Complications of Obesity
If you’re obese, you’re more likely to develop a number of potentially serious health problems, including:
- High cholesterol and triglycerides
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Metabolic syndrome — a combination of high blood sugar, high blood pressure, high triglycerides and high cholesterol
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Cancer, including cancer of the uterus, cervix, ovaries, breast, colon, rectum and prostate
- Sleep apnea, a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts
- Depression
- Gallbladder disease
- Gynecologic problems, such as infertility and irregular periods
- Erectile dysfunction and sexual health issues, due to deposits of fat blocking or narrowing the arteries to the genitals
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a condition in which fat builds up in the liver and can cause inflammation or scarring
- Osteoarthritis
- Skin problems, such as poor wound healing
Quality of life
When you’re obese, your overall quality of life may be lower, too. You may not be able to do things you’d normally enjoy as easily as you’d like. You may have trouble participating in family activities. You may avoid public places. You may even encounter discrimination.
Other weight-related issues that may affect your quality of life include:
