Major Threats of Obesity – Life Threatening Illnesses Related to Obesity

Obesity is characterized by certain life threatening illnesses affecting every obese person and especially the elderly.

There are very many life threatening illnesses in the world today and they come in different ways. The World Health Organization while categorizing health risks have classified life threatening illnesses related to obesity as follows:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Conditions associated with insulin resistance, such as type 2 diabetes
• Certain types of cancers, especially hormonally related and large-bowel cancer
• Gallbladder disease

Major Threats of Obesity – Cardiovascular disease

Coronary heart disease is accountable for significant morbidity and mortality in aging patients of about 65 years and above. Cardiovascular remains the primary cause of mortality in the US up to 84% of persons aged 65 years or more dying from this disease. It is important noting that this condition can well be addressed by good feeding habit and in fact proper diet if the solution to treating this health condition in aging obese adults.

Obesity is actually the major fundamental factor contributing to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and is also related with multiple other ASCVD risk factors including elevated blood pressure, hypertriglyceridemia, low high-density lipoproteins, high cholesterol, and high fasting plasma glucose.

Major Threats of Obesity – Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes in older adults which occurs as results of interplay between genetic factors and environmental factors that contribute to obesity. A very insignificant weight gain can increase a person’s risk of diabetes by 50%. Coronary disease is the most evident and lethal sequel of type 2 diabetes. Lean-muscle mass begins to weaken after the age of 65. This shrinkage may be related to reduction in physical activity, disability, anabolic hormone production, or increased cytokine activity and if calorie intake remains at the same rate while the muscle mass decreases, then the older person will most likely experience fat weight gain.

The chief goal for obese diabetic persons is to avoid the common cardiovascular sequel. The effect of inactive behavior like watching television, in relation to risk of type 2 diabetes has been a subject of study and the findings were positive that the time spent watching TV is closely related with the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Major Threats of Obesity – Cancer

Obesity is also connected to higher rates of certain types of cancer like:

• Breast cancer in older women is progressively being linked to obesity. 25% to 30% of several major cancers, including breast (postmenopausal), colon, kidney, and esophageal, have been linked to obesity and physical inactivity.
• Obese men have increased risk of suffering from cancer of the colon, rectum, or prostate, than those who are not obese.
• Cancer of the gallbladder, uterus, cervix, or ovaries is more common in women who are obese compared with women who are not obese.
• It is important that proper management mechanism of obesity be established to reduce the incidences of these cancers.

Major Threats of Obesity – Gallbladder disease

Obesity is a major risk factor for gallstones because obesity is believed to reduce the amount of bile salts in bile, resulting in more cholesterol. Moreover, gallbladder emptying is decreased as a result of obesity

Major Threats of Obesity – Interventions to Address Obesity

It is the duty of healthcare providers like nurses to help edging obese people to adopt changes to promote a healthier lifestyle with the main objective being the sustainability of life changes through modification of diet, physical activities and use of community supports.

Major Threats of Obesity – Safe Weight Loss Strategies

• Older persons present special challenges when making changes in diet and activity levels. In patients over 65, the increase in chronic diseases associated with aging reduces physical activity and exercise capacity, making it more difficult for elderly persons to lose weight.
• Widowhood, loneliness, isolation, and depression are other factors that need to be addressed during weight-loss programs.
• Participation in these programs by family members, as well as caregiver(s) is especially important if the older person’s vision and hearing are impaired or if there is cognitive impairment.
• Appropriate nutritional counseling through referral to a registered dietitian is necessary to ensure that the older adult’s daily nutritional requirements are met during weight-loss programs.
• The benefits and risks of weight reduction in older adults should be carefully considered.
• Loss of lean body mass, which is already diminished in older adults, may not be appropriate in persons over 65 years of age because the loss of fat-free mass in older adults is associated with significant morbidity and mortality.
• A weight loss program that minimizes muscle and bone loss is necessary for the older adults who are obese and have functional impairments or metabolic complications that might be improved by weight loss.
• Improving physical function and helping to preserve muscle and bone mass through regular physical exercise is important in older adults who are obese.
• Increasing flexibility, endurance, and strength should be the objective of regular exercise in older adults who are obese.

Finally in ensuring that the life of our old people is well cared for the use of professionals who are well conversant with obesity is very necessary all the way. Together we have a duty to help patients and especially the older obese people to manage their weight along with general considerations to facilitate weight loss safely. Doctor Akoury is a trusted and respected healthcare professionals who also the founded AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, she is committed to helping people globally in all matters of weight gain and obesity in the most natural way and putting emphasis on Neuroendocrine Restoration (NER) to reinstate normality through realization of the oneness of Spirit, Mind, and Body, Unifying the threesome into ONE. It is therefore time for you to take the lead role in combating the obesity epidemic in our societies today and kick out this problem from our neighborhood.

Major Threats of Obesity – Life Threatening Illnesses Related to Obesity