Hazards Of Obesity: Part One

People in many countries are still not fully aware of the hazards associated with obesity. Detailed information about these hazards is given here with a view to focusing attention on their dreadfulness.

No doctor has ever filled the cause of death column in any death certificate with the remarks obesity. Diseases like heart attack, diabetes, cancer, renal disorder or hemorrhage are generally the cause of a fat persons death. Obesity, though not directly responsible for causing death, certainly causes many such dangerous diseases which in turn cause premature passing away of a person.

This nexus between obesity and various grave diseases has been conclusively established through extensive research and numerous experiments. The following details clearly indicate how obesity affects different organs and systems of the human body.


(1)Muscles: Muscles of a fat person are soft and weak. Generally even when a person is not engaged in any physical activity, some of the fibers of his muscles are in a contracted state. Such a slightly contracted state of the muscles is called the muscle tone. It is due to the muscle tone that we are able to translate instantly our thoughts into actions. In case of obese person, this muscle tone is very weak. Beside this, in case of an obese person the coordination between muscles and the nervous system is also inadequate. Consequently, they (fat persons) are slow in their reflex actions. As a result of this, they are more prone to injuries and accidents. It is a matter of common experience that plump babies tumble down more frequently.

A fat person consumes more energy for doing any physical work. This affects his efficiency. You can well imagine how much energy a fat person has to spend in order to carry the load of two heavy suitcases in the form of his heavy buttocks and his pot belly weighing 10 to 12 kg! It is no wonder that a fat person gets breathless after the slightest physical exertion. Therefore fat persons are generally found to be lazy or inactive.

If the muscles are loose and weak, they cannot support the internal organs of the body and therefore they (the organs) do not remain secure in their proper position and easily get displaced. Therefore obese persons often become victims of different types of hernia.

(2)Joints and bones: Fat persons complain of severe pain in the feet or soles which are crushed under the weight of their heavy bodies. Fat persons also suffer from flat feet. Similarly, weight-bearing joints like the ankles, hips and the spinal cord are also strained constantly on account of heavy weight they have to carry. Consequently, fat persons are susceptible to degenerative diseases like osteoarthritis at very young age. Therefore persons who complain of constant pain in the knees are advised to reduce weight.
All the joints of the body are surrounded by muscles. Muscles lend support to the joints. As the muscles of a fat person are weak, their joints are not adequately supported. This is the main reason why fat persons often complain of chronic backache. Beside this, the joints of a fat person are stiff and therefore, their bodies are less flexible and they cannot bend their bodies. Compared to normal children, fat children are more prone to congenital and acquired deformities of bones and joints.


(3)Obesity and cancer: Possibility of developing cancer is directly proportional to overweight. This fact applies particularly to those who are aged above 45. The rate of cancer was noticed to be higher by 10% among those who are obese. Compared to normal women, overweight women are more prone to cancer of breast, the esophagus and reproductive organs in general and the uterus in particular. Those men who are overweight by 40% are more prone to cancers of the intestine and rectum.


READ MORE ABOUT EFFECTS OF OBESITY ON OTHER INTERNAL ORGANS AND SYSTEMS IN UPCOMING POSTS (HAZARDS OF OBESITY: part two)