Risks

Obesity is not just a cosmetic problem. It's a health hazard. Someone who is 40% overweight is twice as likely to die prematurely than an average-weight person. This is because obesity has been linked to several serious medical conditions including:

• Heart disease and stroke
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Gallbladder disease and gallstones
• Osteoarthritis
• Gout
• Breathing problems, such as sleep apnea (when a person stops breathing for a short time during sleep) and asthma

Doctors generally agree that the more obese a person is, the more likely he or she is to have health problems. People who are 20% or more overweight can gain significant health benefits from losing weight. Many obesity experts believe that people who are less than 20% above their healthy weight should still try to lose weight if they have any of the following risk factors.

• Family history of certain chronic diseases : People with close relatives who have had heart disease or diabetes are more likely to develop these problems if they are obese.
• Pre-existing medical conditions : High blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, or high blood sugar levels are all warning signs of some obesity-associated diseases.
• " Apple" shape : People whose weight is concentrated around their stomachs may be at greater risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, or cancer than people of the same weight who are "pear-shaped" (they carry their weight in their hips and buttocks).

Fortunately, even a modest weight loss of 10 to 20 pounds can bring significant health improvements, such as lowering one's blood pressure and cholesterol levels.