Risks of Obesity

Most people have issues with their weight at some point in their life. Whilst a little bit of extra weight may not contribute to problems with your health, once you have gained more weight, issues will arise.

Obesity is not an issue of body image but a chronic and progressive disease that, like diabetes or depression, needs management. The effects of obesity on the body and our overall health are wide-ranging.

Many of our bodily functions can be negatively impacted by being overweight. Some of these issues we might not initially think would be related to weight, such as infertility or cancer.

We understand the challenges of weight management. The team at Hunter Weight Loss are here to help you manage these issues in a caring, non-judgmental manner. 

Increased weight is associated with over 200 medical conditions. Some of the common problems caused by weight include:

• Metabolic syndrome: This cluster of conditions greatly increases the risk of major medical issues such as heart attacks and stroke. This includes high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol and central obesity. 
• Cancer: The rate of many cancers, especially in women, is increased with increasing weight. We also know that weight loss surgery can reduce the risk of these cancers developing, and if they do occur, increase your chance of survival.
• Diabetes
• Fatty liver
• Sleep apnea
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), abnormal cycles and infertility 
• Joint replacement, back pain.
• Hernias.
• Gallstones

Diabetes and Obesity

Obesity is a significant risk factor for Type 2 diabetes. Individuals with excess body weight, especially abdominal obesity (carrying excess weight around the waist), are at a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Obesity often leads to insulin resistance, a condition where the body's cells don't respond effectively to insulin. This requires the pancreas to produce more insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels, eventually leading to insulin exhaustion and elevated blood sugar levels characteristic of Type 2 diabetes.

Impact of Obesity on Diabetes Management

Obesity can complicate the management of Type 2 diabetes.

Obese individuals with diabetes may find it more challenging to manage their blood sugar levels with oral medications alone. They may require insulin or other injectable medications to achieve glycemic control.

Obesity, in combination with diabetes, significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular complications, such as heart disease and stroke.

Sleep Apnea and Obesity

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterised by pauses in breathing or shallow breaths during sleep. Obesity and sleep apnea are intricately connected.

Obesity is a major risk factor for the development of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the most common form of sleep apnea. OSA occurs when excess tissue in the throat area narrows or blocks the airway during sleep, leading to breathing interruptions.

Impact on Sleep Quality and Health

Sleep apnea leads to frequent awakenings during the night to restore breathing, disrupting the normal sleep cycle. This results in poor sleep quality and daytime fatigue.

Untreated sleep apnea, particularly in obese individuals, can increase the risk of cardiovascular problems such as hypertension, heart disease, and stroke.

Sleep apnea is associated with metabolic disturbances, including insulin resistance and an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes.

Prevention and Management Strategies

Weight loss is often an effective strategy for reducing the severity of sleep apnea, particularly in cases where obesity is a contributing factor. Even modest weight loss can lead to improvements in sleep apnea symptoms.

For individuals with moderate to severe sleep apnea, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy is a common treatment. It involves wearing a mask connected to a machine that delivers a continuous air stream, preventing airway collapse during sleep.

Weight loss surgery can often result in improvements in sleep apnoea, and patients often don’t need to use their CPAP machines after losing weight.

PCOS - Infertility and Obesity

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age. It can have a profound impact on fertility.

Women with PCOS often experience irregular menstrual cycles or sometimes even a lack of menstruation (amenorrhea). This irregularity affects ovulation, which is essential for conception.

PCOS can lead to anovulation, where eggs don't mature or are not released from the ovaries regularly. This can result in reduced fertility.

PCOS is characterised by hormonal imbalances, including elevated levels of androgens (male hormones) and insulin resistance. These hormonal disturbances can disrupt normal ovarian function and lead to infertility.

Obesity as a Common Comorbidity

Obesity is often associated with PCOS, and the combination of PCOS and obesity can exacerbate fertility challenges:

• Insulin Resistance: Both PCOS and obesity are linked to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance can lead to high insulin levels, disrupting hormonal balance and ovarian function.
• Hormonal Interactions: The interaction between obesity and PCOS hormones can create a vicious cycle. Excess fat tissue can produce hormones that worsen PCOS symptoms, leading to more weight gain and insulin resistance.

