Outlook

Obesity increases your risk of many other diseases and health problems, including the following:

• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Osteoarthritis (especially knee, hip, and lower back pain)
• Gallstones
• Lung disease and sleep apnea
• Colon cancer
• Endometrial cancer
• Depression
• Gout

Depression may be one of the most common effects of obesity. Many obese people suffer emotional distress. Because of the emphasis on physical appearance in our culture, which equates slimness with beauty, obese people may feel unattractive. They also are subjected to prejudice, ridicule, and discrimination, which may make them feel ashamed or rejected.

Obesity is also a major risk factor for the development of diabetes mellitus. The good news is that this may be preventable. In clinical studies, patients who were at a high risk of developing diabetes decreased their risk by almost 60% with less than 10% weight loss in 3 years.

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Obesity - Effective Treatments

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