Obesity: The Mother of Disease
Cynthia Buffington, Ph.D.
The world is facing its first-ever obesity epidemic and some experts believe that this epidemic may prove to be far more deadly than the worst of famines. Why? Because there is a known cause and cure for hunger, whereas, obesity has multiple causes and no known long-term cure.
According to the results of a nearly decade-old epidemiological study, more than 60% of Americans are overweight. Data from another large nationwide study shows that with each passing year the numbers and severity of obesity are increasing at an alarming rate. Such findings would not be so serious if obesity were only a cosmetic issue. Obesity, however, is a disease that both costs and kills.
Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death among Americans, responsible for hundreds of thousands of lost lives per year. The more obese a person is, the higher their risk for death. Among individuals with the most serious stage of obesity, i.e. morbid obesity, mortality rates have been reported to be as high as 12-times those of lean persons.
Why is obesity associated with an increased risk for mortality? Because obesity causes or contributes to the development of those diseases or conditions responsible for all the major causes for death in the U.S.
Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 cause for death in the U.S., accounting for the loss of nearly 700,000 lives per year. The American Heart Association considers obesity an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Epidemiological studies show that as the level of obesity increases so does the risk for cardiovascular disease and associated mortality.
Cancer is the 2nd leading cause for death in this country, responsible for over half a million lives per year. Obesity is believed to cause up to 90,000 cancer deaths per year. Obesity increases the risk for all forms of cancer by as much as 50% and causes up to 5-fold increased risk for specific types of cancer, such as endometrial, cervical, ovarian, breast, esophageal, pancreatic, gallbladder, prostate, and colon cancer.
Cerebrovascular disease including stroke is the 3rd leading cause for death in the U.S. Obesity puts a strain on the entire circulatory system and, in this way, increases the risk for stroke. Obesity also is responsible for the development of other stroke risk factors including heart disease, hypertension, lipid abnormalities, diabetes, and obstructive sleep apnea.
Respiratory disorders are the 4th major cause for U.S. deaths. The obese have reduced respiratory capacities, are more susceptible to respiratory infections than are lean individuals, and have a far greater incidence of asthma (children and adults) and other obstructive respiratory disorders.
Obesity is also a major cause for a very serious, and potentially deadly, breathing disorder known as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This condition occurs when excess fat in the neck, throat, and tongue obstructs air passageways during sleep causing apnea, a temporary absence of breathing. An individual with OSA may have hundreds of apnea episodes each night. Such episodes cause exceptionally low tissue and blood levels of oxygen and may contribute to systemic and pulmonary hypertension, heart failure, sudden cardiac death and stroke.
Sleep apnea interferes with normal sleep cycling, resulting in fatigue and severe daytime drowsiness. Such conditions, in turn, may cause accidents, the 5th leading cause for death in the U.S. Obesity also increases the risk for accidents (and death) by causing or aggravating joint diseases (such as gout and arthritis), disc herniations, spinal abnormalities, and by contributing to the development of pseudo tumour cerebri, a condition associated with disorientation and visual impairment.
Diabetes is the 6th leading cause for death in the U.S. The disease is a major cause for amputations, cardiovacular disease, stroke and blindness and has numerous other complications, including kidney disease, hypertension, lipid abnormalities, circulatory and nerve defects, hard-to-heal infections, impotence, and more. Diabetes is believed to reduce life-span by as much as 35%.
Obesity is a primary cause for Type 2 or non-insulin-dependent diabetes, a form of diabetes involving a resistance to insulin rather than a lack of. Type 2 diabetes accounts for 90 to 95% of all diabetes cases, and 80% to 90% of patients with this form of diabetes are obese.
The 7th leading cause for U.S. deaths is pneumonia and flu and the obese are likely to be more susceptible to these diseases than individuals who are lean. Obesity significantly reduces the immune system’s ability to protect and fight against viral and bacterial invasion. Furthermore, obesity enhances those activities of the immune system that cause tissue inflammation and destruction.
Alzheimer’s Disease is the 8th major cause of U.S. deaths, and studies find that individuals who are obese are at greater risk for this debilitating disease. Kidney disease is the 9th leading reason for death. Hypertension, diabetes, and congestive heart failure (all conditions caused or worsened by obesity) are major contributors to renal failure.
Septicemia is the 10th leading cause for mortality. The condition is a serious infection that rapidly progresses to septic shock and death. Studies show that the obese, particularly the morbidly obese, are at higher risk for septicemia than are normal size individuals.
There are yet other obesity-associated co-morbidities that are life-threatening. Fatty liver disease, the 12th major cause for U.S. deaths is far more prevalent among individuals who are obese than lean. Inflammation of fatty liver tissue, a condition known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) occurs in 1% to 3% of the normal weight population and as high as 50% for the severely obese. NASH, over time, leads to fibrosis with impaired liver function and can eventually progress to cirrhosis and liver failure.
Obesity also increases the risk for certain maternal complications, such as pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, that endanger the life of both mother and child. Stillborn births and miscarriages are far more prevalent among females who are obese. Furthermore, obesity increases the risk for other health problems during pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes, that can adversely affect pregnancy outcome.
Various gastrointestinal complications are caused, or worsened, by obesity and some of these may be quite serious and even life-threatening, if left unattended. Such complications include gallstones, gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastritis and acute pancreatits.
Obesity may be responsible for various conditions that are not life-threatening but that reduce life quality, such as urinary stress incontinence, urinary infections, menstrual irregularity in females, hypogonadism in males, sex hormone abnormalities, and infertility. Quality of life, self-esteem and overall sense of well-being are also compromised by the social and psychological burdens of obesity which, in turn, can negatively influence health status or even lead to suicide, the 11th major cause for death in the U.S.
There is little doubt that obesity is a ‘killer’ and that its prevalence is increasing throughout the industrialized world in epidemic proportion. Some experts believe that if obesity continues to rise at its present rate, nearly everyone will be obese in another generation.
We fear eradication from biochemical warfare. We fear annihilation from nuclear weapons. We fear destruction from collision of celestial bodies. Perhaps, our most urgent fear should be that of our own expanding reflection and the devastating consequences.