Joint Replacement and Obesity

Obesity is closely linked to joint problems, particularly in the hips and knees. 

Impact of Obesity

When it comes to joint replacement, obesity can have a significant impact. Here's how:

• Increased Joint Stress: Excess body weight stresses weight-bearing joints, particularly the knees and hips. This increased load accelerates joint wear and tear, contributing to conditions like osteoarthritis.
• Osteoarthritis: Obesity is a known risk factor for osteoarthritis, where joint protective cartilage breaks down. As a result, individuals with obesity are more likely to require joint replacement due to advanced osteoarthritis.
• Surgical Complications: Obesity can pose challenges during joint replacement surgery. Surgeons may encounter difficulties with exposure, alignment, and wound healing in obese patients. Additionally, there's an increased risk of infection and blood clot formation. Many orthopaedic surgeons have weight or BMI limits for offering joint replacement surgery. If this is the case, talk to our surgeons to discuss weight loss surgery to help you prepare for your joint surgery.

Benefits of Weight Loss

Given the interplay between obesity and joint replacement, weight loss is often recommended as a part of preoperative preparation. Here's why weight loss can be beneficial:

• Reduced Surgical Risk
• Improved Surgical Outcomes
• Pain Reduction

Cancer and Obesity

Obesity has been recognised as a significant risk factor for several types of cancer.

Studies have shown that obesity is associated with an increased risk of developing various cancers, including:

• Breast Cancer: Postmenopausal women who are obese have a significantly higher risk of developing breast cancer.
• Colorectal Cancer: Both men and women with obesity have an increased risk of colorectal cancer.
• Endometrial Cancer: Obesity is a strong risk factor for endometrial cancer.
• Kidney Cancer: Obese individuals are at a higher risk of kidney cancer.
• Pancreatic Cancer: Obesity may contribute to an increased risk of pancreatic cancer.

The mechanisms linking obesity and cancer risk are complex and not fully understood. However, several factors may contribute to this association:

• Inflammation: Obesity is associated with chronic low-grade inflammation, which can promote the development of cancer.
• Insulin Resistance: Obesity often leads to insulin resistance and elevated insulin levels, which may promote cancer cell growth.
• Hormonal Changes: Obesity can alter hormone levels, including sex hormones like oestrogen, which can influence cancer development.

Impact on Cancer Outcomes

Obesity can also make cancer outcomes worse.

Obese individuals may face challenges in cancer treatment. For example, radiation therapy and surgery can be technically more difficult in patients with excess body fat.

Some studies suggest that obesity is associated with lower survival rates in certain cancer types, possibly due to delayed diagnosis or treatment complications.

Hernia and Obesity

The Impact of Obesity

Obesity can significantly affect the development, severity, and management of hernias. Here's how obesity and hernia are related:

• Increased Intra-abdominal Pressure: Obesity often leads to increased intra-abdominal pressure due to tissue accumulation in the abdominal area. This elevated pressure can contribute to the development or worsening of hernias.
• Weakening of Muscles and Tissues: Obesity can lead to the weakening of abdominal muscles and connective tissues. Weaker abdominal walls are more prone to herniation, where organs or tissues protrude through the weakened areas.
• Complexity of Surgical Repair: Hernia repair surgery can be more complex in obese individuals due to excess tension and the need for specialised techniques. Obesity can increase the risk of surgical complications and recurrence of hernia after repair.

Benefits of Weight Loss

Managing obesity is often considered an essential component of hernia treatment and prevention. We want your hernia surgery to be as successful as possible. Weight management may be a component of this.

Our surgeons are expertly positioned to help you through this process. Drs Whitcher and McQuillan do hernia and weight loss surgery and can, therefore, give you a holistic plan for the best outcome.