- Unfortunately,
fast food obesity is a major risk factor of
ten very serious diseases and health problems.
- These
factors include: sleep apnea, heart disease,
arthritis and respiratory problems.
Fast
food obesity is increasing at an alarming rate
throughout the United States. According to the
CDC, in 1994 the rates of obesity across all
50 states did not exceed 19% of the population.
In most states, the rate was less than 14%.
In 2007, only one state – Colorado – had obesity
rates of less than 19%. In most of the states,
the rate was greater than 25%. Unfortunately,
fast food obesity is a major risk factor of
ten very serious diseases and health problems.
#1
Heart Disease
Of
all the diseases caused by fast food obesity,
heart disease is one of the most common and
most devastating. Large amounts of body fat
usually result in higher levels of LDL cholesterol
and lower levels of HDL. Both factors can increase
your risk of heart disease which is the number
one cause of death in the United States.
#2
Diabetes (Type 2)
One
of the fastest growing obesity related diseases
is diabetes. With diabetes, your pancreas can
not produce enough insulin to covert sugars
into energy for your cells. The rest of the
sugar ends up floating around in your blood
and causing damage.
#3
Dyslipidemia
Dyslipidemia
could be considered a junk food obesity related
illness. That’s because the disease occurs when
LDL levels and triglycerides are abnormally
high. Having this condition puts you at greater
risk of coronary heart disease, and most physicians
attribute its development directly to weight
gain.
#4
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Women
who are overweight or obese have a higher likelihood
of developing this disorder which is one of
the main causes of infertility in females who
are within reproductive age. The condition causes
irregular menstrual cycles and excess hair growth.
Additionally, the disease is associated with
insulin resistance which means it is also a
factor in the development of diabetes in women.
#5
Sleep Apnea
Many
people with weight problems attribute their
lack of energy to their size but many of them
actually have a disorder known as sleep apnea.
While sleeping, you literally stop breathing
and this causes you to wake up suddenly. You
may be unaware of the sleep disruption but it
does prevent you from getting a restful sleep
and can sometimes be dangerous.
#6
Arthritis
While
most people think of arthritis as a disease
for older people only, the condition is simply
caused by strain on the joints over time. When
you wear more than your body can handle, the
strain is greater and causes arthritis to develop
much earlier.
#7
Blount’s Disease
Obesity
is especially dangerous to growing children.
Blount’s disease is a condition that develops
when too much weight is placed on the growing
bones in the lower half of the body. This extra
weight can cause growth to be abnormal.
#8
Respiratory Problems
Just
as being overweight puts more stress on your
heart, it also causes your lungs to work harder
in order to get the oxygen needed where it needs
to faster. Plus, conditions such as plague build-up
from high cholesterol in the arteries can make
it harder for oxygen to move free through your
system. Breathing problems, including asthma,
are also more common in obese people.
#9 Liver Damage
Sometimes
the body has problems breaking down all of the
fatty foods we eat and dealing with the fat
appropriately. As a result, fat can build-up
around the liver. This condition can end up
causing scarring and inflammation of the liver,
as well as permanent liver damage.
#10
Stroke
A
stroke is caused by a blockage in the arteries
supplying blood to the brain. When the blood
and the oxygen it carries can’t reach the brain,
the cells begin to die off causing permanent
brain damage and even brain death. These blockages
are more common in overweight people because
they are more likely to have high blood pressure,
high cholesterol, and/or plague build-up which
increases the risk of this life-threatening
condition.
