Long after an obese person's meal has been digested and their couch has been warmed up, their body begins to suffer the consequences. Because a large percent of the American population is obese, the threat of this disease is very alarming. Not only are there effects that are seen on the outside of the body, such as excess fat, but there are also problems on the inside of the body such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and the risk of a stroke.
The first health effect of obesity that can be seen with the naked eye is the extra fat that lingers on the body. After an obese person has eaten more calories than they need for a certain period of time, their body begins to expand and more fat is added onto the exterior. This health effect is by far the most damaging emotionally to a person who is obese. Because the American society looks down upon obesity, obese people often feel different socially and have a bad image of themselves, leaving them depressed and feeling out of place. With the media bombarding the nation with images of "acceptable" and "skinny" people, people with an obesity problem are looked down upon and stereotyped.
The other health effects of obesity do not emotionally damage a person but physically harm their body. The most common physical effects of obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes, both come from the extra weight carried around by obese people. The additional fat tissue that requires the blood vessels to circulate more blood to the fat tissue increases the workload of the heart because it needs to pump more blood through additional blood vessels, resulting in high blood pressure. This high blood pressure raises the heart rate significantly and reduces the body's ability to transport blood through the vessels. Type 2 diabetes is commonly caused from obesity as well as high blood pressure. When the hormone that regulates blood sugar, insulin, is resisted, the blood sugar becomes elevated, increasing the risk of diabetes.
Although there are many psychological as well as physical risks that come with being obese, there is a chance of lowering these health risks by simply losing as little as 10 to 20 pounds. By working out, eating nutritiously, and watching the portions on your plate, you can reduce your risk of being obese and suffering the consequences that coincide with having extra weight.
Sources:
"Google Image Result for http://www.lowdensitylifestyle.com/media/uploads.jpg". Google. Web. 12 Oct. 2010.
"Health Effects of Obesity". eMed TV. Web. 12 Oct. 2010.
"Health Effects of Obesity". Stanford Hospital & Clinics. Web. 12 Oct. 2010.
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