Obesity: The health risks

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Obesity has never been more of an issue. Currently in the UK 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 4 children are classed as obese.

So it's even more shocking that a recent survey has discovered that half of people in the UK are unaware that being obese, or even overweight can cause cancer.

For adults, if your Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 25 and 29.9 you are overweight. If it's over 30 you're obese. Divide your weight, in kilograms, by the square of your height, in metres, to find out your BMI.

We all know that shedding pounds will make us look more attractive and feel better about ourselves, but many people don't realise the health benefits it can have, as well as the risks involved if you stay obese.

Excess weight is thought to cause about 4% of all cancers, including:

'Having more fatty tissue results in a higher risk of cancer than a person of normal weight,' says Professor Jane Wardle from Cancer Research UK. 'Also, in an indirect way overweight people are less likely to have a healthy lifestyle.'
- Read more on the causes of cancer

But it's not just a risk of cancer that's linked to obesity. Here are some of the other conditions that are thought to be caused weighing too much.

- Heart disease: Being overweight contributes to angina (chest pain caused by decreased oxygen to the heart) and sudden death from heart disease or stroke without any signs or symptoms.

- Type 2 diabetes: 80% of people with Type 2 diabetes are overweight when they're diagnosed.

- High blood pressure: Increased weight at an early age leads to an increased risk of high blood pressure in later life, which in turn leads to a greater chance of developing heart disease or having a stroke.

- Eye diseases: Obesity has been found to be a cause of people who develop cataracts and macular degeneration earlier than expected.

- Gout: This is more common in overweight people and the risk of developing gout increases with your weight.

- Osteoarthritis: Extra weight has been shown to increase the risk of osteoarthritis by placing extra pressure on joints and wearing away the cartilage that normally protects them.

- Sleep apnoea: This is a serious condition that is closely linked with being overweight. Sleep apnoea causes a person to stop breathing for short periods during sleep and to snore heavily.

The good news is that losing weight can reduce the likelihood of getting most of these conditions and also reduce the symptoms, if you already suffer from them.
- Find ways to lose weight in our Diet channel

By Rob Mansfield

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