For people who are overweight, doctors may provide drug therapy which, in most cases, merely delays "end stage" damage — permanent physical damage that profoundly affects quality of life. Fortunately, overweight is a potentially reversible health condition.
Contact us today and let us help you start the reversal process. In the meantime, consider the following facts about being overweight:
Overweight is a potentially reversible health condition that Fettler Health can help you reverse. If it is not reversed, the following complications associated with overweight — many of which are also potentially reversible — have been known to occur:
About 80 to 85% of people diagnosed with diabetes are overweight or obese. Obesity is the major cause of type 2 diabetes. Obesity can cause resistance to insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar. When the body experiences insulin resistance, the blood sugar becomes elevated which may, in turn, lead to prediabetes or type 2 diabetes over time.
Obesity can lead to joint pain of the knees and hips because of the stress placed on these joints by extra weight. Joint replacement surgery, while commonly performed on damaged joins, may not be an advisable option for an obese person because the artificial joint has a higher risk of loosening and causing further damage.
As body mass index rises, so does one’s risk for coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD is a condition in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries. Coronary arteries supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart. Plaque that narrows or blocks the coronary arteries and reduces blood flow to the heart muscle can cause chest pain or a heart attack. Obesity can also lead to heart failure which is a serious condition in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs.
People who are overweight or obese are more likely to have high blood pressure than those of normal weight. Overweight results in additional fat tissue which requires oxygen and nutrients in order to live; this requirement directs blood vessels to circulate more blood to the fat tissue. This increases the workload of the heart because it must pump more blood through additional blood vessels. In turn, more circulating blood means more pressure on the artery walls. And as blood pressure rises and stays high over time, it can lead to stroke, heart attack, and other complications.
Being overweight or obese can lead to a buildup of plaque in the arteries. Eventually, an arterial plaque can rupture, causing a blood clot to form. If the clot is close to the brain, it can block the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain and cause a stroke. Obesity can also increase the risk of stroke due to inflammation caused by excess fatty tissue. This can lead to difficulty in blood flow and an increased risk of blockage, both of which can cause strokes.
Being obese can affect overall life expectancy. One analysis estimated that a woman with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more at the age of 40 is likely to die 7.1 years earlier than average. This analysis also estimated that a man with a BMI of 30 or more at the age of 40 is likely to die 5.8 years earlier than average.
Fettler Health provides the tools and services to help you reverse potentially reversible health conditions including those listed below.
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