With about 45% of the population in the United States reporting a chronic disease — and a third reporting multiple chronic conditions — the overall health of the nation is on a downward trend. While there are some diseases patients have no control over, such as congenital conditions, there are plenty you can influence through better lifestyle choices, and losing weight tops this list.
At Rockwall Surgical Associates, our team of experienced surgeons understands the myriad health conditions that stem from, or are exacerbated by, carrying extra weight, which is why we offer bariatric surgical services. By giving you a leg up on your weight loss, you can take charge of your health and prevent or improve dozens of chronic diseases.
To give you an idea of the extent to which your weight plays a role in your health, here’s a look at some of the commonly associated health problems and how you can lower your risk of developing these lifelong conditions through weight loss.
One of the first areas where carrying extra weight can have a direct impact is your heart health. When you’re overweight or obese, excess fat builds up in your cardiovascular system, which hampers the flow of blood in your blood vessels. This can lead to:
These diseases are very serious, and even life-threatening, which is why losing weight is imperative in helping your beleaguered cardiovascular system function properly again. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that losing just 5%-10% of your total body weight can greatly lower your risk of developing cardiovascular problems or improve any you currently have.
One of the biggest health problems in the US is Type 2 diabetes, a chronic condition in which you’re unable to properly regulate the levels of glucose in your blood. More than 30 million people have diabetes, and there are more than 1.5 million new diagnoses each year. More sobering is the fact that 84 million people are considered prediabetic, and it’s this number we really want to highlight.
One of the biggest contributors to the development of Type 2 diabetes is being overweight or obese, and if you fall into either of these categories, you may already be prediabetic. The good news is that you can reduce your risk of crossing over into full-blown diabetes through weight loss.
Another area where your weight can play a role is with osteoarthritis, which affects almost 31 million people in the US. Experts predict that the number of people with arthritis will keep increasing, reaching 78 million by 2040 thanks to an aging population.
Weight plays a significant role in the onset of osteoarthritis, as well as in its severity. The joints in your body are designed to carry a certain amount of weight, and if you add to their burden, you’re accelerating the degenerative process.
By losing weight, you lighten the load on your joints and help prevent the breakdown of cartilage that’s necessary for easy movement.
Another issue that’s closely tied to your weight is sleep apnea, a condition in which your airways collapse and block your breathing while you sleep. This causes you to rouse repeatedly throughout the night, preventing you from getting a good night’s rest.
By losing weight, you can prevent this condition from developing or reverse the sleep apnea diagnosis you may already have.
The bottom line is that weight loss has a positive impact on almost every area of your health, lowering your risk of developing some very serious chronic problems. If you’re overweight or obese and you’ve struggled with weight loss, consider minimally invasive laparoscopic weight loss surgery.
If you’re ready to explore our weight loss services, please contact one of our four locations in Rowlett, Rockwall, Greenville, Forney, and Terrell, Texas. Call the office nearest you, or use our online booking tool.
