities and diseases. So, obesity is much more than a mere cosmetic issue.