Obesity Increases the Risk of Diabetes and Hypertension

Obesity is becoming more frequent around the world, despite the health hazards and higher mortality associated with the diseases and ailments that accompany it (comorbidities). Although the comorbidities of obesity (such as diabetes) are widely known, extensive study into the relationship between the degree of obesity and the occurrence of these diseases is lacking. The research group of Project Professor TAMORI Yoshikazu et al. discovered how the amount of obesity impacts the prevalence of the three most frequent comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia) differently in men and women in this study. Data from around 11,000 65-year-old Japanese inhabitants of Kobe City were analyzed, and it was discovered that rising obesity raised the incidence of all three diseases in men.

Health Complications due to Obesity

Obesity can lead to complications in a variety of diseases, as well as a reduction in healthy life expectancy and quality of life. Diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia are frequent obesity-related disorders that promote artery hardening (arteriosclerosis), which is connected to the development of potentially fatal conditions such as strokes and heart disease.

Even if they are only somewhat obese, people of East Asian descent (including Japanese people) are predisposed to metabolic problems. However, more research on the exact relationship between the degree of obesity and the extent to which comorbidities emerge is needed. In sophisticated countries such as Japan, 65 is frequently referred to as the beginning of old age. While it is critical to avoid becoming overweight in old age, it is also critical to avoid being underweight or very thin, as this can contribute to sarcopenia and weakness.

The researchers revealed the prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia in relation to BMI in around 11,000 65-year-old Kobe City residents. They also looked into the odds of developing these diseases at various levels of obesity by comparing data from normal-weight participants.

Positive Effects of Weight Loss

There has not been much research into the relationship between the prevalence of obesity-related comorbidities and the amount of obesity, with only hazy confirmations of the risk for obesity comorbidities growing as a person's weight increases. As a result, while treating lifestyle diseases and obesity, it is difficult to provide unambiguous information on how much a certain degree of weight loss will reduce disease risk. This study, however, found that weight loss in males is effective in lowering the risks of diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. In women, the study found that while losing weight is successful in lowering diabetes and hypertension prevalence, dropping weight alone is insufficient for lowering dyslipidemia, and that lifestyle change guidance and treatment (e.g. diet and exercise) is also required.

Other significant comorbidities associated with obesity, in addition to the three illnesses studied in this study, include cerebral infarctions (strokes), coronary artery disease, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, sleep apnea syndrome, and osteoarthritis. Knowing how frequent these obesity-related health issues are at various levels of obesity is critical for physicians to provide better guidance and therapy based on the patient's age and gender. Such estimates of weight loss effectiveness would also be useful for healthcare system economics.

Source-Medindia