There are more than 30 illnesses directly related to obesity and many of these can be very serious medical conditions causing poor health and, in many instances, even death. According to The Surgeon General, more than 300,000 annual deaths are attributed to obesity and the risk of death increases with weight gain.

Individuals who have a BMI (body mass index) greater than 30 have a 50 to 100% increased risk of premature death from all causes as compared to those with a healthy weight! This is something to be taken very seriously, as obesity is at an all time high and is taking over smoking as the number one leading cause of preventable death in the United States with more than 66% of us considered to be overweight.

Here are some related facts to show you just how serious these illnesses are:

DIABETES

In 2006, diabetes was the nation’s 7th leading cause of death. This disease is evident in more than 80% of people who are overweight; just a weight gain of 11 pounds doubles your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes makes up 95% of people who have it. As BMI increases, so does the risk of developing type 2 diabetes; the rate of diabetes increases by about 25% for each additional BMI point above 25. It is estimated that more than 25% of new cases of diabetes can be directly attributed to weight gain and those with the most weight carried around their middle section are putting themselves at an even greater risk. Women between the ages of 30 and 55 with a BMI greater than 35 increase their chances of developing type 2 diabetes by as much as 93%.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 9 out of 10 people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes cases are overweight. Complications from diabetes include heart disease, blindness, kidney failure and poor circulation that can lead to poor wound healing and may even result in foot and leg amputations.

According to statistical information from The National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK), The American Heart Association and The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the yearly breakdown of dollars spent on direct and indirect costs associated with type 2 diabetes alone is $98 billion dollars!

In a report from bariatrics4diabetes.com changes in the reduction of type 2 diabetes in post-surgical bariatric patients are dramatic. They report that diabetes completely resolved in 77% of post-surgical patients (which means no insulin or medications needed at all). They also reported that diabetes in some patients disappeared almost immediately, within days of surgery and others saw their blood sugar levels fall soon after surgery and became completely normal within a year after surgery. Evidence shows that after weight loss through bariatric surgery, there is a 92% reduction in death from all diabetes-related causes!

Other obesity-related conditions include cancers of the colon, gallbladder, prostate, kidney and breast. Breathing problems including asthma and sleep apnea, plus arthritis, infertility and reproductive problems, pregnancy complications, reflux disease, liver disease and heart disease. Heart disease includes: heart attacks, congestive heart failure, sudden cardiac death, chest pain, abnormal heart rhythm and angina and is increased in people who have a BMI greater than 25. Being overweight or obese is an independent risk factor for Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) and stroke. CHF is a complication commonly found in those suffering from severe obesity and is a major cause of death. Women with BMI’s greater than 27 have a 75% increased risk of ischemic stroke and those with a BMI greater than 32 increase that risk by 137%! It is a proven fact that bariatric surgery patients saw a 56% reduction in coronary artery disease. High blood pressure was resolved in 62% of post-surgical patients and high cholesterol was lowered in 70% of patients!

Unfortunately, these are only a few weight-related medical conditions; there are others, but all of them can be greatly improved or completely eliminated by weight loss. If you suffer from any of these weight-related medical conditions, bariatric surgery could be an option and may help you to lose weight and resolve your other health problems at the same time.

• Your Diet and Diabetes
• Step by Step Checklist If You've Just Been Diagnosed With Type 2 Diabetes!
• Amazing Foods For Blood Sugar Control
• How to Reverse Diabetes Like a Reality Show Contestant
• How to Lower a Blood Sugar "Spike"
• Effects of Gestational Diabetes

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