Consequences of Overweight and Obesity

How does overweight and obesity affect health?

Health effects of overweight and obesity have been related to many chronic health conditions including:(1)

• Impaired immune function
• Impaired respiratory functions
• Infections following wounds
• Infertility
• Liver disease
• Low back pain
• Obstetric and gynecological complications
• Pain
• Pancreatitis
• Sleep apnea
• Stoke
• Urinary stress incontinence
• Other medical conditions
• Arthritis

• Birth defects
• Various cancers
• Cardiovascular disease
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Daytime sleepiness
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Type 2 diabetes
• End-stage renal disease
• Gallbladder disease
• Gout
• Heart disorders
• Hypertension

Read more about the impact of overweight and obesity on: Physical Health

Mental and Emotional Health

• Being overweight or obese can lead to depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and social isolation, which can exacerbate depression, anxiety and low self-esteem.
• Untreated depression can be both a cause and an effect of overweight or obesity. (2)
• Children who suffer from obesity have been found to suffer from low or reduced self-esteem and are also more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as drinking and smoking. (3)

Behavioral Health

• Children who are overweight or obese are more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as smoking and alcohol consumption. (3)
• The fear or perception of being overweight or obese can result in eating disorders, most common among young women.
• Pressure regarding weight and appearance is particularly acute among adolescent girls and within certain professions such as modeling and the entertainment industry.
• Certain behavioral aspects of overweight and obesity have a genetic component, including (a) preference for fatty foods; (b) time interval between meals; and (c) inclination to engage in physical activity (field known as “behavioral genetics”). (4)

See also: Fast Food and Obesity in Children.  Commentary.  Pediatrics: 113(1):132, January 2004

Environmental Health

Social Health

Social Stigmatization and Isolation: In addition to increasing risk factors for medical conditions, many people experience social isolation as a result of being overweight or obese.  Social isolation can lead to or exacerbate depression, anxiety and low self-esteem.  For example adolescents who are overweight or obese report dating less than their counterparts.

Discrimination: A number of studies show that people who are obese experience discrimination in a number of areas, including employment, health care, and education.  A systematic analysis of evidence-based published studies further shows that negative attitudes towards overweight and obesity can affect employment, acceptance to college, receiving financial aid from families paying for college, job earnings, rental availabilities, and opportunities for marriage. (5)

For extensive discussion and related articles, see:

• CDC and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults
• American Obesity Association: Discrimination.
• Janssen I, Craig WM, Boyce WF, Pickett W. Association between overweight and obesity with bullying behaviors in school-aged children. Pediatrics 2004 May: 113(5) 1187-94.   

See also Obesity in Schools

Disparities in Overweight and Obesity

Overweight and obesity affect Americans across all age, gender and racial/ethnic groups.  However, some groups are more likely to be overweight or obese:(5)

• African Americans
• Non-white Hispanics
• Native Americans
• Women within minority populations
• Low-income minority populations

Economic Costs of Overweight and Obesity

Resources

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• American Obesity Association
• World Health Organization
• NYU Child Study Center: Childhood Obesity: The Effects on Physical and Mental Health

Sources

(1) American Obesity Association

(2) American Psychiatric Association News Alert. Obesity can be harmful to your child’s mental health: research shows significant risks, impacts. September 29, 2003.

(3) Strauss, RS Childhood Obesity and Self Esteem. Pediatrics 2000, 105:(1)15-22

(4) Devlin, MJ, Yanoyski SZ, and Wilson GT, Obesity: What Mental Health Professionals Need to Know. Am J Psychiatrity 157:854-866 June 2000.

(5) CDC and the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults

See also Schwimmer, J.B., Burwinkle, T.M and Varni, J.W., (2003), Health-related quality of life of severely obese children and adolescents, JAMA 289: 1813-1819x.

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