2. Illness related to being Overweight and Obese

3.  As your body mass index increases, so does your risk for coronary heart disease.  Coronary heart disease is a condition in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries.  The coronary arteries supply the oxygen rich blood to your heart.  Plaque can narrow or block the coronary arteries and reduce blood flow to the heart muscle.  Plaque build-up can lead to angina (chest pain or discomfort) or a heart attack.  Obesity can also lead to heart failure. This is a serious condition in which your heart cannot pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs. Coronary Heart Disease

4.  Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood.  If the pressure rises and stays high overtime, it can damage the body in many ways.  High blood pressure or hypertension, causes the heart to work harder to pump blood to the body and contributes to hardening of the arteries and the development of heart failure.  Your chances of having high blood pressure are greater if you are overweight or obese.  High blood pressure or hypertension increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. High Blood Pressure

5.  Plaque buildup in your arteries caused by being overweight and obese, can lead to the formation of blood clots.  If the clot is close to your brain, it can block the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain and cause a stroke.  As body mass index increases, so does the changes of having a stroke.  According to the National Stroke Association, 80% of strokes are preventable.  Strokes can happen at any age. Stroke

6.  Diabetes is a disease in which the body’s blood sugar level is too high. Normally, the body breaks down food into glucose and then carries it to cells throughout the body. The cells use a hormone called insulin to turn the glucose into energy.  In type 2 diabetes, the body’s cells do not use insulin properly. At first, the body reacts by making more insulin. Over time, the body cannot make enough insulin to control its blood sugar.  Diabetes is the leading cause of early death, coronary artery disease, stroke, kidney disease, and blindness.  Most people who have type 2 diabetes are overweight. Type 2 Diabetes

7.  Metabolic syndrome is the name for a group of factors that increases your risk for heart disease and other health problems, such as diabetes and stroke.  A diagnosis of metabolic syndrome is made if you have three of the following risk factors:  A large waistline  A higher than normal triglyceride level  A lower than normal HDL cholesterol level  Higher than normal blood pressure  Higher than normal fasting blood sugar Metabolic syndrome

8.  Osteoarthritis is a common joint problem of the knees, hip, and lower back. The condition occurs if the tissue that protects the joints wears away. Extra weight can put more pressure and wear on joints, causing pain.  Being overweight or obese raises your risk for colon, breast, endometrial and gallbladder cancers. Cancer

9.  When you’re awake, throat muscles help keep your airway stiff and open so air can flow into your lungs. When you sleep, these muscles relax, which narrows your throat.  Normally, this narrowing does not prevent air from flowing into and out of your lungs.  When overweight, the extra soft fat tissue can thicken the wall of the windpipe. This narrows the inside of the windpipe, which makes it harder to keep open.  Not enough air flows into your lungs if your airway is partially or fully blocked during sleep.  Loud snoring and a drop in your blood oxygen level can occur. Sleep Apnea

10.  OHS is a breathing disorder that affects some obese people. It is where overweight people fail to breathe rapidly or deeply enough.  Poor breathing results in too much carbon dioxide and too little oxygen in the blood. Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome

11.  Gallstones are hard pieces of stone-like material that form in the gallbladder. They're mostly made of cholesterol. Gallstones can cause stomach or back pain.  People who are overweight or obese are at increased risk of having gallstones. Also, being overweight may result in an enlarged gallbladder that doesn't work well. Gallstones