Health Problems

Many health problems can be caused by obesity. These include …

Coronary Heart Disease CHD

It is the most common type of heart disease. CHD occurs when the coronary arteries, that supply blood to the heart muscle, become hardened and narrowed due to the plaque buildup, reducing the flow of blood and oxygen to the heart. CHD can weaken the heart muscle and lead to heart failure.

Type 2 Diabetes

This is associated with insulin resistance. Insulin is an important hormone that delivers glucose (sugar) to our cells.

When a person is overweight, the cells in the body become less sensitive to the insulin that is released from the pancreas. If a person has more fat cells than muscle cells, then the insulin becomes less effective overall, and glucose remains circulating in the blood instead of being taken into the cells to be used as energy.

Others include:

• Benign Intracranial Hypertension (BIH is a disease of the brain)
• Hypoventilation (leading to drowsiness during the day, snoring, and even heart failure)
• Damage to weight-bearing joints (such as your knees)
• Others include gall bladder disease, polycystic ovary syndrome, high blood pressure, and high levels of blood fats.

Social Problems

As young people, there are even more problems you could face at school. People will call you names, (name-calling) and leave you out of fun activities. Some people may even laugh and tease you, and no one would like to be your friend. This can make you very sad and lead to low self-esteem. You may also be bullied at school.

READING SOURCES: CDC, Overweight & Obesity. Childhood Obesity Causes & Consequences, https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/childhood/causes.html#Consequences Accessed in February 2021