Baby Boomers U. S. (The Blog)

Posted: 27 Jan 2013 02:39 AM PST

This is a Guest Post by Michelle Winters. If you would like to Guest Post for Baby Boomers US, check out our Guest Post for Us page.

For many people, being overweight is a simple case of putting on a few extra pounds and struggling to get them off. For others, being overweight becomes a health issue when they tip the scales into obesity. Along with carrying dozens, if not hundreds, of extra pounds, people who become obese must often deal with a host of other medical issues. Here are just five of the conditions that being obese can exacerbate:

1. Erectile Dysfunction

According to a study published in the “Journal of Sexual Medicine,” men who are obese are more likely to experience sexual dysfunction than men who maintain a healthy weight. Carrying excess weight around the middle can interrupt the blood flow to the penis, making it difficult to achieve and maintain an erection. Diabetes, prevalent in obese people, also interferes with sexual functions. Men who lose weight often find that their erectile difficulties diminish significantly as they edge closer to a healthy weight.

2. Joint Problems

Have you ever noticed that people who are obese appear to have difficulty walking? Not only is it difficult to move hundreds of pounds, but obesity has a very real affect on the joints. The knees and hips of those who are overweight become damaged quite rapidly. People suffering with joint damage are often recommended for joint replacement surgeries. Unfortunately, these same surgeries aren’t recommended for those who are obese because the false joints are not able to support the extra weight.

3. High Blood Pressure

Many people understand that being overweight causes a rise in blood pressure but don’t know why. When you carry extra weight, your body has additional tissues that need to be supplied with oxygen and nutrients. To supply these tissues, your heart needs to pump more blood which increases the pressure on the walls of your arteries. This, in turn, makes your blood pressure rise. As you lose weight, these additional tissues disappear, reducing your bodies need to work as hard.

4. Sleep Apnea

People who are obese often experience sleep apnea, or a frequent interruption in sleep, caused by a cessation of breathing. This is due to the extra weight placed on the chest wall and lungs. Sleep apnea can lead to a constant state of fatigue, health issues and, in the worst cases, suffocation and death. If you are obese and feel as though you never get a good night’s sleep, your doctor may suggest that you undergo a sleep study.

5. Depression

Unfortunately, in our society, thin people are considered to be more attractive and more able than those who are overweight. People who are obese are often subjected to ridicule, discrimination and stereotyping. Those people who are extremely overweight are often looked at as unattractive and lazy, passed by when it comes to relationships, friendships and even employment. This type of attitude towards the obese often leads people to close themselves off from the rest of the world which, in turn, can lead to extreme feelings of depression.

While obesity itself is a problem, the health issues that are caused by obesity are often more of a concern. If you are obese, it would be in your benefit to do whatever you can to lose weight. Losing even five percent of your body weight can have a very real change on the inner-workings of your body. If you are struggling with a weight issue, consult your physician or mental health care provider for assistance.

About the Author: Michelle Winters blogs for edrugstore.med where you can read more about What causes erectile dysfunction.

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