The Mayo Clinic Diet Book, learn more

Free

E-newsletter

Subscribe to Housecall

Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.

Sign up now

Complications

By Mayo Clinic staff

If you're obese, you're more likely to develop a number of potentially serious health problems, including:

  • High cholesterol and triglycerides
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Metabolic syndrome — a combination of high blood sugar, high blood pressure, high triglycerides and high cholesterol
  • Heart disease
  • Stroke
  • Cancer, including cancer of the uterus, cervix, ovaries, breast, colon, rectum and prostate
  • Sleep apnea, a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts
  • Depression
  • Gallbladder disease
  • Gynecologic problems, such as infertility and irregular periods
  • Erectile dysfunction and sexual health issues, due to deposits of fat blocking or narrowing the arteries to the genitals
  • Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a condition in which fat builds up in the liver and can cause inflammation or scarring
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Skin problems, such as poor wound healing

Quality of life
When you're obese, your overall quality of life may be lower, too. You may not be able to do things you'd normally enjoy as easily as you'd like. You may have trouble participating in family activities. You may avoid public places. You may even encounter discrimination.

Other weight-related issues that may affect your quality of life include:

  • Depression
  • Disability
  • Physical discomfort
  • Sexual problems
  • Shame
  • Social isolation
Preparing for your appointment Risk factors
References
  1. Defining overweight and obesity. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/defining.html. Accessed March 14, 2012.
  2. Bope ET, et al. Conn's Current Therapy. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2012. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-0986-5..C2009-0-38984-9--TOP&isbn=978-1-4377-0986-5&about=true&uniqId=236797353-5. Accessed March 14, 2012.
  3. Bray GA. Etiology and natural history of obesity. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed March 14, 2012.
  4. Health care guideline: Prevention and management of obesity (mature adolescents and adults). Bloomington, Minn.: Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement. http://www.icsi.org/obesity/obesity_3398.html. Accessed Feb. 7, 2012.
  5. Understanding adult obesity. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/understanding.htm. Accessed March 15, 2012.
  6. Bray GA. Overview of therapy for obesity in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed March 14, 2012.
  7. The practical guide: Identification, evaluation, and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/. Accessed March 15, 2012.
  8. Donnelly JE, et al. American College of Sports Medicine position stand: Appropriate physical activity intervention strategies for weight loss and prevention of weight regain for adults. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2009;41:459.
  9. Sacks F, et al. Comparison of weight-loss diets with different compositions of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. New England Journal of Medicine. 2009;360:859.
  10. Andrews RA, et al. Surgical management of severe obesity. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed March 14, 2012.
  11. Najm W, et al. Herbals used for diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. Primary Care. 2010;37:237.
  12. Cho SH, et al. Acupuncture for obesity: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Obesity. 2009;33:183.
  13. Completed safety review: Xenical/Alli (Orlistat) and severe liver injury. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm213038.htm. Accessed Feb. 16, 2011.
  14. Sarwer DB, et al. A review of the relationships between extreme obesity, quality of life, and sexual function. Obesity Surgery. 2012;22:668.
  15. Bray GA. Health hazards associated with obesity in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed March 14, 2012.
  16. FDA expands use of banding system for weight loss. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm245617.htm. Accessed Feb. 7, 2012.
  17. Belviq (prescribing information). San Diego, Calif.: Arena Pharmaceuticals; 2012. http://invest.arenapharm.com. Accessed June 29, 2012.
  18. FDA approves Belviq to treat some overweight or obese adults. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm309993.htm. Accessed July 23, 2012.
  19. FDA approves weight-management drug Qsymia. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm312468.htm. Accessed July 18, 2012.
  20. Qsymia (prescribing information). Mountain View, Calif.: Vivus Inc.; 2012. http://www.vivus.com/products. Accessed July 18, 2012.
  21. Belviq (lorcaserin) — Not currently available. Eisai, Inc. http://us.eisai.com/product.asp?ID=290&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=+belviq&utm_campaign=Efficacy%2B&%2BPI. Accessed March 12, 2013.
DS00314 Aug. 3, 2012

© 1998-2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

  • Reprints
  • Print

  • Share on:

  • Email

Advertisement


Text Size: smaller largerlarger