Health concerns associated with being overweight or obese

Diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes occurs when the body can't use glucose (a type of sugar) properly, because the insulin available doesn't work as effectively as it should. Diabetes can damage your nerves, particularly those in your feet. It can also cause the blood vessels at the back of the eyes to leak, affecting your eyesight (known as diabetic retinopathy). As a person’s weight increases, the risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases. Around 70% of type 2 diabetes appears to be related to having a BMI over 25.

Coronary Heart Disease

Coronary heart disease is the term that describes what happens when your heart's blood supply is blocked, or interrupted, by a build up of fatty substances in the coronary arteries. If a coronary artery becomes completely blocked, it can cause a heart attack. At a BMI of 26, women are twice as likely, and men are one-and-a-half times more likely to develop coronary heart disease than at a BMI of 21.

Hypertension

Hypertension is high blood pressure. High blood pressure is a 'risk factor' for developing a cardiovascular disease (such as a heart attack or stroke), and kidney damage, sometime in the future. 75% of the cases of hypertension in men, and 65% of the cases in women, are directly attributable to being overweight or obese.

Stroke

A stroke occurs when the blood flow to your brain is interrupted, causing brain cells to die through lack of oxygen. A stroke can result in death, or more often, it can result in a disability causing difficulties in talking, walking and performing other tasks. Being overweight or obese are thought to be a major risk factor in causing stroke.

Cancers

Research suggests that in women, obesity increases the risk of various types of cancer, including colon, breast (postmenopausal), endometrial (womb), cervical, ovarian and gallbladder cancers; and in men, obesity increases the risk of colorectal and prostate cancer. The clearest association is with cancer of the colon, for which obesity increases the risk by nearly three times in both men and women.

Mental Health

In adults, being overweight or obese may lead to poor self image and lower self esteem. In more serious cases, this can lead to depression.