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Simply measuring your Body Mass Index, or BMI can tell a health care professional whether you are obese, overweight, or healthy. It effectively determines your weight in relation to your height, and the further it deviates from the standard range, the greater your chances of developing a slew of critical health issues associated with obesity and overweight.

Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight is not something that can be done overnight, and it may prove to be a difficult task for obese and overweight people in the long run. 

Maintaining a healthy weight through appropriate means, or at the very least preventing further weight gain, can help overweight people reduce their risk of developing specific medical conditions.

Obesity is on the verge of becoming a national epidemic in the United States, and it is linked to a number of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

According to a health research study conducted in 2013, grave medical condition is responsible for an astounding 18 percent mortality rate in the age group of 40 to 85 among the American population, calling into question the deeply rooted, prevailing notion of the medical and scientific community that a mere 5 in every 100 deaths in the country are related to obesity. 

When it comes to the discussion of public health hazards, the new finding essentially suggests that it is as lethal as cigarette smoking. As the primary preventable cause of mortality in the USA, the specific way that nicotine is used has been connected to 20 out of every 100 fatalities.

Obesity was diagnosed in nearly three out of every five American adults in 2020-22, a significant increase from 38 percent in 2009-2011, and its impact became more profound with a steep increase from 5.7 percent to 7.7 percent during that time. While no state reported an obesity rate of more than 19 percent in 1985, as many as 5 states reported rates higher than 39 percent in 2022.

Being overweight and obese are frequently linked to mental health problems including depression. People who are obese or overweight may encounter weight bias, as well as stigma from healthcare professionals and others, which can lead to feelings of guilt, rejection, or humiliation and exacerbate already-existing issues with one's mental health.

The main illnesses and health issues brought on by fat and overweight are briefly illustrated below.

1. Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a specific medical disorder that develops when the blood glucose content rises unusually high and stays that way over an extended period of time. It is known that around 4 out of 5 people with the aforementioned kind of diabetes are either obese or overweight. 

Numerous medical diseases, including stroke, heart problems, eye problems, nerve damage, vision problems, and other health problems, can be caused by high blood sugar levels.

If you fall into the risk category for developing type 2 diabetes, allowing yourself to engage in periodic physical activity and losing 5 to 7 percent of your weight may help you delay or avoid the start of the condition.

2. High blood pressure

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a medical condition that occurs when blood flows through the blood vessels in your body with significantly more force. It can cause severe damage to your blood vessels, strain your heart, and increase your risk of stroke, kidney disease, heart attack, and even death.

3. Heart disease

Heart disease is a general phrase that is frequently used to describe a broad range of medical problems that may have an impact on the general health of the organ. 

If you have heart disease, you are more likely to experience heart failure, sudden cardiac death, angina, a heart attack, or an abnormal heart rhythm. Heart disease risk factors include elevated blood fat levels, high blood sugar levels, and high blood pressure. 

Triglycerides, High-Density Lipoprotein or HDL cholesterol, and Low-Density Lipoprotein or LDL cholesterol are all considered to be blood lipids or blood fats. 

You can reduce your chance of getting heart disease and increase your quality of life by losing 5 to 10 percent of your body mass. blood pressure, blood flow, and cholesterol levels.

4. Stroke

The medical illness that results from a blockage or blood vessel rupture in your neck or head is known as a stroke. It causes the blood flow to your brain to suddenly stop. 

A stroke can damage your brain in ways that are either treatable or irreversible, leaving you partially or completely paralyzed and unable to speak or move your body on your own. It is sufficient to say that hypertension is a major contributor to strokes.

5. Sleep apnea

The medical disorder known as sleep apnea, which affects a lot of people worldwide, occurs when someone stops breathing repeatedly while sleeping. For brief periods, one can also stop breathing entirely. The likelihood of developing other serious health conditions, like heart disease and type 2 diabetes, may rise if the aforementioned sleeping disorder is left misdiagnosed and untreated.