How Obesity Affects Your Overall Health

When you're carrying extra weight on your body, the easiest tasks seem overwhelmingly difficult. But obesity doesn't just affect your mobility and self-confidence — it also leads to a slew of dangerous health problems. Losing weight decreases your risk of health problems later on. 

At Snow Bariatric Center, our team has the solution to all of your weight loss needs. Dr. Robert Snow, our bariatric surgeon, specializes in many types of weight loss surgery and helps you avoid obesity-related illnesses.

What constitutes obesity?

Obesity is a health issue that affects millions of people in the world. With all of the processed food out there, it’s easy to lose track of the calories you’re consuming throughout the course of your day. Excess calories lead to obesity, especially when paired with inactivity. Other common causes of obesity include:

So what are the actual parameters for determining if you’re obese? Although the answer is simple, it’s divided into separate categories. Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of over 30, but that category is further divided into three classes of obesity.

If your BMI is over 30 but less than 35, you’re considered to have class 1 obesity. A BMI of 35 to less than 40 is defined as class 2 obesity. However, if you have a body mass index of over 40 and above, you’re in the third class of obesity. Class 3 obesity is considered severe, and often leads to medical problems that negatively affect your health.

Health issues caused by obesity

Excess weight and body fat puts a strain on many different parts of your body, including your joints. You’re more prone to osteoarthritis and other joint problems when you’re obese. This eventually leads to problems with simple tasks like walking or getting up the stairs.

However, your joints aren’t the only part of your body that suffers. Your organs and other systems in your body also feel the pressure of the extra weight, leading to a lot of health issues, which vary in severity. Some of the health problems you could experience include:

Some types of cancer are also linked to obesity, including thyroid cancer, multiple myeloma, and esophageal cancers.

Obesity doesn’t just affect your physical health — it also takes a toll on your mental health as well. If you’re severely overweight, you might suffer from depression or anxiety that’s difficult to get under control. This is especially true if you suffer from body image problems, as your self-esteem can be greatly affected by your weight. 

How to combat obesity

When you’re severely obese, it may seem impossible to lose weight. Even with dietary changes and mild exercise, the pounds just might not come off like you hope. This is where Dr. Snow and our team come in to help. 

Dr. Snow offers many different types of weight loss surgery that helps you get your life back, and fight the health issues brought on by obesity. The surgery that’s right for you depends on what obesity category you fall into, and other factors such as your health.

If you’ve tried to lose weight over and over again without success, Dr. Snow recommends weight loss surgery to get you on the road to a healthier life. Some of the weight loss options we offer include:

We also offer a non-surgical option for you called endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty. This procedure is very similar to the gastric sleeve surgery, but requires zero incisions in your abdomen or stomach. This allows you to feel fuller with less food, leading to significant weight loss.

If you're overweight and worried about your health, schedule a consultation with Dr. Snow today by calling one of our convenient offices in Texas. You can also request an appointment online using our booking tool. 

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