What Conditions and Health Effects Are Linked to Obesity?

Some side effects of having overweight or obesity include a higher chance of diabetes, arthritis, cancer, and heart disease. However, in many cases, reaching a more moderate weight can help reduce these risks and support your general health. Obesity and overweight affect your entire body, including your heart, joints, and even the blood flowing through your veins.

If you experience overweight or obesity, talk with your doctor about treatment options that may help you maintain a moderate weight and improve your health.

Learn more about the possible side effects of overweight and obesity.

Type 2 diabetes is when your blood sugar, or blood glucose, is too high. It occurs when the body doesn’t respond effectively to insulin, the hormone that helps manage blood sugar levels.

Overweight and obesity significantly increase your chance of developing type 2 diabetes. This is because excess body fat can affect Trusted Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Governmental authority Go to source how well insulin and other hormones work and can lead to insulin resistance.

Learn about how to prevent diabetes.

Experiencing overweight or obesity can increase the chance of different arthritis types because of the pressure extra body mass may put on your joints.

For example, overweight may increase the chances of developing osteoarthritis. Obesity can also increase the chance of developing gout, where crystals of uric acid buildup and cause pain in your joints.

Maintaining a moderate weight is often a key treatment approach for improving arthritis.

Read more about osteoarthritis and gout, including their causes and how to prevent them.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), overweight and obesity may increase your chances of developing certain cancer types, including cancers of the:

• meninges (membranes that surround your brain and spinal cord)
• esophagus
• thyroid
• gallbladder
• upper stomach
• liver
• kidney
• colon and rectum
• breast
• uterus, ovaries, and endometrium
• prostate

Experts suggest the increased risk of these cancers is because obesity increases the chance of these cancer risk factors:

• excess hormones, which can be produced by fat tissue
• insulin resistance
• chronic inflammation
• impaired immunity to tumors
• impaired cell growth

Alongside other risk factors, overweight and obesity can increase Trusted Source American Heart Association Highly respected national organization Go to source the likelihood of having high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol.

Overweight and obesity may also contribute to low levels of high-density lipoprotein or “good” cholesterol, which usually helps keep LDL levels balanced.

Read more about LDL cholesterol and its health effects.

Excess body mass due to overweight or obesity can mean your heart needs to work harder to supply blood, increasing blood pressure.

Excess fat may also impair the function of the kidneys, which usually help manage blood pressure levels.

See more about high blood pressure readings, causes, and treatment.

High blood sugar, high blood cholesterol, and high blood pressure can contribute to heart and circulatory diseases by damaging the blood vessels and making your heart work harder. Physical activity supports cardiovascular health, but excess body mass can make being active more difficult.

As a result, heart disease is more likely if you experience overweight or obesity.

Read more about heart disease types and prevention.

A stroke is a type of cardiovascular disease. It occurs when a blood vessel in your brain is blocked or bursts.

Obesity and overweight can increase the chance of stroke by causing high blood pressure. Excess fat may also cause a stroke due to a process known as atherosclerosis. This is where fatty deposits build up in your arteries and cause a blockage.

Learn about ways to help prevent a stroke.

Excess body mass can affect respiratory function, increasing the likelihood of breathing conditions.

For example, fat stored around the neck may make your airway smaller, leading to snoring, sleep apnea, and difficulty breathing. Sleep apnea causes irregular or paused breathing during sleep. Without treatment, sleep apnea can increase the chance of further conditions, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Obesity may also increase the risk of asthma, make asthma more difficult to treat, or make asthma symptoms worse if you already have it.

Read more about sleep apnea and asthma.

Obesity may increase the chance of chronic kidney disease or make it progress quicker. Other possible effects of obesity, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, can also add to this risk.

See more about kidney disease causes, treatment, and health effects.

Having high cholesterol, such as due to overweight and obesity, can contribute to gallstones. Gallstones are hard deposits in the gallbladder that cause pain.

Learn more about gallstones.

Excess body mass may also increase the chance of other gallbladder and pancreas conditions, such as:

• enlarged gallbladder, which may cause digestive problems
• pancreatitis (pancreatic inflammation)
• cholecystitis (gallbladder inflammation)

Fatty liver disease refers to conditions that are due to fat buildup in the liver. Overweight and obesity can cause fatty liver disease.

While early fatty liver disease may not have any immediate effects, without treatment, the condition may contribute to:

• ascites, fluid buildup in the abdomen
• bleeding in the esophagus, stomach, or colon
• jaundice, a yellowish discoloration of your skin and eyes

Learn more about fatty liver disease, including its symptoms, health effects, and treatment.

The following pregnancy and fertility issues may be more likely if you experience overweight or obesity:

• gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy)
• preeclampsia
• need for a cesarean delivery
• surgery and anesthesia complications
• weight gain after birth
• infertility, such as due to:
  • low sperm count or quality
  • issues with menstruation or ovulation
  • lower effectiveness of fertility treatments

Overweight and obesity during pregnancy can also mean that the infant is more likely to:

• have a larger birth weight
• develop chronic health conditions later in life, such as:
  • asthma
  • obesity
  • type 2 diabetes
  • heart disease

However, as the NIH suggests, maintaining a moderate weight can help improve some of these conditions.

Overweight and obesity may also affect mental health, increasing the chance of conditions such as:

• depression
• chronic stress
• body dysmorphia or body image issues
• low self-esteem
• eating disorders

Other Trusted Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Governmental authority Go to source possible side effects of obesity and overweight include:

• metabolic syndrome, a group of conditions that increase the likelihood of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease
• body pain
• difficulty with physical function, such as moving around
• impaired quality of life
• sexual health issues, such as:
  • erectile dysfunction
  • reduced sexual desire or arousal
  • difficulty reaching orgasm
  • pain during sex

In some cases, obesity may make diagnosis or screening for certain conditions more difficult, meaning some conditions are missed or not treated early. For example, cervical cancer screening may be less effective in people with overweight or obesity.

Some people may also experience discrimination due to overweight and obesity, which may further affect Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source physical and mental health.

Overweight and obesity can increase the chance of developing many other health conditions, including:

• type 2 diabetes
• arthritis
• certain cancers
• heart disease
• other organ conditions, such as kidney or pancreatic conditions
• breathing issues
• mental health conditions

In many cases, maintaining a more moderate weight can help reduce these risks.

If you experience overweight or obesity, talk with a doctor about treatment and outlook. Also, talk with a doctor if you experience any new or persistent symptoms alongside overweight and obesity.