Childhood Obesity (Part 2)
In our last blog post (click HERE if you missed it) we discussed some of the causes of childhood obesity. Today we’ll discuss some of the long term problems with obesity, in particular, chronic disease. About 70% of deaths in America are due to PREVENTABLE chronic disease (1). If kids keep on the weight into adulthood there are a plethora of health problems that can occur. Obesity and being overweight are the second leading preventable cause of death in the United States, causing nearly 300,000 deaths a year (2). Studies show that obesity can increase individuals risks of dying from cancer by 80% (3). Along with this, being obese can increase your chance of developing a heart disease by 56% (4). Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America affecting 1 out of every 4 people (5).
In addition, being obese can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes (6). Having type 2 diabetes DOUBLES your risk of dying from any form of illness compared to people of the same age without diabetes. Some side effect of having type 2 diabetes are health disease, stroke, kidney disease, pregnancy complications, skin disease, and amputations (7).
Another health complication that is common among obese individuals is sleep apnea. Sleep apnea causes you to stop breathing in your sleep for a brief period of time (8). Having sleep apnea can increase your risk of stroke and heart disease dramatically, not to mention the lethargy that comes from getting a poor night’s sleep. Overweight teens need to be aware of the potential health problems that can occur from weighing too much. Being overweight can kill you in more ways than one. In our final blog on obesity, we’ll discuss measures the US government has taken to begin addressing the issue. Check back tomorrow!
Footnotes-
(1)-Greg Glassman, “The world’s most vexing problem,” CrossFit, September 10th, 2017 n.p.
(2)-West Virginia Health Statistic Center, Obesity: Facts, Figures, Guidelines, 2017, n.p.
(3)-Ibid.
(4)-American Heart Association, Obesity and Heart Disease, November 4, 1997, n.p.
(5)-Medical News Today,The top 10 leading causes of death in the United States, February 23, 2017, n.p.
(6)-Health Line, Type 2 Diabetes Statistics and Facts, 2017, n.p.
(7)-Ibid.
(8)-WebMd, Health Risks Linked to Obesity, 2017, n.p.
